They're on to you, Astoria wrote. And they're marrying me off faster than I can comprehend.
What had once been a distant daydream was hurtling towards her as a terrifying reality—Astoria had never planned on getting married to Joseph.
The note wasn't addressed to anyone specific, any of her extended family would know who they were and who they were after. They'd know what to do. Hopefully.
Copeland stepped into the room and carefully closed the door. With a look of distaste, she curtseyed and muttered a quick "my Lady."
Astoria almost told her to stop with the formalities, but she knew better. Anything out the ordinary would be reported to the king immediately and would be thoroughly investigated. It was already a possibility Copeland was causing suspicion, but Astoria was working hard to sell the story of Copeland and how she came to be a lady in waiting.
Nodding to Copeland, Astoria folded up the short letter and held it out to her.
No words were exchanged between the two as Copeland took the paper and sliped it into her dress pocket.
"His Highness, the prince, has requested your presence. There's a guard outside who will escort you."
"Thank you," Astoria replied.
She moved the loose strands of hair away from her face before heading out the door.
Milo was standing at attention outside when she opened the door. He bowed to her, and gestured for her to follow him. It was odd to not be able to tell Milo she missed him. It was odd for them to be walking down the hallway a good distance apart. It was odd for them to not be speaking.
"I think they picked a new date for the wedding," Milo muttered. "Sometime next week."
"I see."
Astoria would gladly walk through fire to save the people she loved. Walking down the isle was the worst of infernos in her eyes.
"Will they do anything to change it?"
The slight shake of Milo's head was enough to let her heart sink.
But she had to have faith. There had to be a reason. There had to be a plan. . . . But what if there wasn't? She shook that idea from her mind. They always had a plan.
For days she waited for something. A sign, a letter, a spoken word. Nothing ever came.
She was diligent in her task of slowly poisoning anyone she came in contact with, constantly asking Copeland and Milo for more. The change didn't seem to be taking place like it had with people like her other ladies in waiting—they had returned to duty a few weeks after becoming "sick" and were back to being their unknown human selves.
Time held no meaning as it dragged on. Once familiar faces in the hall became distant memories. The strangers that had been held at a distance were now the people she found herself in the company of. The dark shadows that lived in the corners of her thoughts slowly crept their way out of their prisons and took over her mind.
*
Something old.
The ring Gabe had given her had been slipped on her middle finger that morning. It was a reminder of her old life, the life she had sacrificed for what was to come.
Something new.
The dress was elegant in every sense of the word. Long, flowly, breathtakingly beautiful. The reflection of the sun bounced off of hundreds of diamonds and lit her up like the moon. The dress itself was new, so was the engagement ring, both symbolic enough to represent the new life she was about to step into.
Something borrowed.
Her face was bare of makeup, the queen's own veil covering it. The queen herself had brought it over that morning as the ladies in waiting were finishing up her hair. Astoria hadn't said much on veils, so it was a surprise and touching moment that something so personal to the queen—it had been passed down from mother to daughter in her family for years—was now hers to perhaps pass on one day.
Something blue.
Along with the veil a sapphire and diamond encrusted tiara set in silver sat on top of her head. She had avoided crowns for as long as she could, stating she had no right to such a thing when she wasn't a princess yet, but the weight of it was the only reminder she needed. This was happening.
Everything had been tried on a few days ago for final adjustments, but Astoria hadn't been able to look at herself then, nor did she really want to now. Everyone was waiting, though, for the soon to be princess's opinion, and she couldn't dissapoint.
"It looks wonderful," she said softly and tore her eyes away from the image in front of her.
"I was nervous before my wedding too," the queen said as she gently rested a hand on Astoria's shoulder. "But you look absolutely beautiful. No one will be able to take their eyes off of you."
"Thank you."
The queen smiled and excused herself from the room. The other ladies in waiting hurried around the room, picking up any spare items Astoria had accidentally left lying around the room. Last night had been her final in this room, and it terrified her.
As she stole another glance at herself in the mirror she caught Copeland's eyes. They held the gaze for a long moment, uninterrupted until Jennifer accidentally bumped into Copeland.
Astoria watched as she turned to help, letting herself wonder what she'd seen in Copeland's expression. It couldn't have been what she thought—Copeland would never, ever feel sympathetic towards her.
The next person to knock on the door was Mike, the king's right hand man. Since Lady Victoria's parents had died years ago, there was no one to escort her down the isle. Astoria wanted nothing more that to walk alone; however, it didn't seem like a proper request to make, so she asked Mike to do it one evening when they were passing each other in the hall as a spur of the moment thing.
"Are you ready, your Highness?"
Astoria only nodded.
