Till Death Do Us Part

Wedding Preparations

"Here it is." Coffee pulled out a lovely silver ring, adorned with a large, glittering red jewel, ancient symbols engraved within the band. He cleared his throat and went to face the woman standing before him.

Princess Star Butterfly hung her head, choosing to focus instead on the silver details decorating the skirt of her royal blue ballgown and not on the horrible situation that she was in right now. Her long blond hair was piled atop her head and held in place with a golden crown, and pearl drop earrings hung from her earlobes. She looked as regal as could be. But she did not feel regal one tiny bit.

Coffee walked over to stand a single foot before her. Taking one of her hands, he slipped the silver ring onto her finger and smiled, admiring his mark on her. The officiator clapped his hands together. "May it be known that Coffee of the Monsters and Princess Star Butterfly are now officially betrothed to one another. Let the preparations for their wedding ceremony begin!"

A great cheer rose up from below the balcony. Coffee kissed Star's ring-bearing hand before going off with his own attendants to ready for the wedding. Queen Moon and King River immediately came to their daughter's side. "Congratulations, sweetheart!", River said. "You're to be married soon! Isn't that exciting?" Star stared at her engagement ring. "Yeah...thrilling."

Moon cupped her dear daughter's face and turned it to face her. "Star, I know this not exactly how you envisioned your future,", she said, stroking her beloved child's hair with a loving hand. "But you should take pride in the fact that you made the right decision for everybody." Star looked at her mother, then back at the ring glistening on her finger. "Yeah...for everyone."
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The royal palace became abuzz with plans for the wedding. The royal gardeners planted seeds for the lushest Mewnian flowers. The royal decorators began making banners and streamers in the colors of the Butterfly royal crest to adorn the grand church. The royal musicians practiced the finest anthems and melodies to perform. The royal cooks got to work, going over the reception menu.

But the busiest employees were the royal seamstresses. For weeks, they slaved over silks and satins, measured yards of sashes and ribbons, coordinated shoes and jewelry with the ensembles they envisioned. It was their sacred duty to make sure that the Princess looked her absolute best when she stood at the altar.

They now had the Princess trapped, as they fitted her for her wedding gown. Queen Moon sat on a velvet stool nearby, watching the seamstresses hover over her daughter with measuring tapes and pincushions. "She's five foot four, twenty-five inch waist." One of them held her hair upwards. "She'll look radiant with a new hairdo. The bigger the hair, the better." Another held up two samples of similar-looking whites. "Your Highness, do you prefer Polished Snow or Winter Rose?"

Star only grunted in response. She hated this. She hated all the ladies fussing over her. Honestly, she didn't care what she looked like when she married Coffee. "Look, just pick whatever, okay?" The head seamstresses tsked as she shook a finger. "Oh, no, no, no, Your Highness. We can't do that. You must look ravishing when you walk down the aisle. You will wear a lavish gown, crafted by us. So, tell me, do you want silk or satin?"

Star face-palmed, but said anyway, "Satin." The head seamstress got out a large roll of shining white satin, and began wrapping it around Star's body, yard by yard. Moon rose to her feet and clapped her hands twice, getting the attention of the handmaidens. "We must end the fitting for now. Its time for the wedding rehearsal."
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Holding a copy of her still-being-arranged wedding bouquet, Star practiced the walk down the aisle with her father. She did everything Moon had taught her in posture lessons—she kept her back straight, her shoulders square, and her head held high. She took small, graceful steps, one by one, slowly as the music played.

Finally, they reached the podium, where Coffee stood. River kissed her on the forehead and went to stand by his wife. Star took Coffee's hand and allowed him to pull her up onto the podium. They stood before the Grand High Chancellor of Mewni, who was in charge of conducting the ceremony. He walked the Princess and her fiancé through the basic.

"Now, after I recite the opening prayers and start the verbal rituals going, we will ask for objections. After that, I will ask you each if you take the other to be your married partner, so that you may share your 'I do's. Then, to seal the deal, you will sign your names on this." He unfurled a large parchment scroll with hundreds, maybe a thousand tiny words scribbled on in small, fancy cursive.

"This...is the marriage contract.", The Grand High Chancellor explained. "The very document that will bind the two of you in wedlock forever. You must sign your names on the bottom line to legalize your matrimonial bond. Without your signatures, any other vows you take at this altar will be invalid." He placed the parchment down.

"After you have signed your names on the marriage contract, you will face each other, and I will announce you as man and wife to the whole audience." Coffee nodded in understanding. "Excellent." He turned to face a depressed Star. "I look forward to such a wonderful event." He took her hand. "Until then, m'lady."

With a wink, he spun on his heel and left the church building with his goonies and attendants. Star watched him go before hearing her mother's clapping. "Time to return to your fitting, Star.", Moon said, helping her daughter down from the podium. "We must make haste! The wedding is in just two more days!"

Star sighed heavily. With each day that passed, the situation felt a little bit more real. She had accepted her fate. By this time soon, she would be married to a wicked, gruesome monster who was just cruel and blackhearted as his father had been. Putting on a brave face, Star allowed her mother to usher her back towards the seamstresses' quarters.