Pt 10 - Learning About Ever After

52 3 1
                                    

After a couple days, Locke regained his equilibrium and his usual cheerful outlook. Prince John was so relieved to have his sweet Sherlock back.  He was inordinately worried to have his love so unhappy. Locke returned to himself just in time. John needed him to help entertain the royal company that just arrived.

The two young ladies, the Princesses Jillian of North Ridings and Lydia of Grimmshaw arrived to celebrate Prince John's birthday and perhaps collect a husband for one of them. John did his best to be a good host and keep the girls occupied.  He was amazed to discover that Jillian was only fifteen and that Lydia was not yet fifteen.  

He considered himself twice lucky to have avoided having to wed either of these children. Little did John know that they were as happy that he was marrying Sherlock. They eagerly volunteered to be bridesmaids in Prince John's wedding.  Queen Alicia was also most pleased. She wasn't sure how she could gather two young women under the age of sixteen to stand up with John or with Sherlock or with whomever it was decided was the "bride."

While the boy's were getting back to their naturally warm selves, Queen Alicia was busy putting together all the many details required for the royal wedding.  This was new territory in more ways than one.  With one thing crossed off her list in the matter of the bridesmaids, she set to work on the myriad details left still undetermined.

The first thing she must now do is write a proclamation giving her consent and blessing to the betrothed couple.  This was read into law by a former queen.  She sought one of her Ladies, her Second, who had the prettiest hand at calligraphy, sat with her and dictated the appropriate words.  Selecting a beautiful piece of parchment with the royal seal embossed boldly at the top. When it was finished, it would be rolled, tied with a red ribbon (for love), and presented to the presiding Cardinal before the service. 

Having expected to do this for her son and a new princess, she knew pretty much what she wanted to say, but she added additional sentimental prose when it came to the "loving" part. She thought St. John might have some affection for his fiance, but never thought he'd be deliriously in love. She and the Second Lady in Waiting both had to stop a couple times and dab at their eyes with a tiny piece of lace that passed for a handkerchief.  

She had already advised her boys that they both must wear white, a standard tradition for a bride. Somewhat chagrined, she couldn't tell who was the bride. Therefore she decided to incorporate customs expected for both the groom and the bride. Although they would both be in white, they must also wear a full dress uniform including royal emblems as jewel accessories. Th bride must also wear a tiara. The boys both balked at tiaras and agreed to wear thin platinum crowns to rest on their foreheads. They would give the appearance of a tiara but would not be quite so feminine.

The boys decided between themselves that Prince John would march the processional up the aisle, with Sherlock waiting at the altar. Sherlock insisted that his Johnny have a long train of some kind.  It was decided that he'd wear a twelve-foot white cape with ermine trim. Enlisting Adrian, a pageboy who was in training to be a Personal Guardian, to carry the train behind the prince, they decided that the Princesses would not have to march but would stand with Sherlock at the altar.  With these details confirmed the queen experienced a moment of relief.

But, "Oh, dear!"  She thought about needing to send invitations to scads of important people. How could she ever write out hundreds of invitations in so short a time?  The poor queen took out at a run across the Great Hall calling for all her Ladies and then also, remembering their calligraphy training, she summoned a number of pageboys.  There was no time to lose! ... And she must indicate the dress requirements for attendees.  Ladies must wear dressy dresses and elaborate hats, and the gentlemen must all wear uniforms if they have them or formal evening wear black.  She was trying to think of a tactful way to demand a certain dress code , without makiung it a "royal decree."

Johnlock: The Prince and His Personal GuardianWhere stories live. Discover now