Princess Shirayuki of Akigaya

The Wedding

Today the usual empty great hall was setup to have a few amount of seating on both the left and right side of the room. In the middle laid a red aisle runner that began at the entrance and ran all the way to the wooden altar. The room was very solemn for the occasion that was about to take place in a few minutes. This was not the usual Akigaya's royal wedding ceremonies that were filled with decorations, happiness, townspeople, and music. The guests today only consisted of a few advisors, the royal counselors, and the queen. Standing in front of the small crowd was the groom, who was formally dressed in a traditional Akigaya wedding ceremony outfit.

Jun stood there still in remorse and disbelief. His grey eyes caught sight of his parents happily smiling at their son for what they believed was his good fortune. He clenched his hands on his side as he then saw Renalia sternly smiling at him before he looked away towards the doors. In his head he saw himself dashing away and disregarding his family's position, but unfortunately he couldn't do as he wished, and even if he dared there were knights positioned everywhere in the room standing against the walls. He was trapped one way or another, and so Jun stood there firmly in torture, dreading the minutes that ticked away to the final time of his wedding ceremony.

The crowd's attention was called as the organ began to play the traditional Akigaya's wedding song. The doors to the great hall opened widely to reveal the beautiful bride in her traditional Akigaya's wedding dress and her face covered by the thick long veil over her head. Jun noticed the two knights accompanying the princess, as they stepped forward, indicating the bride to proceed inside the great hall. Hesitantly she stepped forward down the aisle. He could imagine how horrible Shirayuki must be feeling at that very moment.

Jun felt his heart sink as he saw the princess finally standing before him.

"Son, take her hand." Spoke his father nervously as he watched him standing there paralyzed.

Jun looked towards his dad at his right, who was pointing at the princess' outstretched hand, while she waited for him to take it. He then looked towards Renalia, whose face looked at him strictly. For a moment Jun briefly closed his eyes and imagined Milya's smiling face and heard her soft laughter. It was time for him to bottle up his feelings once and for all.

Jun looked at his bride and reluctantly took her hand.

His heart suddenly jolted as he gripped that familiar small hand within his. He stared through the opaque veil but couldn't see the princess' face, but he knew who it was. He then led his bride up the few steps to the altar where the priest waited patiently for the couple to stand before him. Jun didn't let go of the hand, still in disbelief and confusion if his heart was playing tricks on him or not.

"I do." Spoke the voice from behind the veil.

Jun then felt her hand squeeze his in encouragement, and he answered, "I do," back to the priest, not paying attention to the ceremony as he was lost in his own thoughts.

"By the power vested in me by God, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Spoke the priest the final words.

The crowd's attention was then taken away as they heard a sound of commotion coming from behind the entrance doors and soon the doors were burst open. Zen and Vivi ran inside the great hall, both out of breath.

"Stop this ceremony at once!" Called out Zen as the knights that were inside the room came forward to form a line in between the prince and the crowd.

"You are too late." Spoke Renalia as she stood up and faced Zen. "Shirayuki is officially married to Advisor Jun."

Zen felt his heart squeeze in pain as his blue eyes turned cold. He looked at the bride and groom in disbelief and felt as if someone had really stabbed his heart with a sword. He was too late. Was Zen going to lose Shirayuki forever? He clutched his hands in fury as he blamed himself for leaving her alone in Akigaya. He should have never left her side. This mixed feelings of anger and hurt was ten times worse then the feelings he had felt on the day he thought he lost Shirayuki to the pirates. Zen had never felt so much agony before in his life.