DarkFall | ✔️

38 | Chapter XXXVIII - The Dress Fitting

       "Okay Ce? You get that?" Em asks as I walk in circles around the small room, completely puzzled.

      "They want me to turn! As I walk down the damn isle! How's that supposed to work?" I shout, unintentionally scaring Emmaline.

     "Sorry, I'm a little cranky." I apologise to Em, Alec and Mary who is working on the dress.

      "Isn't nothing I've never seen before," Em rolls her eyes. Stepping forward and taking her hands in mine.

     "Listen you moody b*tch, we can get through this together, I can help you. You just need to practise, it'll be painful but the more you practise the easier it becomes, little by little." She smiles, "take your time."

      "But don't really because we have a week." She adds on, smirking at herself.

      "Okay, stand over here please." Mary asks, taking measurements around my body as undisturbingly as she can. "You don't tend to bloat do you?" She asks as she measures my waist.

    "Like a whale." Em adds, gaining a dirty look from both me and Alec.

     "I'm kidding...." she adds, pulling a bag of chips out from what seems like nothing. I don't even bother to ask.

      "Mary..." I ask, looking down and smiling at the middle aged wolf. "When I begin to walk down the isle and then change...will I be naked when I change back again?" I hesitantly ask, worried about the answer she will give me.

"It is tradition to walk down the isle while shifted, but no, you will not be naked, the dress will be like a second skin to you so that when you shift back, you will still be in it with it in one piece."

    I release a happy sigh, I wasn't willing to walk naked in front of Jay, or anyone else for that matter.

   Mary smiles at me, and speaks a sentence I never realised could bring me such joy.
"You look just like your mother did." Mary adds, tears forming in her eyes. I'd only met her a few days ago but she had been my source of wisdom - after all, she was older than us all.

     "Yeah, you also look like yourself...a thousand years ago." Alek chimes in, we all burst out into a fit of laughter. I stop, and reflect deeply on what good this wedding will cause.

       If I marry Jay, I will become queen, meaning that I can protect my people from harm and provide my insight aswell as Jays. We may not be mated, but we are still a good team and we work well together, I'd accepted that - even at the cost of losing Hunter.

      Deep down I knew Catori was still out there somewhere, waiting for me. Plotting to kill me again, and it scared me so much. But I couldn't hide forever.

      I sigh, and smile lightly at Mary as I leave the room with Alec. Em was needed somewhere else.

   Quickly, we walk outside towards the gardens which were covered in different types of flowers, it was so weird, because in my head I knew it was really winter everywhere else.

    "You're so brave Cece," Alek says, giving me a faint smile. "But even I can see how miserable you are without him." She sighs, looking around for any other wolves.

     "There's somewhere sacred I think you would appreciate being." Alex hesitantly asks, taking me by the hand and running off with me in the direction of some sort of rock.

Somehow, she manages to place her hand through it. Smiling at me, she slowly begins to walk through the rock, still holding my hand - pulling me in with her.

   We come to a large circular area, each with large statues on top of cube shaped stones.

All statues are carved to perfection, with every single detail added, just like the large pictures in the ballroom.

     "Why is there a stone in the middle but no statue." I ask, turning around to face Alex who looks slightly saddened.

"Because that's for you, obviously for when you die." She adds, trying to not freak me out. I suddenly realise what she means.

"This isn't just a circle of random statues is it?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"No," she sighs." It's a burial ground."

"Buried here are the most respected royals, those of your family that died for a cause." She sighs, looking over at a particular stone statue.

  Walking over I recognise it, remembering seeing the same person on the wall in the throne room. What instantly stood out was the long hair which hit the ground.

It was my mother.

"I thought they never found the body." I sighed, placing a hand on the carved in name at the bottom. She was so similar to the painting so had seen, but looking at her gave me a real sense of scale.

     "They did, but it couldn't be identified." She stops, "I'm sorry Cecelia." She stops, placing her hand behind her back.

    "I'll be outside...you know what I mean."  She smiles gently, walking out through some sort of portal thing.

   I sigh, and sit down beside the statue, letting the small tears fall out of my eyes.

  "I wish I got to know you." I mumble, bringing my legs up beside me. "I've heard so much about you." I stutter, my bottom lip quivering.

   "I love my mom, and she did a great job raising me." I sigh, smiling lightly at the thought of her. It had been so long since I had seen her.

    "But she doesn't know what I'm going through, if there's anyone that does it's you." I smile, looking up at the white statue.

   "I don't know how you managed to rule a kingdom, you must have been so strong."  I breathe heavily as I imagine her sitting on her throne beside my father.

   "I'm getting married very soon." I continue, "apparently the dress I'm wearing will be made using material from yours." I smile, knowing that when I walk down the aisle my mother will be with me.

    "But I'm not marrying my mate." I cry, "because he is not of royal blood and I'm more suited to Jay." I stutter, wiping away my tears.

    "But I need to do it," I breathe, "for my kingdom."

   "I miss you so much, and I don't even know how that's possible." I cry, "if it wasn't for me being born you would still be here, but you died for me."

    "I wish you were here mom." I continue to cry.

    "I need you to be here. Because I think
Catori is coming for me."

    I turn around when I hear rustling, and a saddened Em smiles lightly at me. Walking slowly towards me and giving me a hug.
"She would be so proud of you, she was so proud of you." She adds, holding me firmly.

    "People keep dying because of me." I add, crying into Em's hair. Em immediately shakes her head, "they are dying for you, because they know you are worth dying for Ce, it is not your fault." She adds.

    "I feel so bad about Amy, I got her killed....." I sob, holding onto Em tightly.

   "No you didn't," she sighs, " Catori did"

"And we'll both make sure she pays for it."

Hehehehe I sense a battle approaching, aswell as a royal wedding....

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