<on hiatus> 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 - 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝟑𝟖

Nicholas stood at the altar patiently waiting for his bride to arrive at the main doors of the cathedral in such a polite stance that he was trained to be in since young, courtesy of Sir Alfred Pennyworth's etiquette classes.

In the front pews, his family and friends were seated, all staring at him with worried expressions, more specifically his parents and older siblings. His cousin Vanessa and uncle Duke Austin folded their arms at him with blank stares.

His younger brother Damian could care less about his wedding and merely blinked at him, seemingly disinterested. Nicholas cracked a smile at him and did a few tiny waves from time to time to grab his little brother's attention, but failed to amuse him.

"Not going as you planned it'd be?" His best man and older brother Tim spoke up.

"... he's not smiling, is he?" Nicholas turned to face his brother.

"Damian? Smile? That doesn't go in the same sentence," scoffed Tim.

"Tim."

"What? I get it. You're getting married. To someone like her. I still can't believe this..."

"It's for the—"

"Good of the kingdom and our family," Tim and him recited. "She's rather late, isn't she?"

"That's actually unlike her," Nicholas pondered out loud, finally looking at his watch.

He realised that he and the people in the cathedral had been waiting for Macy for almost an hour already. He wondered how everyone seemed so calm and patient despite the obvious delay in the day's events.

"I should get someone to go check on her," Nicholas sighed, not before Tim held him back by one of his shoulders. "Huh? Tim?"

"... I think you should check on her by yourself," he said, concern in his eyes.

"... Tim. What happened?"

"It's Selina. She's calling you over to check on Macy."

"Why?"

"... you better go see it for yourself."

* * *

Nicholas sprinted down the hallways of the large cathedral to get to the bride's dressing room, where he was summoned to for an emergency.

"Your highness!" Nicholas opened the doors to her dressing room, only to reveal the princess in her wedding dress hugging her knees on the floor.

"Princess Macy," he walked over to her and kneeled in front of her. Her face was red and stained with tears, her hands trembling when they shouldn't, and her breathing heavy.

"... I... I can't... I can't do this..." she cried.

"Can't do what?"

"..." she cried.

"Call for help," Nicholas told Selina who was about to enter the room.

"I did. They're on their way. I'll be outside," Selina informed him. He nodded solemnly before turning back to Macy.

"Your highness," Nicholas said gently, hands on her shoulders, "listen to me. I want you to count backwards from 100. Subtract each number by seven. Can you do that for me?" She shook her head, her hands trembling more. "Please. At least try to."

"... 100..."

"Keep going..."

"... 93... 86..."

"Keep going until you get to 72."

"... 79..."

"One more. Take a deep breath before and after that."