One in a million (Prequel to 'Bad Blood')

Chapter 28: Acceptance dinner

Cassandra's POV

"Will you do me the honor and marry me?"

I pulled my hands from my mouth and smiled as I felt tears form in my eyes. "Of course."

James smiled instantly before he took the ring and put it around my finger. He got up and wrapped his arms around me.

I caressed his face and pulled it to mine, to finally kiss him. After a long kiss, I pulled back. "I can't believe you actually proposed."

"I'm serious about this, Cassandra," He smiled. "I'm a man of my word."

"I see," I smiled even more, it seemed as if I couldn't stop smiling. "I'm so happy."

"Then I'm doing a good job."

And he just kept melting my heart. He knew exactly what to do or say to make me feel happy, to make me feel loved, to make me feel complete. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

__________________________

- 2 months later - 

James's POV

"Congratulations, brother," I said as I served him a cake I had baked for him. "I hope you'll have a wonderful birthday."

"Thank you, James," Chandler looked at the cake and licked his lips. "I certainly will with this cake."

Dad sighed.

I looked at him. "What?"

"You know we can't bake things for ourselves, James." Dad said to which Chandler looked down, he seemed really upset. 

"Dad, Chandler only celebrates his birthday once a year, I felt like he deserved it for once."

Dad sighed once more.

Chandler smiled a bit at me.

"What are your plans for the day?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "I guess I'll read some more, or I can find another game for us to play. Maybe we can invite Queen Cassandra to play with us again?"

Dad looked at us then. "She played with the two of you?"

Chandler nodded. "She's cool, not like the other royals."

I nodded.

"Maybe you can play with James's woman," Dad suddenly said. "She accepted the proposal?"

I slowly nodded. "But dad, I don't think she - "

"I'm making a dinner tonight, an acceptance dinner."

My eyes widened then. An acceptance dinner, within our culture, was a dinner where the future partner had to go to in order to belong to the family. If they didn't show, they wouldn't be a part.

"Tonight at 7, tell her."

I gulped before nodding.

__________________________

I knocked on Cassandra's bedroom door and entered. "Cassandra," I said as I saw her make her bag, then I stopped. "Are you leaving?"

She nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully."

My eyes widened again. "You can't leave," I walked to her. "Dad has arranged an acceptance dinner for us tonight."

She stood up and looked at me. "An acceptance dinner?"

"Basically, if you don't show up, you can't marry me," I sighed. "You have to come."

"James," She got a hold of my hands. "I'd love to but I can't."

"But - "

"There has been an emergency at the Southern Kingdom, I need to go there."

I looked down then. I understood that she, being a queen, needed to be present in her kingdom when there's an emergency. But if she doesn't show up at my dad's dinner, he'll never accept our relationship.

"Hey," She caressed my cheek. "I'll be there tomorrow, tell him that."

I didn't reply to that. I knew dad wouldn't accept that, our culture wouldn't accept that...

"Ok?"

I slowly nodded.

"I'll miss you," She then leaned in to kiss me. "I love you." She took her bag and headed out, back to her kingdom.

__________________________

Later that evening, I walked to dad's room in shame. I was ashamed to disappoint him, I didn't want to upset him, I didn't want to face them with the bad news.

I felt so upset and angry. Angry at Cassandra for leaving but, at the same time, I understood why she had to leave too. I was so upset because of it.

I knocked on the door and entered. "Hey dad," I then gulped as I saw how he had prepared everything very well. The little room, he and Chandler had, was decorated and turned into a nice and cozy living room area. The table, we usually sit at, was decorated well with all the necessary plates and cutlery. And dad and Chandler were also dressed nicely for the occasion. Everything was perfect.

And that hurt me even more that I'd have to ruin their evening and their hard work.

"James," Dad smiled, his face was glowing as he was clearly excited to meet his daughter-in-law. "Where's the lady?"

I gulped. How was I going to tell them? What would be the best way to break the news to them?

"James?" Chandler asked, he also was clearly excited to meet his sister-in-law. 

I gulped once more. "She... She's - "

"Right here."

I looked behind me, at the door, and saw Cassandra. "Cassandra," I smiled a bit. "You came?"

She nodded before looking at my dad and brother. "Thank you for inviting me," She walked forward to them and shook dad's hand and Chandler's hand. "I brought something for the occasion."

Dad seemed paralyzed, and I couldn't blame him. 

I walked closer to them and noticed she had brought wine. "Wine?"

She nodded. "The best in the Southern Kingdom," She smiled at dad. "I hope you'll like it."

Dad looked from Cassandra to me. "Is she... Is she your...?"

I nodded. "We're getting married, dad," I then wrapped my arm around her. "I hope you approve of her."

Dad then suddenly smiled. "Of course, I do," He then reached for Cassandra's hand and shook it again. "You're very welcome into our family, Your Highness."

Cassandra smiled. "Please, call me Cassandra," She then looked at Chandler. "You too, Chandler."

"This is so cool," Chandler smiled. "You two are perfect together."

"Thank you." Cassandra smiled at him before looking at me.

I smiled at her too, I was so proud to introduce her to my family as my soon-to-be wife. "Shall we go sit down?"

"Of course," Dad said and we all sat down. "So, how did you two meet?"

"We met here," Cassandra said, reaching for my hand and holding it in hers. "When he was assigned as my personal butler."

I nodded.

"He helped me and I started seeing him as the amazing person he is," She looked at me then. "And I've loved him ever since."

"I love you too." I replied.

"And you accepted his marriage proposal?"

Cassandra looked at dad again. "Of course," She smiled as she looked at the ring on her finger. "He's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Dad smiled. "That's amazing to hear."

"And he has good taste," She smiled at me. "In women and jewelry." She looked at the ring on her finger again.

"Yes, he does." Dad smiled.