The Crown

Thirty-Four.

The Crown

King Marcus stood before his mirror, staring back at his reflection. He loved Isabella with all his heart and could not imagine bending the knee to anyone else. His butler helped him place the metals on his royal red regalia. Today was his big day but sadly, none of his parents were there to watch him walk down the aisle but he did not care. Isabella was the only person he wanted to be present. The wedding was held outside the palace where the royal court was gathered, along with trusted advisors, court maids, close family and friends. People cheered as they watched Isabella walk down the aisle with her mother clung other side. Markus's breath was almost taken by the sight of his wife-to-be. She was walking towards him with a beautiful smile on her face. The tiara that his mother had worn on her own wedding day fit her head perfectly. Her vanilla white dress with white flowers surrounding the hems of the gown made her look even more delicate. They both felt like they were floating when Rita left her to stand in front of him. "Eres Hermosa," Marcus told Isabella that she was beautiful. "Gracias mi amor." She thanked him.

And today was a big special day in all of Spain. Prince Manuel Reyes was finally yes, finally marrying the woman of his dreams, Gabriella Williamson. Half of the country was happy with his decision, and the other half was not. But Manuel did not care, he knew that he could not please everyone. He stood before his image in the mirror thinking about all of this when he heard a knock on his door. It was his trusted advisor Aaron Smith. " You look-

"Scared? Anxious, a little bit overwhelmed?" He interrupted him. "I was going to say very handsome and prepared my lord but now that I know how you are feeling, My I ask you why? Today is your big day." Aaron said. "That is exactly why because I am scared that the enemy is up to something. And I am anxious because I just want to marry her Aaron, before something happens and she will be forced to slide that ruby ring off of her finger. I am overwhelmed because I never believed this day would come. I am wedding the with the person I love so much."

Aaron came to stand behind him as he chuckled. "If I know anything about marriage, I believe those are the normal thoughts of man before he becomes a husband. As your trusted advisor my Lord, I do not think you should worry about the enemy. The evil witch is gone and will never be seen again. I know she took the kingdom's inheritance but the righteous King's inheritance is much greater. Your enemies might be angry on this day but that is as far as they will ever go. They can never harm you. It is okay to feel anxious and it is okay to be overwhelmed, you are wedding the woman of your dreams." Aaron surprised Manuel with his father's royal metals as he pinned them on his Spanish Royal Navy regalia.

"Aaron, I think that it is about time we call each other by our first names. You have been here by my side since the beginning and it was so selfish of me yesterday not to give you a toast because you deserve one so here it is. "Manuel said clearing his throat as a joke before speaking. "Aaron Smith, I needed a friend when I met you, but my arrogance and pride took over and made me see you as less than that. But I am a changed person and I am setting you free Aaron. You are no longer my trusted Advisor but the brother I always had but never realized it. Thank you for never failing me, thank you for advising me and respecting me. From this day on I will continue to show you the same kindness you showed me." Aaron pulled Manuel close as and they hugged for the first time in ten years.

Gabriella stood before her mirror struggling to think straight, as the servants arranged her gown. "Look at you." Her mother cried. " So pure and beautiful, you deserve everything that is going to happen to you today."

"Gracias, mama." Gabriella blinked many times, trying to keep her tears from falling. She stared in the mirror and did not see a hog or ugly slave, she did not see a lonely, scared girl with the biggest mole, she did not she Charcoal she saw Gabriella. Over the months she had learned not to listen to what people said about her, she refused to let their cruel, evil words rule her life and make her become what she was not. The day she spoke to herself in the mirror was the day she started seeing changes in herself. Her mole had gotten so small to the point of hardly being visible. Her skin colour had brightened to a beautiful milk chocolate colour, her hair became so long, soft and curly that the servants did her a combed back low braid bun with two curly strings hanging from the front. "I am so nervous mama." She turned to face her mother who was sitting on her bed. "You have every right to be, you are wedding the man of your dreams. Now, there is one thing you have to avoid. Fear. That is the door that the enemy is looking to walk through, but little does he know that it is already shut and locked, and it has to stay that way."