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“Then cut it down, Mother,” Milos responded, standing and looking around. “This Kingdom has been through enough change with father’s death. I would like to get the wedding complete and on to business.”
“Milos,” the Queen said with a disappointed look.
“Mother, you are resourceful. Let’s say a week. I want to be married within a week. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a honeymoon to plan.”
Milos looked down at me and nodded before sweeping out of the room as quickly as he had entered. I looked down at my hands, feeling slightly uncomfortable with how demanding he was. The Queen set her cup on the table and sighed deeply.
“He is so frustrating sometimes,” she said. “When he gets something in his mind he is more than stubborn. But, that being said, it may be a crazy week for you, my dear, but I will make sure you have as beautiful a wedding as I possibly can.”
Feeling that this meeting was over, I stood and turned to the servant to show me out. I stopped and turned back to the Queen, who was putting on reading glasses and looking down at some papers on her desk.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” I said with the best curtsey I could muster.
She looked up over her glasses and smiled, nodding her head at me as I turned and left her chambers.
From that moment, and for the next week, my life was hard to even recognize as my own. Each morning, I was greeted with breakfast in my chambers and then
presented with a laundry list of things to do for the wedding. From dress fittings and cake decisions, to décor and even picking which set of Royal China to use, I didn’t have two seconds to breathe. The seamstress took my measurements, and by the next day, I was dressed in whatever was handed to my servants that morning. I didn’t even have a chance to unpack. I’d thrown my bags into the closet, promising I would get to them later. By the end of the week, I was more than a little exhausted by everything.
Queen Zora was always so gracious, but as she ordered the staff around and glided through the palace with purpose, I started to understand why she and Milos clashed so often. She was like the reformed version of Milos. She knew exactly what she wanted, she didn’t take no for an answer, and she won almost everything with the use of her wit and charm. The biggest difference between the two was she understood her responsibility to the kingdom, while Milos lived in his own little world.
By the time the wedding day arrived, I was so exhausted by the week, that the only thing left was my nerves. Standing at the back of the cathedral, waiting for my entrance cue, was the first quiet moment I’d had since I arrived. To be honest, the only thing my mind wanted to do was take me out of all this.
What had I gotten myself into? In the beginning, it sounded like a great idea, but now that the wedding was about to happen, I realized I was in deeper water than I could swim in. I felt like I was barely staying afloat.
The music began to play, and the doors to the church opened slowly. My mind raced, and my hands began to shake. I immediately thought about running, just turning and bolting from the church, out into the countryside, and not stopping until I was out of Silesia’s borders. But as I stepped into the light of the stained-glass windows, I looked up to the front, and my eyes met with Milos’s. His warm smile filled my chest with excitement. Without even thinking, my feet began to move forward.
Every step I took brought me closer and closer to this man that I wasn’t even sure I liked, much less loved. However, as if his smile and warm eyes were a drug, I was drawn to him, oblivious of everyone around me. With every step of my small heeled feet, I moved closer to my place in the Silesia Kingdom, next to the devilishly handsome, future king.
In that moment, I could see nothing but my future, blinded by the grandeur of my own unbelievable life.
Chapter 10: Milos
My mouth hung open as Adriana stepped into the holy lights, shining through the stained-glass windows of the cathedral. Her dress was as elegant as any royal bride I had ever seen, with its modest fitted top, large layered gown, and sweeping train. Her face was shrouded by a thin veil that flowed down over her and ended at her chin. The small glimmering tiara sitting atop her boundless, cascading curls sparkled in the light. She was an absolute vision in white. Oddly enough, nervousness ran through my stomach, as if she were an angel floating toward me.
Immediately, I stood up straight and fashioned a smile on my face, realizing my sentimentality was getting the best of me. However, as she moved forward, escorted by my Godfather, the Duke of Silesia, I couldn’t help but think that this was still her day, regardless of how fake it may be. With the shimmering décor, and the endless rows of adoring noble subjects, pressing their eyes toward our commitment to one another, I decided to let loose a bit and allow myself to be immersed in the lie, even if only for one day. I would treat her as my true bride, and even if it does not affect our state of existence, it will definitely affect the way the press views our nuptials.
The service was long and daunting, but I couldn’t help but notice how Adriana kept her eyes on mine and her hands relaxed at her sides. Her demeanor immediately calmed me, and I went through the ceremony with ease, bowing when I should, kneeling when I should, and finishing our vows with a sweet and tender kiss. As we pulled away from each other, Adriana smiled, the romance of the moment catching me off guard. I grabbed her hand and turned her toward the audience, raising it high in the air and smiling as big as I could muster. It was done. I was married. The rest of the event should be a breeze, and I would get to see how Adriana handled meeting so many people of importance.
After about a million pictures and time with my mother, we made our way around the Great Hall, speaking with dignitaries and introducing Adriana to the heads of state. I watched as she curtsied with grace and spoke with an air of charm just subtle enough that everyone she met fell in love with her instantly. She was even more than I expected out of fake bride, and I smiled and shook my head, impressed.
We approached Brat and his sister, Zlata, and I pressed my hand against the small of Adriana’s back and watched as she chatted briefly with Brat. Zlata stood staring at my bride, waves of jealousy flowing around her. She looked at me and smiled.
“Congratulations,” she said sternly. “Who knew you would settle down, and with a school teacher no less? It’s charming.”
I grinned, without looking at Zlata, and stepped forward to listen to Brat talk with Adriana about the event and the nobles in the room. I could tell Brat had been won over instantly. As I leaned in to whisper to Adriana, he winked at me with pride. It took a lot to impress Brat, and his reassurance took away any fear I had at the moment.
“Dance with me,” I cooed. I grabbed her hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor.
She laughed wildly as I spun her around, showing her every royal dance, step by step. It was as if we were all alone in the castle, just enjoying each other’s company. I wasn’t sure what had changed. Maybe the stress of binding her into a contract had been lifted, or the enchantment of the evening had finally set in. Whatever it was, I felt myself relax and give in to the moment.
The chandeliers sparkled overhead, lit with hundreds of candles, and the ambiance of the room was beyond expectation. My mother nodded to me approvingly from her table, and I smiled as if there was a true contentment within me.
As the reception began to wear down, I pulled Adriana close and danced to one last slow song of the evening. The lights sparkled in her eyes, and I could tell that she, too, had gotten lost in the grandeur of the night.
I could see her smitten look, and I decided that tonight she would be treated like a real bride. I grabbed her hand and stepped back slowly, pressing my finger to my lips. We backed out of the large doors and went running down the halls toward my wing of the castle. Our laughter echoed through the empty halls, as if we were teenagers hiding from our parents. We slowed as we reached the doors. I flung them open and turned to Adriana.
I saw a flash of shyness cross her beautiful face, and I stepped forward, picking her up and turning toward the room. Over the threshold, we stepped, and she giggled playfully in my arms. As I set her down, the guards closed the doors behind us, and we were instantly alone. She reached up and pulled at my bow tie, which was unraveled and hanging around my neck. She turned and pulled her hair away, signaling for me to pull down her zipper.
