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“Congratulations, Odette!”
“Odette!”
“Odette!”
It was like having a loudspeaker in my face. Quite a lot, meaning hundreds, maybe even thousands. They all lined the gates—no, nearly claimed the gates, waving and screaming.
“Do you think I will still be able to hear after today?” my mother asked as she came up beside me, dressed in a long, champagne-colored fitted evening dress. Her hair was dyed back to brown, but she kept it cut in a curly pixie.
She smiled at me and nodded for me to get into a red and golden carriage, drawn by Ass and Maple, that looked as if it were meant to make Cinderella and all her stepsisters jealous. My mother helped Gelula, and the rest of the staff get the train—fifteen feet long—into the carriage. According to an old custom, I had to ride the four miles to Brauenburg Abbey alone. Around me were six royal guards on horseback. Thelma was the first woman ever to have that honor, and she was very excited. Though when I looked out the window, her face was dead-set focused...she was a little bit nervous too.
“I will see you there,” my mother said. “Don’t forget to breathe.”
“I’ll try,” I replied, but she only winked before stepping out to join my actual maid of honor, Eliza, in the car behind us. I wished Augusta could have been here. That, somehow, we would have magically made up after I was in the hospital. That she and I could put all the past behind us and that she would have been my maid of honor. However, we could never get everything we wanted. Our relationship had only gotten worse, and I didn’t want to deal with her today. I had my own life to live right now, and it was chaotic enough.
“Are you ready, miss?” Iskandar asked from on top of the horseback beside me.
I nodded.
It was hard for him to hear anything else over the screams and shouts.
And just like that, we were off. I sat straight and proper, knowing that all the cameras were on me and this carriage. Also, knowing that there was a little girl watching somewhere, I made sure my curls were extra big in the back for her. As I looked straight ahead, there were people on both sides of the road, waving flags, waving their hands, and calling out. I knew they couldn’t see my face well due to the veil, but I did wave every so often, my face fluctuating from wide smiles to nervous smiles and thinking, Oh, my God, this is happening.
On every other pillar down the road, there were official banners of Gale and I. It was surreal, and it only became more unimaginable when we arrived at the abbey, which was massive and daunting, even with all the greenery they had added to the entrance.
When the carriage stopped, and the door opened again, the sound of the people gave me goose bumps.
Taking a deep breath, I was helped out by none other than Wolfgang, who stood tall with the Sliver Eagle Medal of Courage pinned to his suit for his act of saving me.
“Welcome, ma’am,” he emphasized, nodding his head to me.
I wanted to say it was too early for the ma’am, but it really wasn’t. I was at the door already.
“Here you are.” Eliza smiled as she handed me my bouquet comprised of the flowers of the nation. “Don’t worry; I have you covered from back here.”
She moved behind me to fix my train. It was too much for just one bridesmaid, so shockingly enough, Sophia stood with her. She wasn’t wearing black for the very first time, and instead, wore a soft gray. I looked back at her, and she just nodded. We weren’t friends. We weren’t enemies. We were just two women who had fallen in love with princes and now supported each other whenever we could. And that was enough.
“And I have you from the side,” my mother said, coming up next to me. This was the reason why she had chosen to be the mother of the bride. Because, in Ersovia, both parents walked you down the aisle, and if one wasn’t there, then the other did it alone, so long as they were family.
“Please don’t let me fall,” I whispered to her.
“Have I ever?”
“Yes.”
“Not this time. Come on, we’re walking,” she replied, and when I entered, everyone stood. The sound of the music drowned out the sounds of the crowd.
Slowly, I began my walk down the red carpet to where Gale stood, dressed in a black and gold royal suit, with his mother beside him dressed in full regalia, scepter, a white and golden robe, and the same golden crown I had worn during that state dinner. As there was going to be a coronation today—on my wedding day—I did not wear a crown to enter. But I did not focus on her for long. Instead, I turned my focus onto Gale, who smiled wide even though we were both told to keep our composure.
Seeing him smile made me smile.
I was getting married to him.
Dear God.
Thank you.
Truly and sincerely with everything I have and I am.
