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“No,” she smiled back, walking over to him and kissing him on the cheek.
As we left the king’s study, Lilith and I shared a moment of quiet celebration. The weight of keeping our love a secret was lifted, and we could now face the future together, openly and honestly.
Walking hand in hand, we stepped into the castle’s courtyard, feeling a sense of freedom and happiness that we had never known before. Our love had overcome the obstacles in its path, and with the king’s blessing, we were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
“I cannot believe that we are actually here,” she whispered, as we strolled, like an old married couple who had lived through an entire lifetime together. Sometimes, it actually felt like that. “I can’t believe that all of this is happening. I thought I would marry Luke and you would disappear. I was so afraid that I would never see you again.”
I made her stop and cupped her face with my hands. “You will never have to be afraid of that. I will never leave you. Never.”
She looked at me, those eyes piercing straight into my very soul. But now, there was nothing in there that I wanted to hide from her. I was an open book before her, and that was how I would remain for the rest of our lives together.
She stepped on her toes, kissing me chastely on the lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck. She smiled as she did so. It was the sweetest thing ever.
I knew now, just like I knew before, that I would cherish and protect her with all my heart. Together, we would face whatever life threw before us. We would draw strength from our love. We would be each other’s support in the darkest of times. We would embrace the future together, hand in hand.
“What do you think Father will show me?” she wondered, like a little child.
I chuckled. “Seriously, you don’t want to ruin the surprise, do you?”
Her eyes widened. “You know what it is?”
“No,” I shook my head. “But I can tell that it is going to be something very special. Let him have this moment. He loves you so much, Lilith.”
“I know,” she nodded sadly. “I wish I could help him somehow.”
“Your happiness is helping him,” I explained. “That is what every parent wants from their child. Just to be happy. Nothing else.”
“I am so very happy, next to you,” she looked at me with utter devotion in her eyes, and I couldn’t help but wonder how on earth I got so lucky to have someone like her love me the way she did.
Some things were just better left not being questioned. Fate had decided it would be this way. And I was one damn lucky vampire.
At that moment, she yawned. “I don’t think I can stay awake much longer,” she told me.
“You don’t have to,” I nodded. “Let’s get you to bed. Then, when you wake up tomorrow, the rest of our lives together can start.”
“I can’t wait,” she gushed, as we returned to the castle, hand in hand, united in a love that weathered every storm that was thrown in its direction.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lilith
“Where are you taking me, Father?” I asked curiously, as we rushed through the elongated hallways of the castle, in a direction where I didn’t usually go.
This old castle was filled with unused rooms, which Cass and I as girls were told to steer clear of, for our own safety. Most of them were empty, devoid of any furniture and covered in cobwebs in all four corners. The paint on the walls of some rooms was chipped, the floorboards loose. Plans for renovations were existing, but somehow, they had never been put to work. That was why I was surprised to see him lead me in exactly that direction, where I thought there was nothing to see but dust and spiders.
“Just a little bit more, my dear,” he urged me to be quiet, as he led me by the hand.
Finally, we stopped in front of a closed door. He pushed it open, and it creaked under the strain of his hands. When we entered, there was nothing but a huge, old dresser. He stood by my side with a somber expression, and I could feel the weight of his emotions as he gazed at the ornate wooden piece. I recognized it immediately. How could I not?
“Go ahead,” he said softly. “Open it.”
My heart swelled with a bittersweet mix of emotions as I stepped closer to the dresser. The intricate carvings and the faint scent of aged wood filled my senses, transporting me back to memories of my childhood spent in this very room. This was where my mother’s presence had lingered, her essence somehow imprinted on the walls and the cherished belongings she had left behind.
I opened the doors with care, revealing the delicate lace and silk of a wedding gown. It was a vision of timeless beauty, a gown truly fit for a princess, and I couldn’t help but be captivated by its elegance. I trembled as I held it in my hands.
“It was your mother’s wish that her daughter’s wear this gown on their wedding day,” he said, a note of sadness tinging his voice.
I knew that he was thinking about Cass. She was the older daughter. She was supposed to have been getting married first. Everything was supposed to be different, better. But it wasn’t. We were left behind, picking up the pieces of our broken dreams. At the same time, life went on. We still had ours to live, and we had to do it, if for nothing else, then for the memory of those who were no longer with us. I knew that when I wore this dress, both Cass and Mother would be looking down upon me, their hearts swelling with pride.
