Chapter 56

The day finally came.

The beautiful bride had her hair in a messy lowbun and was covered by a thin white veil, with small diamond like jewels at the ends.

Under the veil, there was a tiara that seemed like a fine olive wreath,sprinkled with small, diamond flowers.

Her dress was off shoulder with slightly puff sleeves.The dress was creamy white,in a chiffon-like material that seemed soft and had small diamonds embroidered in a pattern,mostly on the end of the skirt and on the waist,making her dress slightly shine under the light,like hundreds of water droplets.

The people in the room looked at the bride and constantly praised her beauty.Amelie would softly smile at them and thank,her voice a bit nasal.It was obvious she had cried.Well,almost all the people that were in that room had cried.Even her father's and brother's eyes were a bit moist and red as they looked at her like that.

The baby of the family was finally getting married. How had time passed so quickly?To all the family, it felt like it had been just yesterday when she had come to this world.

Her sister and mother smiled as they cried and hugged her slightly,careful of ruining her makeup and dress. Amelie cried even more than them.It had been a good idea that she had told the makeup artist to use waterproof products.She knew what a crying mess her and the women in her family would become despite their strong and independent persona.They were people who cried even on happy occasions.

Amelie looked up, trying to hold her tears, and just softly touched her cheeks to dry the tears.This facade had went this far.Now her family was all crying for just a big fat lie.She had never thought she would say goodbye to her bachelor life like this,now she was entering a new era in her life,a new era where she didn't have the support and affection of a loving spouse.

Seeing Amelie smile amid the tears and sometimes breaking down crying,made her family feel even more emotional.Her father and brother walked to the window and looked there trying to calm themselves down.

"[Mum!Calm down!]"Amelie made an already failed attempt to calm her mother down but couldn't help but cry a bit harder herself.

"[My little baby has finally grown and is getting married!]"her mother wiped her eyes carefully with her handkerchief.

"[Let's stop now mum or we'll all ruin our makeup!Do you want us to look ugly in the pictures?]" Hekaterina tried to joke a bit,making them all laugh while ugly crying at the same time.

Then someone knocked on the door.It was Aiden's father,Pierre, telling them that it was almost time.

First, the groom and the groom's family would enter one by one,then the bride's family, then the bride with her father.

Amelie held her father's arm and her cascading bouquet on the other, as she walked with her head high,her expression hidden under the veil.

She slightly lowered her eyes and glanced at the beautiful small flowers among the other big white ones of her bouquet.

These flowers could be seen everywhere around the decorations of the church as she walked towards the altar.

Lily of the valley,a symbol of purity, joy, love, sincerity, happiness and luck.

How ironic for this to be the main decorative flower in her wedding.

But the lily of the valley would also sometimes be called 'Our Lady's tears',maybe this meaning was somewhat befitting to her today.

Amelie closed her eyes,a tear slowly sliding on her right cheek and then she looked at the handsome groom that was waiting for her.

His face was unreadable, and he stood up straight waiting for her.He wore a black suit with a black bow-tie.The dark colour seemed like it could absorb all the light in it.On his chest were two white roses,one smaller than the other and a few white lily of the valley hanging on his pocket.His raven hair were a bit more styled than usual and his slight beard seemed more clean.

Amelie looked at his oscean eyes that were becoming clearer and clearer with each step she took and slightly sneered inside her head,her corners raising in a sad smile.He was probably impatient and wanted to end this as soon as possible.

Aryan handed Amelie's hand to Aiden and said a few words,his face serious,but you could hear the emotions in his deep voice.

"[I'm handing her to you!Protect her from now on!]"

Aiden nodded and slightly smiled.It seemed like he had understood what he had meant.

"We are gathered here today, in the presence of God, to share in the celebration of Aiden's and Amelie's marriage."

The wedding had officially begun.

The priest kept reciting the word, and everybody listened, then another person would translate so Amelie's family could understand everything.

"Before God, your friends, and your families, I ask you to affirm your willingness to enter the covenant of marriage and to share all the joys and sorrows of your lives and your relationship, whatever the future may hold."

The vows that would never happen,the lies they would have to tell with all these people present and before the almighty God.

"Aiden, do you take this woman to be your wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

Aiden looked at the bride who had her head lowered,her face hidden by the thin, white veil,then he turned to the priest with a deep, smooth voice.

"I do."

"Amelie,do you take this man to be your husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"

"..."Amelie took a deep breath,raised her head and with a slight nasal voice said."I do."

The priest then continued.

"Now hold your hands and repeat after me.I take you, Amelie, this day as my wife. I promise to walk by your side forever as your best friend and your soul mate. You are my beloved one and I am proud to marry you. I promise to support your dreams and to be there for you all our lives."

The two turned towards eachother.Aiden looked down at the bride who slowly raised her head and looked at his eyes.He took her hands,and felt the cool,soft feeling he had felt a bit before.The heat of his palms transmitted on the cool back of her hand and he could feel the slight tremble of those hands.

She was probably nervous and her heart was probably beating so hard right now.Was it beating as much as his?Or was it beating more?

Aiden slowly repeated the words with the priest, saying those vows that would never be fulfilled in this life.

Then it was Amelie's turn to repeat those vows.Her voice was slightly shaky and it would crack a little in a few words.When she took a deep obvious breath in front of everyone,all the guests and the priest chuckled at the nervous bride.

"Please don't faint." the priest made a slight joke trying to comfort her a bit.He looked at her with a fatherly smile and warm eyes,removing a bit of the anxiety in her heart.

Aiden just looked at her with a complicated gaze.

The priest told them to bring the rings and the twins handed them to the couple.

Amelie's hand was shaky as she put the ring on Aiden's finger.After she did so,he didn't let go of the hand and held it for the rest of the ceremony.The bride just lowered her head,her heart beating faster and her thoughts even more confused.

Finally, it was time for the closing words.

"May God bless you and keep you. Aiden and Amelie, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Groom, you may kiss the bride."

Suddenly,the couple froze,both their joined hands stiffening.

A kiss?

These two had completely forgotten the fact that they should share a kiss!