A messy royal wedding (2)

The princess took in a deep breath, knowing that once she walked into the hall, there was no going back. She took the first step, and then the next, her heartbeat increasing with every step she took. She feared that her heart might burst out of her chest at the rate at which it was beating.

She tried not to look at anyone even though she could feel all eyes on her. Was this really happening? Was this going to be her new life? Or was this a nightmare? Before she knew it, she was standing before the King, the man she had been told was her father, who she had seen just once.

The Queen approached her and led her to her seat. The two of them eyed each other, but they kept their resentments to themselves. 

Now she wished Paulina was beside her. She felt vulnerable being in the midst of people she knew nothing about. She bowed her head, and was so lost in her thoughts that she couldn't hear anything that was being said until the Queen tapped her shoulder, and she raised her head, "Huh?" She asked distractedly.

The Queen ignored her mannerless response, "It is time for you to greet your husband." The Queen informed her. 

Greet her husband? What? She began to ask herself in panic. What was she supposed to say? Hello? Good morning? How do you do? 

Her husband! She remembered she didn't even know who he was among the crowd. 

She stood up and looked around the hall for the first time. That was when she noticed the most handsome young man she had ever seen. She swallowed when she realized he was staring directly at her with his brilliant blue eyes, and seeing how he was dressed in golden attire, had a white hair with a crown on his head, she could only guess that he was the man she was getting married to.

Those eyes. The eyes were intensely fixed on her. She couldn't guess what he was thinking. She had seen those eyes before. It was a few days back, but it hadn't been a person. She shuddered and unconsciously touched her injured arm that was covered by the dress sleeves. She remembered how Paulina and Madam Grace had almost collapsed when they saw her injured arm. They had said something about how it was bad for a new bride to have a scar and feared what would happen to her if her husband was displeased. 

"What are you doing, Amber!" The Queen hissed. Everyone was beginning to murmur quietly as they waited for the princess to greet her husband. The King especially looked displeased.

She began to take slow steps towards her supposed husband. Both he and everyone sitting around him who were probably from the other kingdom had a very cold and intimidating look. She could feel her feet giving away. 

As she started moving, a male voice began to recite some words she had never heard before, so she stood and looked around in confusion while Paulina urged her with her eyes to keep moving, and so she did. 

"Princess Amber... a virtuous princess. Loved by many, hated by none. Gentle as a dove. Knows no evil...." 

She finally stood in front of the Prince and swallowed nervously. His piercing blue eyes never left her face even for a second. 

The accolades stopped and everyone waited for her to greet the prince by reciting her virtues and telling her talents. 

She stood there awkwardly and slowly offered a hand.

"Uhm... Hi?" She asked uncertainly. 

The crowd gasped and horror filled their faces as they all wondered what the princess was doing. Madam Grace's face paled. She knew that if the King didn't kill her, Prince Harold would. Judging by the faces of the guests who had come with Prince Harold, she could tell they were also quite uncomfortable as they looked at Prince Harold and the Princess. 

Did she just say 'hi' to him and offer her hand for a handshake?! Only men shake hands with men, and no one ever shakes hands with royalty, even if you are their partner, and especially if you are a woman! They all waited for him to do something crazy or at least, walk out in a fit of rage and cancel everything. Since he was simply staring at her, no one knew what he was thinking. 

Everyone's breathing seized when he stood up. He was quite tall! Even if he was wearing a peasant's clothing, people would know he was royalty by the aura radiating around him.

He looked down at her and to everyone's surprise, he shook her tiny hand. 

"Hi." He replied before his lips slowly curved in a smirk. 

A virtuous princess? Gentle as a dove? Prince Harold thought to himself. What a joke!

Meanwhile, the princess worried about what to do next.

How was she supposed to tell them that she wasn't Princess Amber but was Alicia Queen, a famous actress from the future who found herself in Amber's body? She guessed they would think she was crazy if she so much as muttered that. How was she going to go on like this?

She remembered how everything started since she arrived here...