The Wedding

"Your Highness, you look radiant in white, the King and Queen will be so proud of you as you walk down that aisle, you are glowing Your Highness," said Bea as she painted princess Elesha's lips red and applied powder to her face.

"Dear God help me to go through with this," whispered princess Elesha as she gazed into the mirror and stared at her reflection. The woman she saw was wearing a long white dress with lace sleeves and a long veil that was pinned to her head. Her hair was styled with half of it tied up in a bun and the rest of it flowing down past her shoulders. She had a dainty white gold tiara in her hair that had crystal flowers and pearls on it. She held a large bouquet of white and red roses signifying the joining of the Kingdom of Rubicund and the Kingdom of Weiss.

She heard the distant sound of the harp playing in the background, signalling her entrance into the church. Her heart doubled its effort to ensure she did not collapse from the weight of what she was going to enter into, royal matrimony sealed forever.

She entered through the double doors of the church and saw everyone stand in unison as she walked down the aisle.

"You'll make a fine queen, my daughter," whispered her father in her ear in an effort to soothe her nerves. Father and daughter walked down the aisle and she saw at the end of the aisle, King Hans standing in a matching white suit with gold edgings, looking regal and commanding with a gold crown on his head. He looked at her and gave her a gentle smile, taking her hand from her father and holding it delicately in his. They faced the priest and the music came to a slow end.

"Father God we give thanks for your presence with us this day as we join His Royal Majesty, and Her Royal Highness in Holy Matrimony. We pray that this union will have your blessing as they join themselves together for life."

"Do you Your Royal Majesty King Hans Wilheim of the Kingdom of Rubicund take Her Royal Highness Princess Elesha, Daughter of the Kingdom of Weiss."

There was a sudden gasp that left King Hans as he turned to face Princess Elesha as he was hearing her real name for the first time. Princess Elesha in that split second turned to leave but King Hans quickly grasped her hand, seizing her shoulders he slowly turned her so that she was facing him. He quickly lifted her veil and looked at her face. Dropping to his knees still holding her hand he asked then there "Princess Elesha Royal daughter of the Kingdom of Weiss will you please take me to be your lawfully wedded husband." There was a grave silence that filled the church and you could sense that the crowd was holding their breath out of fear that there would be no union and no chance of peace between their two warring nations.

Princess Elesha was stunned for a moment at the fact that the King of Rubicund was kneeling and pleading with her to marry him, she quickly collected herself and replied, "Yes. Your Majesty I would be honored to be your lawfully wedded wife."

The King of Rubicund grinned and got back up on his feet, they proceeded with the wedding ceremony and the crowd that had come to witness their wedding watched in awe as the beautiful princess repeated her vows to the king with a slight blush that tinted her lovely cheeks. The King of Rubicund had suspected that something was amiss with his bride and the look that the priest gave his bride as though recognising her was proof of it, however it did not deter his wish to marry her as he longed for the peace it would bring to his country.

The newlyweds exchanged vows and signed the declaration of matrimony. The whole process was tedious as both bride and groom had to sign several documents including the declaration of peace permanently enforced between the Kingdom of Rubicund and the Kingdom of Weiss.

As soon as it was over, the King and Queen of Weiss had a private audience with their new son- in- law in the throne room.

"I must say you kept your end of the bargain Hans, didn't think you would."

"Even though you deceived me by giving your second daughter in marriage to me and not the first, yes I still held my end of the bargain."

"How just of you, to do so indeed."

"After what your men did to my concubine," said King Hans burning with rage and trying to control it, "it's more than you deserve, you old crook," spat King Hans completely disgusted with his enemies as both Kings stood glaring at each other angrily.

"We do apologize for the slight inconvenience, but Princess Elesha was the only daughter of ours who has kept her purity and distance from men, like a true daughter of the Kingdom of Weiss. We cannot say the same for Princess Estella as her heart already belongs to another.

"I understand," replied King Hans swiftly. Staring down at King Theodore, he said,

"no doubt I wouldn't want her to suffer the pain of losing someone you love," replied King Hans grudgingly.

"A pity you show no mercy to your rivals," King Hans commented, leaving the throne room hastily. He didn't trust these people not anyone from the Kingdom of Weiss, and he hated being in the same room as the murders that had killed his concubine who had been three months pregnant with a child.

"You're right, we don't, but starting today, I'm sure that will change," stated King Theodore tensely knowing he had to be careful of what he said next should harm come to his beloved daughter.

At this King Hans stopped as he reached the door, he held the handle and faced King Theodore saying, with a wicked smile appearing on his face.

"For your sake, I sure hope so. Its your turn to hold up your end of the bargain."

"Not until you promise me you will never harm Princess Elesha," yelled King Theodore all of a sudden a mixture of anger, fear and frustration showing on his countenance.

"You have my word, King Theodore, no harm shall befall Princess Elesha as long as she remains my wife."

"Good, should a drop of her blood spill, it will mean war for both of us."

"Very well," replied King Hans irritated and tired as it had been a long day. He left the throne room and headed straight to his bedchambers, not wanting to join in the feasting. This was no celebration this was merely a peace treaty and Princess Elesha merely a piece he held dangling over his enemy's head. How could he ever love such a self-righteous woman was beyond him. He fell asleep, and he slept till an hour before midnight when the feast had ended and all the guests had left.