"I'm not sure if I like 'Lady' Ophelia," I spoke to the only other person in the room, while standing in front of a mirror, lamenting my inability to have a decent hairstyle. "She seemed overconfident and overall unapproachable."

'Even though I was almost two heads taller than her.'

Tiana was, on the other hand, busy with helping me get into the black dress I'm supposed to be wearing for the wedding. The process, at least, wasn't as arduous as putting the dresses made for balls in the Palace. The black dress required very little clothing underneath, without the need for an underdress. "I know who you are referring to, but I do not know what opinion to give. I haven't met Lady Ophelia yet."

Tiana tied the dress up, leaving me little breathing room. 'At least my figure looks prettier.'

After the dress was on, Tiana handed me the gloves Cerolus had had made for me. I put one of them on, still admiring the gem on the back of the hand. Trying to put the other one, it tugged on the ring of my hand, which I had managed to completely overlook. 'I guess I put it on without a thought by this point.'

I looked at the small golden ring in my hand, the gemstones shining in the sunlight. I remembered how Cerolus had made the ring, then the entire scene of my marriage came to me. I remembered the way I looked at Cerolus for the first time, the terror he brought in me, the fear and the uncertainty of my future. I recollected how I thought of him at first, confident, scary, enigmatic. 'When had that changed? When did I stop fearing him, and started accepting him instead? It happened only three months ago, but I can never put my finger on the exact moment when it happened.'

Coming back from my thoughts, I put the glove on then returned the ring to my finger. I decided to not dwell on those thoughts. They were unimportant anyway.

Tiana managed to somehow wrestle my hair back into appearing passable for the wedding. "Mistress, you look almost like a proper Demon now."

"You think he'll notice?" I asked, the meaning of the word he being passed silently between us. After all, there was only one that could be talked about in that context. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"Who will like what?" A voice came from the door, startling me. Cerolus stood just outside the room, his grey attire seamlessly complimenting his white shirt and red skin. It even somehow managed to make his eyes look brighter than the usual night black. Although that could have easily been the red flares in them. Or his bright pearly smile. He approached me and took my hand. "Ready to go? We have a wedding to attend to, after all."

I could only nod. 'Definitely unimportant thoughts.'

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The last time I was in the Church, it was me who was standing in front of the Altar. I looked around the Church, suddenly feeling a hint of magic strewn throughout it. The lines of light that permeated the walls and the pillars made the entire view of the Hall that much enchanting. I realised that this was how Cerolus would have seen it the first time he came here. I wondered if he had been impressed by it then as I was now.

I looked towards my husband, turning and shifting in his seat. "Just stay still at least."

Cerolus continued to squirm, trying to fit into the small chair, his hooves dangling quite a bit forward. "My tail hurts if I try to sit properly."

Eventually, he settled on a position between sitting and sprawling across the chair, his tail dangling off it. Next to him, as if fate planned to have some laughs, was the Elf. I wondered who thought that was a good sitting arrangement.

Ophelia just took a glance at Cerolus and smirked at his inconvenience, her small stature allowing her to freely sink into her chair with enough room left over to put her staff. The rest of the people in the Church glanced at us, then continued to whisper among themselves. It was quite an odd sight, to see those two people that looked as different as they possibly could, next to one another.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I looked up to my brother standing at the altar. He seemed to look the happiest in his life.

The room silenced itself in a single moment, a single voice resonating the halls. "Her Highness Third Princess Elena Sabelar of  the Basinea Kingdom."

We all stood up, Cerolus' efforts of fitting into his chair seemingly futile. I looked towards the back of the Hall, where the doors have opened.

She looked breathtaking. Her long blond hair reached up to her waist, flowing freely behind her as she moved. Her golden brown eyes shined with an eerie beauty that could have possibly touched your soul. The longest, most elaborate white wedding dress slid across the corridor as she seemingly floated gracefully towards the Altar.

'I wish I looked that pretty at my wedding.'

"You were prettier." Cerolus' lips nearly touched my ear as he whispered into it, my cheeks melting under his warm breath. I turned towards him but found him standing tall, as if nothing had happened, a mischievous smirk on his face while he gazed forwards. 'How did he hear me? Did I say that out loud? Could anyone else hear that?'

The bride walked to the Altar, her white dress flowing down the steps. At that moment, a single thought crossed my mind, one that I had never thought I'd have.

'It really would have looked good in red.'

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The ritual itself did look kind of boring throughout. My brother looked enchanted throughout the entirety of it, he almost stuttered when he was to agree to the vows. The crowd found it oddly charming. They really looked like they were made for each other.

I looked towards Cerolus again. 'How did we look together? Cerolus looked intimidating, while I looked like a child. What stories did people say behind our backs? Did we look like a mismatched couple forced to live together because of a peace treaty? How did my life look like to someone outside of it?'

I glanced over to my Family. Other than Magdalene, none of them had almost spoken a word to me since I got here. John was fascinated by Cerolus, but I'd blame the magical show for that. If they had accepted it, it didn't show on their faces. If they had something against it, they didn't voice it out. 'Is my family still here, in this Palace, or is Cerolus the only one left? What made a family?'

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'THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!'

This one thought resonated throughout my head as I stood on that Altar, looking at the most beautiful woman of my life. Even now, when the ceremony was long over and we were in the Gardens for the dinner, I couldn't get that single line of thought out of my head.

The entire setting was perfect. The guests clamoured on their seats, the food and drinks seemingly flowing on plates between them. The late flowers were in full bloom. The Sun was almost setting, giving the sky various shades of red and blue.

Speaking of red, I noticed Cerolus approaching my table, one of his hands holding a small bag. He motioned me to stand up and join him, so I did. If he was trying something I was missing the point, or there was no point to be made in the first place.

As we walked slightly away from the tables, some of my guards instinctually following several paces away, he put his hand around his shoulder and slightly bent down so we were seeing eye to eye.

He dangled the small bag in front of me. "I know we haven't really had time to know each other, brother, but I felt obliged to give you a wedding present since I heard of it being a custom here."

He put the bag in my hand, and I reached for its contents. I pulled a small, porous ball that left a powdery trail as it rested in my palm. I tried to discern what it was but obviously failed. It seemed like it could be a medicine one was meant to swallow, akin to a pill. 'Is he trying to poison me.'

Cerolus saw my perplexed look and decided to elaborate. "Oh no, it's not poison, nothing like that. It's helpful instead."

I tried to follow his line of thoughts but drew blanks. I looked at him again, and he continued. "You take it before going to bed."

"It helps you sleep?" I suddenly wondered why would I be given sleeping medicine. We had those as well, they were nothing special.

"Not... quite. Actually, it would be the opposite," his mouth stretched into a smile, "you see, you take it before going to bed, with your wife."

'Huh?' I still stood there, my face contorted.

"It makes you 'perform' better. You know," he moved his hips back and forth slightly, to accentuate his point, "it's as much for you as it is for your wife, if you follow."

"Also," he put one of his fingers up, which made me think of a whole another part of a body, "it helps in getting a child. You're a Prince, maybe even a King soon. The Palace could use a baby's cry come next year. Good for the morale of the people, and the woman," he winked at me. I wasn't sure if he was serious or out of his mind.

His hand retreated from my shoulder. "Just try it. It won't make you ill, you can have my word on that. I helped made them, after all."

I could only nod in response.

"Good, let me know how it goes." Cerolus then slapped my behind and winked again. "And good luck." With that, he turned around and left to join the ever louder crowd at the tables.

I stood there, the ball slowly rolling in my palm, barely able to make a coherent thought.

'What kind of a day is this?'