Chapter 6: Wedding Vows

*Rosemary*

The day of the wedding had finally arrived. I found myself staring at the mirror. Those cold purple eyes stared back at me. They weren't much different from what I was accustomed to in the castle.

Maybe Artemia and Orlin were right when they suggested I escape from this the marriage. But, continuing with the status quo was hard. Father was willing to do away with me. A stronger person probably would have stayed as a show of resistance, but that wasn't me. I wasn't strong at all.

"Are you ready, Rose?" a voice called out. It was Artemia. Father wasn't fond of her either due to being from a nomadic tribe.

I stood up from my chair. "Yes," I said, holding my head high. This was my last task as a princess. After this, I would be free. At least from Father.

Artemia smiled as soon as I opened the door. "You look pretty."

"Do I?"

She took out a silver hairclip with very dark amethysts and put it on my orange hair. "Of course. You have always been pretty."

Orlin also called me beautiful the other day. That's the only thing I ever had going for me. But as soon as a guy got to know me, they seemed repulsed. It was as if I suddenly turned ugly to them.

Was I a bad person? I knew I sometimes teased Ore a lot, but that's because he was my brother. We loved to tease and jab one another verbally. I wasn't like that with my suitors. Maybe I was too dull for them...

I touched the heart-shaped pin. "Did Brother pick this?"

Artemia giggled. "We both did. He needed some advice."

I chuckled. Ore wasn't the best at this kind of stuff. But at least his heart was in the right place.

My sister-in-law-to-be walked me downstairs to where Ore awaited me.

"Wow. You look gorgeous, sis!" He took out a white handkerchief and blew into it like a woman out of one of the soaps Mia and I liked watching. "To think this day would come this soon..."

"Come on, stop crying you oaf," Artemia said, lightly punching him. "You have a duty to fulfill."

He nodded and held out his arm.

I blinked. "Wait, you are the one walking me down the aisle?"

He smiled. "Yeah. Who better than your big bro?"

I averted my gaze. Should have figured. Father was too ashamed to even do that.

I wrapped my arm around his. "Let's go."

Orlin smiled.

Big brother walked me to the cathedral chamber built into our castle. Only a few people were seated in the pews. Father and Prime Minister Itou were the only familiar faces.

I stared at Father as he sat near the entrance. At least he decided to show up for my wedding...

The clothes of the strangers were nice, even if inexpensive. Were they my soon-to-be in-laws?

The woman in the front pew smiled at me as I passed by. She grabbed my hand. "Please take care of my son," she whispered, putting a fabric bracelet on me. It had an image of Hanketsu on one side and an image of Valencia on the other.

My groom turned to look at me. His expression was as stoic as ever. This was going to be a loveless marriage, wasn't it? Why did he even want to continue with this farce? Father already told him he would gain nothing from it.

Last night, Orlin found out his name was Saffron. According to Ore's informant, he had recently foiled an attack on Kuroriku's shipping lanes by Kasai no Ki.

"Today we gather here for the marriage of Princess Rosemary Saika Hortencia Ruri Duchess of Villanova and Saffron Hermalindo Daikiri," the priest said.

Daikiri? So his family must've been farmers. No wonder this wedding was kept small. Oh, well. It was fine. Apart from the Prime Minister and Father, everyone else in this room cared for at least one of us. Those were the only kind of guests we needed.

"Saffron, do you promise to be faithful and true to Lady Rosemary for the rest of your life?"

"I do," he said, staring into my eyes as he placed a ring on my hand. They were beautiful, but they were frightening to stare at for very long. It felt as if he were staring into my soul.

"Lady Rosemary, do you promise to be faithful and true to Sir Saffron?"

I nodded. "I-I do." My hand shakingly put the golden ring on him.

"Then may the divine couple, highest among all couples, grant you eternal bliss. That which the holy ones unite can't be separated! May a kiss seal this eternal bond."

I pressed my lips together. They were a tad dry. I gasped as Saffron put a hand on my face and kissed me for a brief moment. Despite that, the tingle lingered. That was my first kiss...

Saffron took my hands and slowly walked me toward the exit.

I stared at the bouquet of hyacinths in my hand and threw it behind me.

"I got it!" Artemia yelled.

Big brother scratched his red face.

I smiled. I'd always expected him to marry before me. Hopefully, their wedding would be nicer. Although, I might not have gone to it. Big crowds never suited me. Especially ones in the court.

"Haha! Can't believe you actually married," a guy with white hair said, patting Saffron.

I gasped. "Gael?" I said, blinking.

He grinned. "Hey, Cuz!"

"When did you get here?"

He furrowed his brow. "I was here all this time."

"He tried hiding," Saffron said, giving him a cold stare.

"Hiding? Why?" I giggled. "Were you trying to surprise me?"

Gael laughed. "Something like that." He glanced at my husband. "Who would've thought the cold Saf would marry docile Rose."

I furrowed my brow. Docile?

"Let's get a move on. We have a long trip ahead of us," Saffron said, nudging me.

"Hey! Don't brush me off like that!" Gael yelled, running after us. "Also, you can't leave before the party!"

Saffron sighed. "To think that guy is one of the Seven Hill Knights."

I smiled. It was hard to believe he was a dad too.

Saffron turned away. "Uh, but if you want to stay. We can."

I blinked. He was letting me decide?

I nodded.

"Then we can stay for a bit," he said, lowering his hand.

"Yahoo!" my cousin yelled, throwing his hands into the air. "Time to party!"

"Say, where is your rugrat? Heard you had one," Orlin said as he walked up to our cousin.

Gael grinned. "He's at home with his mommy. She wanted to come to see her captain's wedding too, but you know how things are. She did recently give birth."

"Wait, he's the captain you always talked about? The big meanie?" I asked, slowly turning to look at my husband.

Saffron glared at Gael.

"Hahaha! Come on Rose, you're just a kidder." He swung his hands behind his head. "You know me, Captain! I only ever say good things about you."

"But you once wrote—" I began.

"Shh!" Cousin said, covering my mouth with his hand.

Saffron pushed him aside. "You aren't fooling me, clown."

Gael lowered his head and sighed. "Okay, I do call you a meanie, but so does Setsuka."

Saffron scoffed. "I'll need to discipline both of you if you ever return under my command again."

Gael shoulders slumped. "Ugh. Setsuka's going to make me sleep on the couch when she finds out."

I patted him on the back. "There, there. But you do sort of deserve it for poking a bees' nest."

He sighed. "Ugh, that guy is a bees' nest. Be careful, Cuz."

Saffron rolled his eyes and walked away.

Did I make him mad too? Or was it only Gael he was angry with? Ugh, way to go, Rose. You went ahead and made your husband hate you within minutes of being married.