Page 63 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

They finally are able to pull me away and out of the room, leading me down the hall to Ruelle’s room.

We laugh as we rush in but I stop short in my tracks once they close the door and I look around. There is a rack to the side holding four clothing bags, her vanity is littered with makeup and hair accessories, and there stands a couple maids waiting for us.

“What is this?’’ I ask, turning to the females of my soon-to-be family.

Ruelle steps forward, grasping my hands in hers. People have been doing that a lot lately. “You are family. And this is your wedding day. This is for you. Our dresses are there and my mother has offered to help you with putting yours on since your mother can’t be here today. And we have a sparkling wine mixed with juice, it sounds weird but its delicious!” She thrusts a glass of the fruity and bubbly concoction toward me and I take a drink. She definitely wasn’t wrong. It was divine.

She squeals in excitement, clapping her hands together and leads me to sit with her mother and sister as maids walk over and start on our hair and faces once we were sat.

It is a weird thing, being doted on like this. I did everything by myself on my wedding day.

“I didn’t even pick my dress out.” I tell them after two hours of sitting still, laughing with them and just talking. “Should I be worried?” They look at each other with knowing smiles.

“Are we done?” Esmeray asks the maids, who nods in return, and she stands, pulling my dress to the front and unzipping the garment bag.

I stand in shock as she brings it into view.

There before me was the prettiest dress I had ever seen. It is more of a golden nude tone over all. The boning and bust cups in the torso firm and form fitting from the looks of it. Then, the puffy skirt drops to the floor in a puddle of soft tulle. Throughout the tulle sprinkled iridescent stars and sparkling gems that were so tiny you couldn’t see anything other than the gleam and shine when the light cast upon them. The sleeves wereoff shoulder, drooping in puffed detachable forms from where my biceps would sit, flitting to my wrists.

“Eryx had it designed for you. Our seamstress wanted to add color but he said you were enough color and he didn’t want to pull away from your natural beauty.” Ruelle spoke softly, as if in awe of it all.

Tears well in my eyes at the thought of him doing this for me. It is better than I could’ve had made for myself. I can’t wait to marry him.

Esmeray, Calanthe, and Ruelle dress in their stunning midnight blue silky dresses and then the princesses of Khyrel left the room.

Calanthe pulls my dress down from the hanger with delicacy before motion me over to step into it.

We stand in front of a full bodied mirror and I look in awe of myself. My hair was wavy, as it was when we met at the coronation ball for Dryston. It flows down my back like water. The blue standing out now more than ever from the pale blonde my hair fully embodied. My indigo eyes popping brightly with the smoky colors they dusted onto my eyelids before lining them with black coal. She helps slip the dress up, zipping it into place. It’s a perfect fit. Snug in every right place on the bodice before flowing down to the ground.

“It’s fitting, is it not?” She asks in such a sweet motherly voice.

“The dress is very fitting for the court. It’s so beautiful.”

I see her brows furrow and I look at her with a questioning gaze, “I meant your nickname. Seren Fach?” When I gave her the same look, she continues. “It means ‘Little Star’.”

Realization sets in but I don’t know what to say. I just gave her a smile.

“Shoes?” I ask Calanthe, excited for what her son might’ve chosen.

Her all-knowing smile gets brighter, “He said no shoes.” My heart clenches in love. Gods this male will be the death of me.

I nod and she rests a supportive palm on my shoulder. “She’d be so proud of you. I know I say it a lot but she wanted your happiness above all else. You are so beautiful, Verena, and having you become part of my family is such a blessing from the Gods.” She tears up too, both of us wiping away the drops of salty solution from our eyes before we ruin our faces. “Are youready?”

I nod to her and she walks to the door, opening it and allowing Hadeon to see me in full view.

An audible gasp flows from his lips, “Wow.” Is all he says and I can’t help the small smile gracing my lips. Calanthe leaves us, I am assuming to join her daughters in the throne room. “May I?” He asks, holding his arm out for me to grab. “Maybe let’s keep this marriage, yeah? Two is a good number.” He jokes and I gasp in surprise at it before laughing.

“You are an ass.” I state between fits of giggles as we make our way to the throne room. As we walk, I can’t help myself from getting emotional again. “Thank you, again, for walking with me.” He only responds by tapping his hand on mine that’s resting in his arm and nodding as if speaking will choke him up.

We make it to the doors and they open when I nod to the guards who are usually stoic but today smile at me in an endearing way. Esmeray had told me that saving Ruelle and bringing her home bought me a lot of respect from everyone, especially the royal guard and soldiers. Any who might’ve second-guessed my intentions with Eryx or as queen were dissipated now.

I just hate that the price was both of us almost dying for it— for if I were a male, it would’ve been automatic respect.

Once the doors fully open, all eyes are on us— orme, for that matter.

I take a quick glance around, noting all the faces in attendance before my eyes meet his.

Dark as usual but the sun beams through the window, shining a bright light upon them to make them lighter. I almost think I see a sheen from tears but he blinks them away in haste as soon as I start moving. Light music plays from the back corner, reverberating around the space as we walk down the aisle separating both sides of chairs in rows. They’re filled with people I haven’t seen before. I keep my eyes on him, though, not wanting to trip. And being unable to tear them away.

---