Page 125 of Shâhzâdeh

“I am, but why do you look like that?” I smoothed down my jacket again wishing that five would hurry and come. My mother said for our level of formality we couldn’t start the ceremony any earlier. She told me etiquette dictated it to start at six, but I told her she was pushing it.

He gestured to my face and I swiped at it blindly to wipe away whatever was there. “If you could see how pressed you look you’d understand what’s so damn funny.”

“Am I supposed to look calm vhen this is zhe most important decision I’ve her been blessed to make? I’m ready to run down the aisle to zhe altar and wait for her to meet me zhere.”

“I think it’s nice that Uncle Bijan agreed to walk her down so that she wouldn’t be alone.”

That squeeze in my chest returned as I remember the way Vanya looked so nervous when we were going over the participants and she didn’t have anyone besides Frankie to select. My father proved why he was a man I would always admire and model myself after when he offered to walk my love down the aisle.

“Zhe way she cried when he said he would always look out for her… it broke me, Midas. For her to not know unconditional love from someone, even from birz. I hate zhat I am taking her as my wife and I have not ended zhe lives of those who have brought her harm. It makes me feel like I am less zhan worthy of being her husband.”

He pat my shoulder and I knew he understood exactly how I felt. “All things in due time. Right now is the season for you to be happy, not the season for you to slap muthafuckas around. When the time comes, you got an entire army of people who will move with you and stand behind the both of you to make sure she gets her justice. Nev is already teaching Mansa to call her Tata Vannie. We got y’all and everything else. Your grandfather tried to flex his power not realizing he doesn’t even run shit in his own country. Let the man eat good and drink like he’s not supposed to. You know his fate is to be shit out of the end of the one creature his religion says he’s supposed to despise most. He lives his life like an animal, he can die like one.”

I nodded trying to shake off the negative and focus on this wedding going smoothly. “You got what I asked you for?”

He smirked and I knew I needed to chill because he had never let me down before. “Of course. But now my wife gonna be looking at me crazy since she’s the one who designed it.”

“Well, I’m sorry but I don’t trust zhis to anyone else. Get your wife one so zhat you out of zhe doghouse.”

“And have her bitching at me because I let somebody else design her jewelry? You must not love me the way you say you do.” My cousin stared like I was trying to set him up and I could only pat his shoulder.

“Rock and hard place having a wife who can wield metal and stone zhe way yours does. Step your game up, Mi.”

“Step my game up with the woman who owns a mine and can source whatever she wants. My surprising her is pointless. I have to get her other shit to spoil her. But I know you can’t help but drape your girl in jewelry so I can’t wait for her to see what you got her.”

“Where is it?”

“You think I could keep that many boxes on me? Go over there and look on the table.” He pointed near the window and I saw the stack of boxes that littered the table and I could only smile.

All thoughts of my father’s family were gone as I looked at the gifts that would soon adorn my wife. “It’s time for me to get my princess.”

“Khodâ be man binâyi dâd tâ betavânam in lahze râ bebinam. (God gave me sight to behold this moment.)”

I’d whispered the words to no one in particular but I could tell several people had heard it by the way Midas pat my shoulder. I guess my knees looked as weak as they felt, because his hand lingered there like he needed to steady me.

Shit, he might need to. My father walked toward me proudly, Vanya’s arm was balanced delicately on his forearm and he wore a wide grin on his face. He didn’t wear any of the items that would denote him as a royal choosing instead to be more proud of the two titles that he always said meant the most to him: Babette’s soulmate and my father. His jacket mimicked mine in style, but was black with the embroidery focused at the collar and with two heavy four-inch cuffs at his wrists. With shoulders back and an erect spine, he looked more like a king than the man who sat posturing at the end of one row attempting to steal the attention from the bride.

Which was impossible.

I studied every inch of Vanya but the part of her that made her truly beautiful was the smile on her face. It wasn’t nervous nor was she scared. Her smile looked peaceful, joy-filled and I had to wonder if she was drunk or if she was elated about today as I was.

But my God she looked so perfect. Her dress was white, her hair loose and flowing around her head. I loved that she hadn’t tried to confine it into a style that didn’t reflect who she was. Having to be constricted all her life, I loved seeing her hair surrounding her face and shoulders like the blazing flames of a torch. The details on her dress were something that I couldn’t have dreamed. I wasn’t sure if she knew what the symbols of her dress meant, but I knew my mother had a hand in it. The detailing was a brilliant gold embroidery covering the entire bodice of her dress. Her shoulders were exposed and the sleeve on her dress sheer and fitted to her toned arms. There was a modest slit that went down the front that was eye catching but not too revealing. This would be perfect with the items I had for her. The flowers in her hand were white and cream with trailing garlands hanging down in front.

The small ballroom of the Warren Hotel Uptown had been transformed into a vision. The wedding colors chosen were gold, French blue, a dusty light blue color, with light mauve to complement. It was soft and romantic, just like Vanya and the women in the bridal party wore blue dresses while Francesca wore a champagne gold. To honor the tradition of thesofreh agheda large mirror was placed behind Jahmir’s spot at the altar. On the ground beneath it was a large piece of gold embroidered cashmere. I didn’t want to sit, as was tradition, but I had the bridal party flipped so that Vanya would stand on my right side, which was considered the place of respect. The seven plates with the traditional items used to protect us from evil spirits and defend us against envy were laid out. A large golden challis stood ready for the end of our ceremony. Vanya came to a stop a few feet away from me that grin still firmly on her face.

“I have seen how God has moved in the lives of those I love recently. He has blessed us abundantly and today I am honored to stand here and witness yet again His miracle in action. Vanya, I ask you as a man of God, are you here of your own free will, ready to walk with Xerxes in this life and the challenges that may come with it?” Jahmir’s voice was loud and confident and the joy at being here was heard in each of his words.

“No.”

That one word stopped the world from spinning and for mummers to break out among the crowd.

“Vanya—”

She ignored me and kept that smile on her face as she stayed focus on Jahmir. “I am here to join my life with his in this one and the next. For however many more come after, I will find him and stand beside him. He is my peace, I am his joy and I am ready to be his wife.”

By the time she said I was her peace, my chest was tight as her eyes met mine with unwavering love and devotion.

“AAAAAmen. We haven’t even gotten to vows yet and I see how God is moving today. Now, who here brings this woman to be joined with this man in this life, the next and however many more they are granted to experience?” Jahmir was grinning and the bridal party and the crowd chuckled while I was still fighting my emotions.

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