The Dark King's Bride (17 page)

             
Giving a nod of her head, Lily turned to Magdalene and held onto her as if she was her mother. She waited until she felt the arms of Daniel’s maid moving around her own body to hold and console her before her words finally came out of her mouth.

             
“I believe you, Magdalene,” she whispered, sincerely, “and I thank you…for everything.”

Chapter Nineteen

             
Downstairs, Daniel stood in the foyer of his castle home, greeting the stragglers that were coming in a little late while the part of his guests were already in their seats, awaiting the ceremony to start.

             
Oh…How I do hate those of my kind who have no sense of time on nights important to me like this one.

             
He did his best to keep his frustration in check while his right hand was shaking the ones extending out from his remaining guests that were still coming inside, and heading into the grand ballroom where the ceremony was to take place in. Secretly, however, he wanted nothing more than to tell them off for showing up late on his special evening.

             
You would think that beings such as myself would have the ability to show up when they are supposed to and not be late…I guess there are some traits the mortal men and women have amongst one another that we can’t help but adapt and pick up.

             
His eyes caught sight of what he perceived to be the last member of the member of the nobility, as well as his guests, when he decided to close the door.

             
“Wait!”

             
A female, mortal voice called out to him outside just as he had started to close the doors. Daniel looked through the opening that remained in the door, and found his emerald stare meeting that of Marigold, Lily’s mother, coming up the walkway in her best peasant gown and slippers she owned while keeping a white cloth over her hair that had signs of her work from the day.

             
This is a surprise. Marigold…has decided to come to my home this night. I did not think her husband and she would accept the invitation when I had them sent to them. However, seeing at least her coming…gives me hope for what is to come on the horizon.

             
Daniel eased the door back, and allowed her inside before he closed the door back in its place, firmly. His attention drifted back to Lily’s mother shortly before the deep, firm tone of his voice escaped his mouth.

             
“It is a pleasant sight to see that you have decided to come and witness my wedding to your daughter.” He couldn’t mask a growing tension in his voice that had formed the moment she stepped across the threshold of his home. “However…I did not see Radcliff with you…Is he running late as well, Marigold?”

             
“My husband will be unable to attend tonight, my lord.” Marigold replied, speaking to him with a polite tone in her soft voice. “He is helping Ramus find several cows that had gotten loose from his land before the wolves that dwell nearby get to them.”

             
“That is understandable.” The answer she had given to him provided him a form of relief even though it didn’t erase the fear or what Lily had told him of Radcliff coming to take her away from him with the assistance of men from the surrounding area. He drew in a breath of air, and released it while his right hand gestured her towards the open doorway of the grand ballroom. “If you will be so kind as to walk with me to your seat…The ceremony will be able to start.”

             
“Yes, my lord.”

             
Daniel moved with Marigold to the opened doorway of the grand ballroom, and stepped over the threshold. After pulling the doors closed behind him, his eyes soaked in the surroundings, allowing himself to take in the sights.

             
Around each of the side doors of the room that led out to their own private balcony were black and deep purple, satin drapes tied back by an additional black ribbon in the form of a bow, matching the purple and blame theme that stretched from the very aisle rug they were walking on to the seats that the vampire nobility were in, and ending in front of the room where a black and purple arch stood with his advisor in a blue and deep purple suit beside a priest that was dressed in similar colors for the even that was to take place there night, and who was also a member of his royal court of vampires.

             
Everything is exactly how I wanted it to be. There is not one single part that is out of place…Tonight will be a night…to be remember for years to come.

             
Daniel brought Marigold to a seat in the very front where a more ‘tame’ group of vampires sat, providing her with a form of safety since there were those of his court that were not very good with being around humans without experiencing some blood lust. He waited until she was comfortable before he moved up to the front of the archway, and brought his hands up to the room. Lowering them down, he waited for the room to fall silent before he proceeded to speak up.

             
“My friends and fellow creatures of the night,” Daniel stated, firm yet friendly, “it does my soul well to see you all here this night to witness and take part in my union with a young mortal woman that I have become very close with and have formed a strong bond with in very little time. She will not only be mother to my children and my wife for all eternity after tonight…but she will also become your queen, and help me rule over these lands in a more just manner instead of the ruthless pattern that has been seen by neighboring kings over their kingdoms shortly before they fell due to their own greed and power. That being said…I believe it is time for the talking to end…and for the wedding to commence.”

*                            *                            *

              Lily made her way down the stairs with Magdalene holding the back of her purple and black wedding gown to keep it from trialing down them and getting dirt on it. Her hands clung to the front of the skirt, making sure her feet didn’t step on it. As she continued to move down them, a long flowing deep purple veil hung in front of her face with a black combs having it secured in her hair.

             
I can’t believe that I am actually going to go through with this.
Her thoughts were full of nervousness and excitement as she made her way to stand in front of the closet doors with Daniel’s maid following behind her.
This is really going to happen…I am fixing to become the wife of King Willows.

             
She brought herself to a complete stop, and let go of the front of the skirt. Her palms moved across the material of the gown, straightening out any kinks that were in it due to her hands holding onto it. After a few more strokes against its fabric, Lily turned her head, and watched Magdalene move around in front of her with a look of serenity there that matched the growing tone in her voice.

             
“How are you feeling, my lady?” Magdalene asked. She kept a motherly vibe about herself as she stood before her, straightening out the edges of the veil that kept her face concealed. “Are you feeling good, nervous…excited?”

             
“A mixture of all three emotions, Magdalene.” Lily answered. She spoke with a tone of sincerity within her gentle voice, showing complete honesty to Daniel’s head and only maid. “I am feeling good about walking down the aisle to where Daniel is waiting for me, excited about the idea of becoming the king’s wife and queen over the very lands that I have grown up on…and nervous…about-“

             
“About the dream, Lily?”

             
“Yes, Magdalene…” Lily hated to admit it to her, but the vision she had received in her dream earlier that day still lingered on her mind, and gave her no rest from it. “Although this is a very happy time for me…I can’t shake off the images of my father and a group of men coming after me from my mind, as well as my thoughts.”

             
“You have no reason to fear, my lady…King Daniel has taken the appropriate measures to make sure that security is doubled tonight just in case if your father tries to storm the ceremony with whoever he finds that is willing to risk their own life to prevent your marriage to the ruler tonight.”

             
“I hope that you are correct about this, Magdalene.”

             
“Everything will be fine, and go according to schedule.”

             
Even though she wanted to believe what Daniel’s maid was telling her, Lily couldn’t help herself but feel extremely nervous about the whole thing. She knew that the only thing that would take the fear and dread out of her system would be that the ceremony goes through without a problem, and she becomes Daniel’s wife without any issues.

             
The sound of a piano starting up a hauntingly, beautiful melody started to slip through the cracks of the door with a chorus of violins playing in the background to accompany it strong enough to snap herself out of the train of thought that had overwhelmed over her being. Lily focused on the closed doors for a moment before she caught Magdalene backing up to them. She had her attention on her, and noticed the friendly smile on her face as she spoke to her.

             
“Are you ready, Lily?”

             
Despite the feeling of butterflies fluttering around inside of her stomach, she gave a nod of her head, and a brave smile on her face underneath the veil that hung from the top of her head and down in front of her head. Lily drew in a breath of air, and let out a soft sigh shortly before her voice escaped out of her mouth in a soft, sweet sound.

             
“I am ready, Magdalene.”

Chapter Twenty

             
With her eyes focused on the double doors before her, Lily watched as Magdalene opened them in front of her, and stepped to the side, exposing the lavishly decorated ballroom with the members of the vampire nobility in color coordinated seats.

             
Well…Here I go…

             
She drew in another breath of air before heading inside of the room. Releasing the same puff, Lily took the time to notice how Daniel chose a purple and black theme for their union ceremony before she looked to the guests that he had invited.

             
Standing in front of the many seats that were littered in the room, male and female vampires of the royal court that governed over their own respectable areas in the region gazed upon her making her entrance into the room. Each member of the nobility were dressed in elegant yet simple gowns and suits, wearing the appropriate attire for the ritual. Several casted questioning looks upon her, suggesting that they didn’t think she was good enough to be queen, while the majority of the others possessed expressions of reverence and respect for her.

             
It appears as if many of these vampires are okay with me marrying their king and master.
Lily surveyed the surroundings as she continued to move up the aisle with the veil concealing her face from their gazes.
I imagined their expressions to be looking at me with disgust with not a single shred of kindness upon them.

             
Well,
her conscience whispered,
there are still some here that are looking at you with the very emotions you assumed they would be gazing upon you.

             
The response she got from her rational part of her thoughts caused the focus to be to search out the ones who had looks of discontent for her on their faces from behind the veil that kept her cut off. With her continuing to move down the aisle, Lily noticed a small group of four female vampires that were part of the clan ruling over the region to the west, casting doubtful and judgmental expressions in her direction behind their fake smiles.

             
It does appear that you are right this time, my friend, just like you have been right before. There are those here that don’t wish to see me married off to their ruler, and become their queen, as well as the wife to Daniel Willows.