Queen Mina asked Renaria to meet her in the garden. She wanted to know if Vaughn was telling the truth in the Main Hall earlier when he said that Zenia was already in Tissuria. Renaria confirmed it.
"Please pardon my daughter, Queen Mina, if she did not visit you to pay her respects."
"Don't worry about it Madam Anisen. I'm sure that my son made the arrangement. It is indeed safer if no one knows that she's already here."
Vaughn had just returned when he heard that Queen Mina and Renaria were in the garden. He immediately went there to inform Renaria and Queen Mina about the wedding preparation.
"Greetings, Mother and mother-in-law."
"You're here Vaughn! Quickly, take a seat beside me."
Renaria could tell that Queen Mina and Vaughn had a close mother-son relationship.
"Mother-in-law, I visited Zenia today. Brothers-in-law arrived before I left."
Renaria gasped, "That fast?! They already arrived?"
Vaughn told the two women about the things that he discussed with Zenia. The two women listened attentively while nodding their heads once in a while.
"I will prepare their rooms today and have your children here in the palace starting tomorrow. But, we need to keep it a secret from everyone else. I don't want to ruin the reputation of my daughter-in-law. We really don't allow the bride to enter the palace prior to the wedding. But, the palace is the safest place for Zenia to stay," Queen Mina informed Renaria.
"I will shamelessly accept your kind offer. I admit that I feel more secure when I can see my children. I was to suggest that we should keep everything a secret." Renaria gave the Queen a reassuring smile.
Vaughn was thankful to his mother for taking actions. He was about to ask if he could let Zenia stay in the palace before the wedding. His mother must've read his mind.
* * * * *
Zenia and her brothers successfully entered the palace without being detected. Although Queen Mina wanted to meet her daughter-in-law, she also did not want to arouse suspicions. Queen Mina assigned her most trusted people to take care of the Anisens.
Zenia and big brother Vaughn met in the palace before the wedding day to finalize their plan. It was a day before the wedding, and Vaughn felt so nervous when he faced Zenia that night.
"Are you nervous?" Vaughn's curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to pop the question that had been bothering him for a while now.
"For tomorrow?" Zenia asked casually.
"Uhuh."
Zenia sighed, "I will be lying if I say that I'm not. But, I am ready."
Vaughn smiled at her and secretly uttered, 'Me too.'
Vaughn and Zenia barely slept. They were too nervous. Zander and Zekiah rolled out their mats in Zenia's room and slept there during the night. They said that they were guarding their sister. The trusted people of Queen Mina and Vaughn witnessed how the brothers doted on their sister. Ovid was also the same. He stayed in Zenia's room almost the entire day before the wedding. Even though he kept telling himself that it was only a play, it did not bring comfort to him at all. In end, Renaria had to fetch him, and she dragged him to their room.
In the following morning, all of them got up early. Vaughn prepared a special veil for Zenia and told her not to remove it even though the wedding ceremony had ended. The King and Queen respected Vaughn's decision and let Zenia wear the veil all throughout the wedding ceremony. Vaughn personally delivered the veil to Zenia, even though the Queen forbade him.
"Wouldn't this obstruct my vision?" Zenia was a bit annoyed at what the Crown Prince wanted her to do.
"It's for your own protection. It's best if they don't know what you look like."
Zenia's family did not come to see her before the wedding. It was Ishelon's tradition that the family of the bride should never meet with her before the wedding ceremony. Ovid, Renaria, and the Anisen brothers went to the venue of the wedding ahead of Zenia.
She accepted the veil and Vaughn went on his way. The women who were attending to Zenia were yet to finish her hair and makeup. It was the first time that Zenia would wear full makeup. She also never arranged her hair in a grand style before.
Zenia could feel the tension in the air. Everyone seemed nervous as they focused on her hair and makeup. Every now and then she could hear someone gasping when they looked at her. She began to wonder if she looked hideous.
After her hair and makeup, her attendants helped her put on her white wedding dress. Renaria was the one who prepared Zenia's wedding dress in accordance with Ishelon's tradition. They brought it with them. Thankfully, the dress was not ruined during the ambush.
Zenia looked at herself in a full view mirror and was lost for words. She could not recognize the woman in the mirror. She never thought that she could be so… beautiful. Her makeup was flawless. Her hair was perfect. Her wedding dress was seamless. She stared at her own reflection for a long time.
One of the elderly attendants even cried.
"My Crown Princess, in all my years I've never seen a bride more beautiful than you. I thought that you were already beautiful before we start. I know that the Crown Prince will not agree to marry someone ugly and talentless. Please stay with our Crown Prince forever."
Zenia could not say no to an elderly woman who dedicated her life serving the Crown Prince. Zenia could see that everyone was waiting for her reply.
"I will."
They put on her veil and someone accompanied her inside the carriage. Vaughn chose his finest estate to be the venue of the wedding. The entire place was converted into a breath-taking garden with exotic, rare varieties of flowers. Thousands of butterflies were gathered to bring a different kind of allure to the entire setting. A light, refreshing, and calming scent lingers in the air.
The stage was set on a high platform that seemed to be separated from the crowd. Vaughn looked calm and handsome in his white suit. He patiently waited for his bride as he stood together with the minister on the stage.
After a while, Zenia's carriage stopped at the arched entrance. Vaughn felt more nervous than before. Zenia got down from the carriage and trod the path that led to the stage. She climbed up the stairs one step at a time. An attendant was helping her with the train of her wedding dress.
When she reached the top, Vaughn extended his hand to help her. The attendant descended the stairs. The officiating minister began the wedding ceremony.
They exchanged vows and gave each other a necklace that symbolizes their union. They drank wine from the same cup and face each other.
"To make this union a lasting one, the husband should give his wife a kiss that symbolizes his devotion to her for the rest of their lives." The officiating minister ended his part and walked to the corner of the stage.
Vaughn lifted Zenia's veil and felt that his heart stopped beating for a second. He knew that Zenia was a beautiful woman he just never expected that she could be even more beautiful on her wedding day.
Vaughn stood there with a silly smile on his lips. The people below were confused. The husband should've kissed the wife already. Why was the Crown Prince hesitating? Could it be that the bride was so ugly beyond words?
The officiating minister noticed that the crowd seemed restless. He looked at the couple and found the problem. He smiled and coughed lightly. The bride was so beautiful that the groom seemed to forget how to breathe. She really took his breath away.
The light coughing sound from the officiating minister brought Vaughn back to reality. He was no longer as nervous as before. His bride was indeed so beautiful. He inched his way toward Zenia and lifted her chin. According to their agreement, Vaughn would only kiss her chin.
Vaughn lowered his head and sealed Zenia's mouth with his. Zenia tried to push him away, but the sweetness lingered in her mouth as Vaughn did his best to cage her within his arms.