| Wedding Bells.|
Malisha's bachelorette party slash wedding shower was amazing.
When Duke dropped her off she found that the green lawns outside their home had been converted into an outdoor lounge setting, complete with the settees and a dining area.
Her sisters and two friends surprised her even more by inviting her old friends from campus, some of whom she had been eager to reconnect with. There was also some former friends from home, including Genevieve, something that Malisha was not too please about it, but she let it slide.
All in all everything turned out fine and girlish shrieks fill the night air as present after present got unwrapped.
At midnight the guys joined them causing a scuffle as the girls tried to hide away most of the presents.
Duke, Emmeren and Mishael found their way to Malisha, eyes glinting with amusement at all the chaos that was ensuing.
"So, what did you get?" a grinning Mishael asked his sister.
"You don't want to know." She replied as Duke propped himself on the settee next to hee and the others took the adjacent ones.
"That bad?" Emmeren countered.
"Don't even start Em, am still very mad at you."
He faked an arrow to the heart and Duke glared at him.
"Quit flirting with my wife, Em."
"Not yet. I may still have a chance of stealing her."
"Not a chance!" Malisha told him.
"Not even teensy bitsy one."
"No!" She said, just as Duke pulled her into the crook of his arm and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"It's okay. I understand.You want the big guy, not us little peasants."
"Em!" All the three of them shout in unison.
"Fine! I know when am not wanted." He replied dolefully.
"I am sure there is a nice peasant girl out there, who would be delighted with your company." Duke asserted.
"You don't say?" Em scoffed.
"I'll get him out of your hair for you. I'm sure you lovebirds need the time alone." Mishael offered, grinning from ear to ear as he dragged a protesting Emmeren away.
"Thanks Mishael." Malisha called out after them, waving at the grumbling who was being pushed through the crowds of young people.
"Where do you pick them?" Duke asked her, still staring at their receding backlines.
"I didn't pick him. He's your friend!"
"I have never seen him behave that way before."
"What are you insinuating?" She riposted, jabbing his ribs with her elbow.
"Ouch! Woman!" He complained before turning to look down at her, nestled to his side. Malisha laughed and Duke smiled back at her.
"So, are you going to tell me what you got?" He pleaded softly, still gazing at her with his dazzling green eyes.
"I might show you if you behave."
Duke gulped, turning to look away and Malisha laughed enjoying his discormfort immensley.
"By the way, you haven't formally introduced your groomsmen."
"Okay then," He said standing up. "Let's get it over and done with."
He signaled Emmeren and got him to bring over the rest of the wedding party, so that they were seated with Duke and his fiancèe at the lounging area.
"So, I am told that proper introductions are yet to made?" They all nod, the girls excited to claim their patners for the wedding march.
"This is Daniel " Duke said ponting to a tall dark skinned gentleman with a mop of curly hair, who was seated beside his sister Diana.
"He is my friend from college, the current Dominus in Veterum minor and ladies," he gave each of them a meaningful look. " He is also Diana's sweetheart so I would keep away from him if I were you."
The rest of the ladies grumbled and pouted, while Diana and Daniel blushed as the rest of the guys bursted into laughter.
"And this is Ben," Duke continued, pointing to the gentleman seated next to Daniel. "He is Daniel's younger brother and I am happy to inform you ladies, that he is very free and available."
He finished by giving Gina and Minerva a look.
"Then there is George," He said, pointing to a blonde haired guy seating next to Mineva. "He is our maternal cousin and the next in line, head of the buisness community." He turned to look at the ladies again. "He is also very free."
George gave a slight smile and a wave and Duke moved on to the next introduction.
"Then we have Mishael," Malisha's brother nods "He is a lieutenant general soon to take over as a high general, and I am,l told..." Duke turned to face is his fiancèe "...that he is already spoken for."
He finished by turning to look at Phoebe, who was seated next to Mishael and the party erupted into laughter again.
"Finally we have Emmeren," Duke looked at the dark haired man seated next to him, who perked up at the mention of his name.
"He is one our my spy chiefs, and the resident jester,"
Emmeren's face fell at the last part and the rest of the party bursted out into more laughter. "And I think he is free so, heads up girls."
♧♧
The next time Malisha and Duke saw each other was five days later at their rehearsal and dinner after. Even then they didn't get that much time alone.
After the introductions, her mother and Mrs Jennings had whisked her away, saying that the two would have all the time to talk after the wedding.
Duke still managed to give her a goodnight peck on the cheek and a goodnight text before his groomsmen took away his phone, leaving them with only hope to see each other in the next few hours.
Favarro and his assistants arrived exactly at seven in the morning and started working on Malisha's dress.
It was an ivory coloured, vintage , long sleeved A line dress with a crystal and beaded lace bodice that flowed out into a tiered skirt.
They helped her put it on above the corset and hoop that made her feel like a very traditional bride. Her make up artists and hairdressers took over and fixed her make up, before arranging her curly locks into a beehive updo that was adorned with a diamond comb and pins.
They then finished her look by securing the six metre hand embroidered cathedral veil to her head and hair.
By the time the clock hit ten, they were all through, including her maids who are fully dolled up and changed into their champayne sheer lace and silk gowns.
Mrs Sally Lenton teared up as she beheld her daughter, to move for words. Her smiled at her and hugged her mother, hoping that her own tears would stay put not and not ruin her make up.
"Oh, look at you. I'm finally marrying off my first daughter." The mother wailed.
"Mum..."
"It's quite the fète. You will understand when you have yours "
Malisha grinned.
"Mum I already have Thomas."
"True, but he is not a girl."
At that precise moment the General popped into the room and they all look up surprised.
"Excuse me, may I have a word with my daughter?" He said and everyone cleared out of the room, apart from her mother who gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement, before also walking out.
"I brought you something," her father said nervously. "I hope you like it." He added handing over a black case from his jacket's breast pocket.
Malisha reached out and took the case from his hand, before snapping it open.
Inside it lay a beautiful pearl and diamond necklace, that glinted beautifully in the morning sun and Malisha found herself staring at her father, with unbidden tears flowing freely from her eyes.
"Thank you daddy."
He smiled back and sniffed back a tear himself.
"I thought, I'd never hear you call me that again."
Malisha did not reply. Nothing was coming to mind, as her emotions threatened to choke her up and the General took it as his cue to leave.
"Dad, wait."
He stopped by the door and she rushed over, big dress and all and gave him a big hug.
He stood there dazed, but Malisha understood why, knowing that she had taken him by surprise.
"Dad, I know that I have never been an easy child and I want you to know that it was never intentional."
"Oh Lisha, I know." He said, finally hugging her back. "And I also know that I have not been the greatest dad and for that I am sorry."
"It's okay Daddy." She said tearfully. "Can we start over?"
She asked him, pulling away, so that she could have a better look at his face.
"Of course dear. I'd love that."
They hugged once more and he finally left the room, allowing for her make up artist to move in and make some quick final touches.
"Can you help? " Malisha asked her stripping of her jewellary.
"Yea?" The make up artist replied.
"Please help me put on this." She told her, pointing to her dad's present.
♧
Malisha's ride to the cathedral was a white stretch Limousine, one of the Phaedra's cars which had been decked with roses and white peonies with vines and white ribbons hanging from within the floral arrangements.
She rode with her parents.Thomas was not with them. He had opted to spend the night with his adopted father Duke in his new room at the Phaedra estate, therefore Malisha's parents took it as an opportunity to impart some sagely wisdom on her, most of which left her blushing red like a ripe tomato.
She sighed with relief, saved from the torture, when their car pulled up into the cathedral driveway, stopping infront of the massive oak doors.
The cathedral was an imposing structure. It had beautifully curved archways and a glass ceiling, which easily made it into one of Veterum's biggest and most beautiful piece of ancient architecture.
A valet helped them out of the vehicle and Malisha's mother said one last prayer, before finally letting down her veil to complete her look.
"This is it. If all goes well, and it will, you'll leave here a married woman." Her inner voice encouraged.
"You're still here?" Malisha joked nervously.
"Where else would I go?"
"Ready?" Her whispered, wiping away a nonexistent tear.
"As I could ever be." Her daughter replied.
"No cold feet?" She asked again.
"Mum..." Malisha complained and her mother smiled.
The General cleared his throat, indicating with his hands that it was almost time. Malisha's mother gave her one more hug and waved, before entering the building.
Finally, the organ sound and the congregation stood up turning to face the entrance. Mishpa and Emmeren began their walk down the isle, as the orchestra started playing the classic, Canon in D.
The two were followed a few seconds later by Diana and Daniel, then by Gina and Ben, followed by Mishael and Phoebe and finally George and Minerva.
The wedding party took their places on the altar and Mrs Jennings adjusted Malisha's monarch sweep and veil one more time, as the General extended his arm out to her.
"Shall we?"
The girl smiled and nodded at her adjusting her rose and peony bouquet in her left hand, before hooking my her right into his left.
"You look beautiful," the General whispered, smilling down at his daughter in his red polished military suit.
"Thank you daddy." She replied even as her two flower girls started walking down the aisle, ahead of them, scattering white rose petals on the white carpeted aisle. Malisha and her father followed after them, slowly gliding down the aisle, with Mrs Jennings walking behind them.
Malisha beheld Duke at the top of the dias staring right at her, a slight smile tagging at the corners of his lips. His eyes were glistened with emotion and he was giving her a look so filled with love that her heart soared within her.
The father and daughter continued the slow glide and Malisha's eyes dropped from her soon to be husband to her son, Thomas. He was standing beside the Phaedra, holding on to his hand and wearing a matching white tuxedo, with a wide grin plastered on his face as he looked from his new father to mum.
The music finally came to an end as the General and his daughter made it to the alter and the Phaedra walked down the steps, to meet them