Selena started to walk down the aisle. Her white wedding dress draped along the blood red floor as she walked. Her usually long flowing white hair had been pinned up and was hidden by her vale.
The moonlight was shining through the red stained glass windows of the castle, covering everyone and everything in a red film of light.
Selena gulped.
Hundreds of guests silently watched her every move. After all it is not every day that the Queen gets married.
Selena's hands were now shaking. She tried to ignore the room full of vampires by instead focusing on not tripping on her gown.
Selena thought back to the wedding planning, how she requested a quiet affair but Blade's parents insisted on highlighting to the world that he was becoming King.
As Selena slowly approached the end of the aisle, she took a deep breath. "I love him, I love him, I love him…" Selena chanted over and over to herself.
Blade stood there smiling. His eyes fixated on her. Blade was a tall, slim and a conventionally good looking man. Today, his usually messy brown hair was slicked back, which highlighted his piercing gaze.
Selena had thought about running away several times but Anton, Blade's father, never allowed her to leave the castle. The guards always kept a close eye on her.
Until Blade became King, Anton would never let her go.
"You look beautiful..." Blade said as he took Selena by the hand and kissed them gently.
Selena and Blade faced each other as their wrists were bound together with the red silk tie. Selena drank blood from the jewel encrusted cup and read out the oat, promising to be with Blade for eternity.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, as they officially became King and Queen.
Selena was now a married woman.
Blade grabbed Selena and passionately kissed her. Blade's nails dug into Selena's flesh. He held her tight against him. Selena stood there whilst he kissed her.
This was Selena's first kiss but she felt nothing.
Selena saw Anton smile from the corner of her eye. This sent a shiver down her spine.
The ceremony had now ended and the guests were being directed to the great hall for the reception.
No expense had been spared on the ceremony nor the reception. A feast had been prepared with humans of all ages. They had even brought virgins for the men. Anton was in his element.
Tereza, Blade's mother, pranced around the room, introducing each and guest to her son, the King.
Selena stood with her back against the wall, wondering if things would have been different if her parents were still around. Selena had no family. Her family had all been killed during the war so Anton and Tereza became her guardians. Blade's mother and father arranged for a maid to raise her and Anton took over running the kingdom.
If her mother was still alive, she would have not become the queen yet. If she was not the queen then maybe Anton and Tereza would have left her alone.
Whilst she was still a baby, her marriage to Blade was also arranged.
When she was a child, Blade would come and visit her. He would tell her stories about life outside of the castle. Once he even snook her out of her room and took her to the gallery so that she could see a portrait of her mother. This was her fondest memory. Selena remembered the image of her mother as if she had seen it only a few moments ago. Her mother was small both in height and build, with pale white skin and ruby red lips. Although Selena had never seen her own portrait, she had been told by Blade that she looked like her mother.
Selena returned from her thoughts.
She started to scan the room. She saw Blade. Two women were laughing, smiling and twisting their hair as he spoke. He yawned.
Blade caught her looking. He smiled. He started to walk towards her.
Blade now stood in front of Selena, who was trapped against the wall.
"I cannot wait for tonight" he whispered before kissing her cheek. Selena averted her gaze.
As the festivities drew to a close, Selena was led to the bedchambers to prepare herself for the first night as a married woman.
Claudia, who was Selena's personal maid, bathed her and helped her get dressed. Selena was dressed in a traditional red dress. Claudia covered her face with a red veil and instructed Selena that the veil is only to be removed by her husband.
Claudia then lit the candles and left Selena alone in her room.
Selena sat on her bed. She breathed in and out in an attempt to calm her nerves. She started to fidget.
Selena started to become scared at the thought of spending the night with Blade, a man she does not truly love.
She poured herself a drink of wine, hoping if she drank enough it would help her get through the night. She downed the first glass and poured herself another. She had spilt a few drops of wine on the bed sheets whilst she was drinking.
The anticipation was killing her, not from excitement but from fear. She wanted to get this over with.
She was also worried it would hurt. She wished her mother was still around so she could have talked these things through with her.
Maybe once she sleeps with Blade her feelings will develop. She could only hope.
Eternity is a long time to spend with someone you do not love.
Just as she was finishing her second drink the doors to the bedchambers burst open.