The door to Diana's room was wide open and unguarded, and as soon as Roxane entered, she was presented with the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Dressed in an exquisite white dress that shimmered as it was fully covered in iridescent pearls. Splayed out behind her was the train from her wedding dress, finely embroidered with lace of the finest quality. Her hair was styled up, with a crystal hairpin stuck within her silvery hair. From head to toe, Diana seemed to be nothing short of the Saint from everyone's expectations.
Diana lifted her head up delicately as Roxane entered the room. Both of the friends were silent as they regarded each other.
"Roxane…" Diana seemed at a loss on what to say. Her emerald eyes betrayed her outer appearance of an ethereal being, one they called a Saint. They portrayed a young woman that was on the verge of tears and needed her friend to get through the day.
Wordlessly, Roxane crossed the room and took her friend into a deep hug. She knew her after all.
"I don't want to get married." Diana confessed into her friend's chest, not quite sobbing.
"I know." Roxane lovingly rubbed Diana's back, hoping her words would be able to comfort her. "I won't let him put a single hand on you. I swear to you Diana. I won't let anything bad happen to you."
Diana sniffed in her arms, and oddly, she laughed a little.
"Like you've always done." Diana peeled herself from Roxane. "You have always been the one to protect me."
"Of course. Until you don't need me anymore I will be by your side. Remember?" Roxane smiled sweetly at her. If someone were to enter right in this second, they would find it hard to take their eyes away from the rare sight. Roxane had only ever let a handful of people see her real smile, one that matched her honey colored eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Roxane's smile dried on her lips as she asked.
Diana looked down at her hands, ashamed all of the sudden.
"I thought I could be strong like you. You have always been the one to protect me, and sometimes, at the cost of your own safety. Roxane, I didn't, I have never wanted you to risk so much for me." Her face crumpled in despair. "The first time the powers of the Saint showed in me I was so scared. I still am. What will happen to us now that word has gone out about me?" She cried out silently, wringing her hands in front of her.
"It's all my fault."
"It isn't your fault Diana." Roxane shook her head fervently. "You are not to be blamed for the greediness of others."
"Roxane…" Her rosy lips trembled, eyes tearing up yet again as she looked at her brave friend.
"Diana, do you still trust me?"
"Of course!" Diana nodded her head, the tears still in her eyes, but the tone of her voice oozed confidence in her answer.
Roxane couldn't help but smile. "Good." The one thing that had been on her mind since the middle of the night has been cleared for her, filling Roxane up with a new wave of determination to get them both out of this mess. "This makes this next part much easier."
Diana's face scrunched up in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Roxane shook her head and patted Diana on top of her head, careful not to ruin her hair in the process.
"You'll see. In the meantime, let's make sure you're ready for our big day hmm?" She said gently, and as if responding to Diana's inner thoughts, "I'll be with you every step of the way. Just try not to worry. Soon everything will be fixed."
Diana looked like she wanted to refute her words, but she only ended up biting down on her lip. She nodded and let Roxane pin the gorgeous veil of white lace over her head. Perhaps what she saw on Roxane's face was enough to persuade her to place her destiny in the hands of her friend's.
Roxane got dressed, not bothering to get dolled up for the wedding. It wouldn't be needed anyway as the star for today's event was undeniably going to be Diana.
Both Roxane and Diana never thought that this day would be written in the history books for hundreds of years to come.
Music filled up the temple as white flowers lined all the hallways, leading up to the main hall where the wedding was to take place. The prince was already there, in his finest princely garb as he impatiently waited on his bride-to-be to appear. When Roxane slipped inside the hall, she had to stop herself from openly gagging when the prince winked at her. She sat down at one of the pews and waited along with everybody else until the Saint appeared.
"Oh my." Roxane heard one of the nearby priestesses exclaim, her hand went up to cover her mouth. "Only a real Saint would be this beautiful." Roxane had got to agree with her as all the eyes in the room moved to where a white figure stood at the end of the hall. She shimmered as she walked down the aisle, her silver head held high on top of her slender neck.
Roxane hated the way the prince wore a pleased look on his arrogant face, as if he had done anything to deserve Diana.
"You may all sit." The High Priest's voice boomed through the hall as he presided over the ceremony, standing before the young couple.
Roxane grimly watched the ceremony as the High Priest began the beginning rites. The prince slowly lifted up Diana's veil and she gritted her teeth but otherwise refrained from standing up and interrupting the ceremony. She needed to wait until she was given a signal. She would wait until then. She had to if their plan was to succeed.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the Goddess Kara blesses us with her presence today. For today is a truly joyous day. Today marks the wedding of the royal heir and our very own Saint!" Cheers erupted and the High Priest held up his hand to calm the crowd down.
Roxane scanned the attendees at the wedding when the promised signal didn't come. The ceremony was halfway through and still no sight of the grey and violet-eyed men. She began to think she placed her trust in the wrong people.
She first spotted Thatcher. The impeccably well-dressed man with his brown hair combed back entered the hall carrying a white pillow. On top laid two ornate golden rings, one for the bride and one for the bride-groom.
This was it. Roxane sensed magic swirling around the rings as they passed by her pew. Thatcher moved down the rest of the aisle like a gently flowing breeze. He stood in front of his cousin, presenting the rings to the prince. Then when his role was done, he stepped off to the side, wearing such a content expression on his face that Roxane was almost fooled into believing that he was actually happy for the prince.
Golden orbs of light floated in the air above the couple's heads then, and Roxane felt herself briefly forget where she was when her eyes instantly latched on the shiny golden balls of light. She had to pinch herself to shake herself from her trance.
This too was magic.
Her eyes scanned the crowd but she could not find the wizard anywhere she looked.
She went back to watching the ceremony, and the two were in the middle of exchanging rings. The prince was first, he grabbed Diana's small hand and slipped the ring around her finger. Diana hesitated at first, but ultimately took the prince's hand in hers and slipped the band around his finger.
"May Kara bless her children's lives as they bravely pave a way forward for our kingdom! Together they will accomplish many great feats for Solstine!"
Roxane finally smiled then. Her red painted lips twisted on her face as her eyes steadily stared at the prince's golden band that was around his finger.