1883, Rizzan Kingdom....
As the church bell rang, the choristers started singing. Their beautiful voice could be heard loudly and graciously as they called out to the bride of the day, their princess, Aurelia Hastings.
Slightly weak, green eyed Marceline stood up and stared at the mirror one more time, was this truly happening? Would she have to marry in place of the princess?
She looked no different from the princess, they could even pass for twins if they were to stand together but there was indeed a difference. While Marceline was just a nobleman's daughter, Aurelia was the princess of Rizzan Kingdom.
Countless footsteps suddenly reached her hearing as the door was immediately pushed open by guards and Aurelia's aunt walked into the huge and spacious dressing room accompanied by two maids.
The woman's dark brown hair was held up with pins and a smile plastered on her old wrinkling face. Her gown was truly decent showing off her status as the King's older sister.
" It is time, Aurelia", the woman said in her soft elegant voice as her lips stretched wide, her eyes were shining as though she were picturing how her niece would have looked if she were the one in the dress Marcy was wearing.
Marceline watched as two maids appeared behind her to help her lift her very long white wedding gown. As she approached the King's sister, Eloise, with careful footsteps, the woman quickly pulled her over and walked out with her.
Together, with the guards behind her and the maids holding the gown, they approached the church. With a smile on her face, former princess, Eloise, gave Marcy's hand to the King, Aurelia's father, who also smiled graciously.
Marceline knew those beautiful smiles weren't for her, the wedding, this entire celebration wasn't for her, it was all for the princess and she was just the substitute, she was what you would call the Princess's body double.
She didn't want any part in this, she didn't want to have to marry the crown Prince of Arania Kingdom in place of the princess but the princess suddenly went missing and she, Marceline Augustus, was found.
She stared at the people present for the wedding, it was mainly the entire royal family of both Arania and Rizzan Kingdom but the church seats were filled up to the end.
Their curious eyes met hers, some were staring at her with curiosity and some with boredom, her face was covered by a veil so it made it impossible for them to see what she looked like without it but from having been staring at the mirror all morning, she was truly aware she looked no different from the princess.
She stared straight ahead as the song went on and she was soon to be passed to the prince who stood close to the priest looking all glorious in his attire.
This was not how she had pictured her wedding day, this grand and enchanting. She had always dreamt of a simple wedding, Alas, her dream was not coming true and instead of marrying her Truelove, she was marrying as someone's body double.
Her green eyes stared at the prince through the veil covering her face. He stood there staring back at her with a stoic face, his beautiful blue eyes devoid of any emotions and his dark brown hair combed back neatly, he was what you would call charming but he wasn't her prince charming.
They finally reached the altar and her pretend father, the King, carefully placed her gloved right hand in the Prince's warm large ones as the prince helped her onto the altar. The maids left afterwards and so did her pretend father who walked towards his seat in a manner befitting his position.
Her Jade green eyes locked with the Prince's blue ones and a small smile revealed on his lips but no sooner had it appeared did it disappear and the priest proceeded with the wedding.
She was marrying as Aurelia Hastings and not as Marceline Augustus but when the words I do left her lips, she felt as though she were the one who had gotten married and not the princess.
When it came to the point where they had to exchange wedding bands, she nervously gave her left hand to the prince.
This was going to be proof that she was now someone's wife and until the real Aurelia Hastings was found, she would remain the wife of the crown Prince of Arania Kingdom.
The Prince skillfully removed the glove on her left hand as her fair and slender fingers came into view.
If her lover, Gavin Woods, had seen this, his heart would have definitely shattered into pieces because the both of them had dreams of becoming one someday and now that right was being taken away by someone else.
Gavin, a Knight of Rizzan Kingdom, was far away and not present for he had requested leave from the King himself stating that he would not be able to bare watching her marry someone else because to him, she was his.
The cold metal band was placed in the fourth finger of her left hand which was considered the marriage finger and Marcy stared at the ring blankly, did she really have to do the same to him because she really did not wish to be tied to him for he was not the one she loved.
She stared at his outstretched hand hesitantly, remembering that she was doing all this for a goal, she took the wedding ring and hastily placed it in his finger and the priest happily declared them husband and wife.
Some people stood up applauding the union while some remained seated, this two kingdoms were rival kingdoms but now with the prince and princess of each kingdom married and united, it definitely meant unity for both lands but some did oppose this unity and so remained ever seated.