"Rest assured your generosity shall never be forgotten, Your Highness," said David.
David was a worker in Vivian's place. He wasn't someone who offered sexual pleasure, but rather soothed his customers with his music. It was the reason why Lauren was a frequent guest of La Fleur. David and the other few musicians she got acquainted with gave her temporary peace of mind every time she was having a bad day.
Recently, David's mother got seriously ill which required money for a doctor. Lauren happened to know a skilled doctor in town and paid for all the necessary expenses. Though she insisted he shouldn't pay her back because after all they somehow developed a friendship, David promised to pay her back little by little. Shopping for new accessories, they ran into each other and talked a bit. Lauren was happy that David's mother was now recovering.
"Oh, is that Lord Everston's carriage?" David pointed out in the middle of their talk. The carriage just went past them.
"Seems to be," Lauren answered. With few soldiers in their horses following the carriage, there was no doubt it was Alec.
"So, he is back? I heard he left the town to investigate the massacre in the west village."
Lauren also heard of it. She felt relieved that he didn't take so much time there. A late groom at her wedding wasn't one of her plans.
"Pardon me for being nosy, but you are so kind to me, Princess Lauren. I'm concerned and I want to ask… do you really want to marry Lord Everston?"
There was wariness in David's eyes and Lauren knew what the man was worried about. Alec looked rough on all edges. He looked calculative, smart and powerful. He wasn't someone easy to deal with, someone who could easily slit anyone's neck as he pleased.
At the back of her mind, Lauren knew too. She was all aware of what danger she was getting herself into. And now that she could see in someone else's eyes how dangerous her decision was and what could happen, she felt a little fear. But not enough to drown the courage she had and the thirst for what she had been craving. She smiled at David, glad that there were a few people who truly cared for her well-being.
"I understand your concern, David, but I trust that the lord is the perfect husband for me. You don't have to worry about anything. You have known me long enough to know I'm not someone gullible and easily manipulated. I have my own cunning ways to get myself out of trouble."
David offered a curt smile. "Of course, I know you don't tolerate bullies. You also don't get easily cheated. Your Highness is a master in gambling."
"Ah, now that you reminded me, I suddenly feel the urge to play. I have been too busy these days," Lauren chuckled.
The gambling houses where Lauren played were usually exclusive to the upper class. People wore masks to hide their identities, but one time she just woke up with her name on a gossip paper revealing how she was a frequent guest of a certain gambling house. It didn't affect her that much. With her stepmother and sisters' skills in uncovering her dirt, she knew it was only a matter of time before they would find what other hobbies she had.
To follow the royal family's tradition, the wedding was to be held in the palace. At the crack of dawn, the servants had been going back and forth decorating the main hall, running errands, with the head butler making sure everything was perfect.
The ceremony would happen at three in the afternoon as everyone believed it was the auspicious hour to get wed. Lauren woke up that morning with Ethan inside her bedroom, standing by the window. For the last time, he gave her a handful of preaching hoping she would change her mind even when he knew it was hard to convince her at this point.
As someone who had been by Lauren's side for years, she was one of those few Ethan treasured apart from his family, which made him fear that she might be wrong for choosing a man like Alec for her plans. Truth was, he could even offer himself as a tool she could use for that matter, but he knew that without his family's name, he wouldn't be an established man in society. So he couldn't fully support Lauren the way she wanted.
"Have you sent a carriage to pick up Vivian?" Lauren asked while a maid was doing her hair. She hadn't worn her wedding dress yet and was in a thick long robe.
Meanwhile, Ethan was having tea at the corner table, all dressed up in his dashing clothes.
"I did. She wouldn't be here anytime soon though. Women and their hours of dressing up." Even when Lauren was watching the maid working on her hair, with Ethan's tone she didn't have to look at him to know he was rolling his eyes.
"There is still plenty of time."
After Lauren's hair was done in gorgeous braids, Sally assisted her in wearing the bridal dress. It had a sweetheart neckline which showed off the blue sapphire necklace her late mother gave her. She remembered how Lady Mildred used to say that blue sapphire suits her the best as it had the same color as her eyes.
"How beautiful," Ethan complimented when they were left alone in the room. "It's a shame you are not marrying for love."
She grinned at his mockery. "I do not wish that for myself so this isn't so bad."
Half an hour before the ceremony, everyone invited was already present in the main hall. The guests were divided in two. Between them was the aisle with a red carpet the bride shall grace with her bridal walk. Petals of blue roses were scattered on the carpet, making it more intimate.
However, it alarmed Lauren when a few minutes before the ceremony should start, she was informed that the groom had yet to arrive.