Under the veil, the duke couldn't see his daughter's misty eyes but he could already tell she was feeling anxious. He raised his hands to hold her face and Adeline placed her hand on his.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice full of concern and his eyes searching hers with a worried expression.
Gulping down her nervousness, Adeline took a deep breath and nodded. Turning her head to the open doors, she wrapped her hand around her father's arm and they started walking inside.
She had to remind herself that this was her decision and she wasn't forced into anything. Yes, the marriage was arranged but she was informed a week prior and she had all that time to prepare herself. But no amount of preparation was enough for such a life changing event, and Adeline's nerves remained on edge.
As soon as the people inside the hall caught sight of the bride, the murmurs abruptly stopped and everyone's gaze turned to the entrance. A few seconds of silence and the crowd erupted in all kinds of discussions; comments about the colour of the dress, and how beautiful the bride looked. Adeline could hear everything but she tried to ignore the voices and concentrate on her breathing and her steps.
The walk down the aisle seemed to take ages and Adeline felt her heart turning heavy with each step she took. Her heart beat loudly in her ears and she couldn't help but question herself over and over again.
But despite her self doubt, her head was held high and none of the onlookers could detect the emotional turmoil going on within her.
Her eyes refused to look sideways incase her resolve faltered and she ended up running from her own wedding so she stared ahead, her eyes focused on the tall figure standing at the altar.
Her groom had his back turned to them and all she could see was his ink black hair which was combed to the back neatly, his broad shoulders encased in a red and gold royal robe made of fur, and long legs in black trousers.
When her father told her that the prince was indifferent, she didn't think it was to the extent that he didn't bother to look at his bride while she walked down the aisle. But that didn't bother her.
When they finally reached the altar, Duke Sage squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back, then he went to sit with the rest of her family at the front chairs.
Adler gave her a reassuring smile and Vina had a look of excitement on her face as she stared at Adeline. Aunt Claire was the happiest of all of them and was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes gleaming with happiness.
Adeline forced herself to look away and lifted the hem of her dress as she stepped on the raised altar, where the priest and her groom were waiting for her.
As the procession started, Adeline kept her gaze on the floor and Prince Sylvan stared ahead absentmindedly. The priest gave a sermon about marriage and life, cracking some jokes here and there making the crowd lively.
The guests attending the wedding laughed along but they didn't really care. They were just there because this was a very high profile wedding and they couldn't afford to miss it. The ones involved barely smiled and looked like they were attending a funeral instead of their own wedding.
After the short sermon, it was time for the vows and the bride and the groom stood facing each other. The prince was taller than Adeline so she had to crane her neck, and she was instantly mesmerized by his dark eyes. They were deep and cold and she tried not to feel intimidated, but they seemed to pierce through her soul. The crowded hall turned quiet and the priest's voice echoed within the walls.
"Do you, Lady Adeline Sage Grimwood, take Prince Sylvan Lowell as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
The hall was engulfed with pin drop silence and Adeline's heart drummed in her ears. If she felt anxious before, now she couldn't get any word out of her mouth as she felt the heaviness of the wedding vows. Till death do you part? Till death does them part? Her eyes stared into Sylvan's obsidian ones and she gulped.
"I do," she responded in a shaky voice, and the sighs of relief were almost audible in her ears. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides as she also took in a deep breath to calm down. This was harder than she thought.
The priest then shifted his eyes to the prince. "Do you, Crown Prince Sylvan Lowell, take Lady Adeline Sage Grimwood as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Just like Adeline, Sylvan remained quiet for a few seconds and everyone held their breaths, even the priest.
Adeline, for the first time, let her eyes search his face and take in his features. He had thick, well shaped eyebrows, long eyelashes that cast shadows on his cheeks as he stared down at her, a straight nose and high cheekbones. He had full lips and a chiseled jaw that seemed to be the only thing in her line of sight and her eyebrows slightly lifted. She hadn't imagined that he would be this good looking.
A muscle in his jaw ticked before his deep, masculine voice resounded in her ears.
"I do."
The two words cracked a wide smile on the priest's face and even Adeline could feel the tension in the air ease up. Her eyes raised to meet his and she felt anxious under his intense gaze.
After saying the vows, they then proceeded to exchange the rings, but neither of them said the words for the exchange of wedding rings. If Adeline thought the vows carried a lot of weight, then that was because she hadn't heard the latter part.
'I give you this ring as a token of my abiding love, as a sign that I have chosen you above all others. All that I am, and all that I have, I offer to you in sacred union. With this ring, I give to you my promise that from this day forward you will not walk alone,' were the ring vows, and they were too deep for two people who barely knew each other, let alone loved one another.
The wedding ring that now bound them together weighed down on Adeline's finger and she caressed it with her thumb subconsciously
"If anyone in attendance, knows of any reason that these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace," said the priest and everyone's gaze traveled to the entrance.