Aileen woke up.
And then everything that has happened hit her, like a punch to the gut.
It wasn't long before maids were bustling in and telling her she had family on the way that were nearly here. She forgot that they had begun traveling days ago, and that was why Sebastian had gotten here so early because he left way before everyone.
When she thought about him her heart ached a little.
Then she was naked in front of everyone, put into a rose petal bath, her hair was thoroughly washed and her body scrubbed. After that she was smeared in vanilla lotion, a smell they thought the prince would be fond of. She was sprayed with perfume and then they began to dry her long hair.
Aileen wondered how they'd be able to dry her hair so quickly, but they had a machine able to shoot out bursts of warm arm to dry her hair quicker than a towel would.
When her whole head was dry someone began to work on her hair while someone else began to work on her face.
Foundation was put on that practically melted onto her face. And then she was met with so many different colors of eyeshadow that blended together had made her eyes look like a dream. Her eyebrows were plucked and her eyelashes curled and covered with mascara.
A soft pink blush and something that seemed to make her entire face sparkle. And her lips were covered in a rouge lip tint and then covered in a gloss to make them shine.
Her hair had all sorts of pins in it and pearls and diamondsz and it was put into this extravagant style that left some of it hanging down around her face, though it was so curled the size of it had practically shrank from its usual long length.
She was helped stepping into her dress which has two cuffs, the same material of the veil, so incredibly thin she thought she'd rip them.
The dress was figure hugging, even tighter than that blue dress she was given before. They clipped her veil in, and then earrings and necklaces were put on.
She was given her flowers and finally she looked in the mirror.
Aileen almost did a double take of herself. She always knew she had been pretty, but she had never thought of herself as gorgeous or anything special. But today, today she looked absolutely divine.
She started tearing up. She didn't know why, or what this strange emotion was but she quickly waved it away so she didn't ruin the makeup that had just been worked on for so long.
She met her parents down stairs. She hugged her mother who gave her a ghost kiss on the cheek, then she hugged her father who seemed to be on the verge of tears.
She wanted to see Sebastian but he wasn't anywhere to be found.
.....
They waited for nearly an hour and a half while hundreds of guests showed up from all over the kingdom. Once it was deemed all the guests had shown up. The music sounded which signaled that Daniel had entered along with his parents.
Soon the bridesmaids would walk and then the ring bearer.
Her mother entered and it wouldn't be long before she would enter along with her father.
And then the music started.
The doors slowly opened. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she wanted to run, but she kept telling herself she was doing this for her family, it was what they wanted.
She walked slowly but steadily down the very long aisle. She felt like the grip she had on her father's arm was the only thing keeping her standing.
After a few minutes they had finally reached Daniel. Her father took her hand and placed it in his. She almost gasped at the feeling. The contrast of his skin against hers. She was warm, the kind of warm on a sunny day when you're sitting by the water. And he was cold like everything else here, but more or so, cool like he was soothing, like ice to a burn.
Daniel's POV
I woke up today and was dressed and my hair styled by my team. But there wasn't nearly as much to be done for me as there would have been for her.
I remembered what she said last night, matter of fact I stayed up almost all night thinking about it. It was no wonder they put powder under my eyes to cover up the eye bags.
I met my parents and had breakfast with them, the last time I would before I would be expected to eat with Aileen every morning.
Then we went down to the banquet hall where the wedding had been set up. Rows and rows of chairs, and at the end of a very long aisle, there was the altar.
I was told for all the guests to arrive which had taken impossibly long, and then I was called out.
I tried not to quicken my pace to reach that altar, and not long after I did, Aileen entered.
She was... Breathtaking
Her face, her hair, her body, all of it looked absolutely beautiful. I felt a pang of guilt for calling her average.
When she reached me and her father placed her hand in mine, it was strange to feel the warmth, but something about it made me curious.
And so then we stood face to face reading our vows, and then we were pronounced husband and wife. I always knew at the wedding a kiss was expected. But it was no secret that this marriage had been arranged... So I bent down and kissed her hand.
After that we exited the banquet hall along with our parents who left us standing together.
....
Aileen and Daniel were now married, they were now husband and wife, princess and Prince of the Ice Kingdom. Aileen was now Aileen Chiron Ibarra.
She stood awkwardly not knowing exactly what to say to him, and to her surprise, he spoke first.
"You look beautiful..."
She stared at him in wonder, questioning his motive for telling her that.
"Thank you.... You clean up pretty well too."
"Oh I know." Daniel chuckled.
That was the first time she'd ever seen him smile.
They were whisked away from each other, Daniel taken down to the reception, where the big celebration would be and Aileen was taken to change into something a bit more comfortable and to have her makeup and hair freshened.