He sidestepped me to move for the door and I laughed. “Wait, Stryker, areyouserious?”
He peered back at me. “Do you want to marry now or in several months’ time when the land is healed? I will do whatever you want, but if my vote matters I would not live another day without you as my wife.”
I couldn’t believe how much we’d changed over the past month. From being a tortured slave in his basement to his wife.
“I’ll meet you in the reception hall in an hour.” I grinned.
He matched my smirk and went in search of a priest as I ran screaming in excitement toward Dawn’s room.
An hour later I stood in a pale pink silk gown with little white flowers Dawn had tied in my hair. Dawn was at my side, tears rolling down her face as she clutched wild flowers from the garden. Zander, Adrien, and Zane all stood next to Stryker as Elisana and the castle staff that were still on duty sat in chairs in front of us.
For a fleeting moment I missed my mother and father, wishing they could have been here, that he could have walked me down the aisle.But I had hope we would see each other again. Life couldn’t be that cruel.
The ceremony was quick but perfect, and Stryker’s and my vows were simple but powerful. We pledged our lives to each other and as I looked into Stryker’s eyes I knew that there was no one else in this realm or any other that would love me as much as this man.
When the priest finally declared us man and wife, Stryker leaned forward and slipped his arms around me, dipping me backward like you would while dancing. Stryker’s brothers, Dawn, and the small crowd seated before us erupted into cheers and then he placed his lips on mine.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Fate. But now I want to meet her one day and thank her for sending me you,” he whispered against my mouth.
I smiled and then we pulled away and the priest raised his arms.
“May I present Lady Aribella Warrick and Lord Stryker Warrick.”
Stryker scooped me up into his arms and I peeled out in laughter. Dawn was basically sobbing at this point and I wondered if it was the pregnancy hormones. I’d never known her to have a reputation of crying easily.
A small little area off to the side had been set up with candles and flower petals and a violinist.
I smiled.
“All I could get on short notice,” Stryker told me.
As the violinist began to play a soft melody, Stryker spun me around on the dance floor and indicated that his brothers join us.
Zander clung to Dawn as Adrien pulled a delighted Elisana up to dance and Zane just sat there with his arms crossed.“This isn’t awkward or anything,” he grumbled.
“Care to take an old lady out for a spin?” the head housemaid asked him.
Zettie was in her seventies and still as smart as a whip. Zane took her hand and led her in a beautiful waltz as Stryker smiled down on me. “I never thought in a million years that I would ever love again. True love,” he told me and then peered around at his brothers.
Zander burst into laughter when Dawn did a funny dance and Stryker’s smile grew. “Or that this house would be filled with joy, with family.” He then peered at me. “And that’s all because of you.”
I beamed at him, my heart full. Perhaps too full considering it felt like the world was falling down all around us. We’d lost so many good souls in the rebel battle, the curse was growing daily both here in Ethereum and back in Faerie. Fae were suffering, and it wasn’t fair.
I hadn’t forgotten any of those things. I now carried the weight of two kingdoms on my shoulders, but for this one perfect afternoon, I pushed it all aside.
I didn’t know what the future had in store for Stryker and me, we may only have today. Perhaps some would accuse us of being selfish, but I believed we deserved to have this moment of happiness. To look into each other’s eyes and focus on one another without letting the rest of the world in. To celebrate the fact that with everything we’d been through, we still found each other. That we still found love.
Leaning in, I captured his mouth in a kiss. “What can I say, I’m a sucker for a man that can make chocolate cake after eleven tries.”
His deep laughter shook his whole body against me. “Nine.”
“I love you,” I breathed against his ear, stroking my fingers against his neck. The shadows in the room moved a little and it startled me until I realized it was Stryker. His eyes were half lidded as he gazed at me.
“Thank you all for coming!” Stryker said loudly and suddenly. The violinist stopped playing and everyone looked over at us just as Stryker scooped me into his arms. “Aribella’s reallllly tired so we’re going to go to bed, but carry on and have fun.”
Zane grinned. “It’s noon.”
I fake yawned, and Dawn smiled too. “Goodnight, love birds.”
