So far it was going great, but the mention of the phone, suddenly broke my little fairytale bubble.
“But you already have them riding on horseback. I turned a blind eye to the witness protection system, but the phone is just unacceptable,” I complained.
Sebastian shook his head in playful disapproval. “Sweetness, I swear to God, you’re being impossible right now.”
“No, I’m not,” I protested. “I’m only trying to help. If you go on like this you’ll make the whole setting—”
“Alright, alright. I get it.” He laughed and then sighed. “How about this? Alexander took his feather, dipped it in a large bottle of ink and wrote her a long letter. Then, he waited two weeks for a reply.” He looked at me, proud of his sudden wit. “Happy now, princess?”
“Very.” I chuckled. “So, did Leila forgive him?”
“No, she told him he could go to hell.”
I laughed, remembering we had a similar conversation.
“It must be a bluff. She’s just playing hard to get!” We both looked at each other and smiled. “Go on, please.”
“After he read her letter, Alexander wouldn’t give up, but he knew that she didn’t want to see him or speak to him. So one day, he listened to his advisor’s advice. With great effort, Alexander convinced Leila’s friend to reveal her whereabouts and then he dressed up as a simple peasant and visited Leila and her mother under the pretense that he lost his way.”
A loud chuckle escaped my lips. Sebastian was surprisingly good at storytelling.
I imagined the scene and then came to the inevitable conclusion. “Leila gladly helped him, I assume.”
“She did, but not before telling him that he couldn’t have found the worst place to get lost in because it was ruled by the biggest idiot in the world.” I gasped, feeling uncomfortable and waiting for Alexander’s retaliation. Sebastian smirked as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Don’t worry. Alexander’s pride was really hurt, but the easiness in which he let go of her crude comment surprised him even more than her audacity to offend him.”
“Well, I don’t want to take sides, but he kind of deserved it.” Sarcasm dripped off of my voice.
“You’re right, sweet, he saw it coming… And that’s why he spent the following month away from all the luxury and power he was accustomed to live in. But he didn’t mind. Because taking care of Leila and her mother, as well as doing small things in order to slowly win over her heart, turned out to be a lot more satisfactory than he thought it would be in the beginning. He lived for the moments they would spend together next to the nearby river where they got to know each other. There was no doubt in his mind—he was in love with Leila, but he wasn’t sure how she felt about him. He tried to get her to talk about her experience when she was trapped in his palace, but all she wanted to reveal was that there was a very cruel and dangerous man looking for her.”
“I hope he told her the truth.” I looked at Sebastian. “I hope he told her there was nothing to fear.”
“He wanted to tell her the truth, but when she hugged him and told him she isn’t afraid of that evil man anymore because she had him to protect her, something broke inside him and he kissed her. After that, he didn’t have the heart to steal this figure of a peasant Leila fell in love with. Despite the fact that he finally managed to win over her heart, he still didn’t dare to tell her his secret. But one day, his soldiers came to Leila’s house to ask for money they didn’t have,” Sebastian said in a tensed voice, almost like he was reliving everything.
It was so much fun listening to this story and I finally started to feel for Alexander. I don’t know how it happened, but I wanted Leila to forgive him.
“Is that when he revealed his true identity?”
“So impatient...” He smiled. “He tried to make them go away without telling them who he was, but after they hit him and mocked his appearance, he had no other choice but to remove his disguise and show them he was their king.”
I laughed, trying to picture the sight. “I can imagine the look on their faces.”
Sebastian smirked and nodded. “They were rightfully scared, because Alexander never spared the lives of those who offended him. Nobody was more surprised than those soldiers when he pardoned them and told them to return to their homes.”
At last, I could see the happy ending approaching in the story.
“Leila must have been so proud of him,” I said softly, already daydreaming about their beautiful wedding, when Sebastian destroyed my hopes for the couple.
“Actually, she slapped him and sent him to hell all over again. He tried to explain, but she ran away before he got a chance to say anything.”
I frowned. “Wow, I kind of feel bad for him right now.”
“I know.” He sighed. “But despite her rejection he still wouldn’t give up on her. He searched for her the entire day, until he found her sitting next to the beautiful river where they’d kissed for the first time. Suddenly, Alexander, the ruthless king who was known for his undeniable boldness, felt so threatened by the possibility that this simple, helpless girl might reject him again that he spent at least an hour watching her sit by the water.”
I smiled, imagining the sight and I was so proud of Leila for not giving in easily to Alexander, despite the fact that he was the king.
Sebastian continued with the story. “Only when she got up to leave did he dare approach her, with so much delicacy like she was a frightened doe that might escape at the first sight of him.”
“And did she escape?”
“To both his and her surprise, she didn’t make a move or looked away from him until he stood right in front of her. Then, she did the last thing he expected and started bowing to him, but he wouldn’t let her do that. Instead, she was the one to look in surprise when the ruthless King Alexander who never apologized or bowed to anyone, went down on his knees and begged her forgiveness.” Pleasantness streamed through me as I pictured Alexander’s gesture.
“Please, oh please make her forgive him!” I whispered in excitement.
Sebastian burst in a fit of laughter. “What happened to ‘I hate him’ and ‘He’s a jerk’?!” he imitated my angry voice.
“I’ve changed my mind.” I shrugged and chuckled at his impression. “Now, please tell me what happens next because I’m dying to hear the rest of the story.”
“Leila forgave him without hesitation, but she also asked him to leave her alone. Nevertheless, Alexander was a persistent man and leaving her behind wasn’t an option he was even willing to consider, so he immediately refused her request and decided to do whatever it takes to convince her to stay with him,” Sebastian said in a determined voice and then smiled like he was about to tell the part of the story he enjoyed the most. “He gave her the key that unlocked all of the important doors in the kingdom. That key was his most prized possession that made him a king.”
“And he gave it to her? Just like that?” I was surprised.
“Just like that,” he said casually. “When he handed her the key, he told her she could do whatever she wanted with it. Then he asked her to marry him. Leila was confused by Alexander’s actions and she demanded an explanation. His clarification consisted of three simple words.”
“I love you.” I closed my eyes and whispered, unconsciously finishing his sentence.
“We’re kind of in the middle of the story here, sweet, but nice of you to share.” He said softly and winked at me, making me realize that it came out like a confession of love to Sebastian, and my cheeks flushed from embarrassment. Sebastian seemed to enjoy the show.
“Love you too.” The warmth of his soft voice traveled to my skin and he gave me a small kiss before revealing the ending of the story in a hot whisper. “Was exactly what Leila said to Alexander right before she agreed to marry him and become his queen.”
Suddenly, we both laughed at the little play of words which kind of made us say ‘I love you’ to each other for the first time.
Sebastian pulled me into a tight embrace and turned me to my side to face him. For the longest time ever, he just gazed at me, occasionally touching the contours of my face and closing his eyes as if he savored the touch. I observed as he kept his eyes closed for a long time and then they opened in a quick moment and I drowned in their green serenity.
“So, how did you like your first bedtime story?” he asked in a light whisper.
“I loved it!” I accentuated the words. “But you forgot something?”
He looked at me in light surprise. “What could I have possibly forgotten?”
“Only the most crucial part of a fairytale,” I said teasingly and smirked when he still didn’t get it. “You didn’t say that they lived happily ever after.”
He snickered. “I must be the worst storyteller ever. Is it too late to fix this inexcusable mistake?” I shook my head and he sighed, feigning relief before officially finishing his beautiful story. “They lived happily ever after. There,” he said in a pleased voice. “Anything else?”
“Do you mind telling me the title of this beautiful tale?”
“Not at all. The title of this story is... Omnia vincit amor.” He leaned closer to me and whispered. “Love conquers all.”
A smile curved my lips and warmth rushed through me when I heard him say those words. I looked up at him. He couldn’t have chosen a better title for his story, this night or anything in our lives that emerged from the dust of the shattered things that separated us, only to bring us together. Love.
“Your Majesty,” I addressed him in a suitable manner. “You do realize that I’m perfectly aware of the obvious metaphor you’re trying to create here?”
He smiled with mystery. “I hope so, princess.” He leaned closer and pulled me into a long, passionate kiss. Still holding me close, he lowered our bodies onto the mattress and turned out the lamp on the nightstand.
“Sleep tight, love.” He kissed my forehead, pulling my head onto his warm chest and it felt great to fall asleep in his arms knowing that was exactly where I would wake up.
Chapter Forty-Seven
After days of anticipation, filled with careless joy I experienced with Sebastian, the day of Jared’s and Amelia’s wedding had finally arrived. As I sat in the church that was filled with the same crowd that had once made me feel unworthy of their presence, mild discomfort troubled my mind. But I pushed it down. Sebastian would occasionally glance my way, smiling at me and it reminded me of his reassurance that things would turn out a lot better than I expected.
The first notes of The Wedding March echoed across the spacious interior of the church, announcing the arrival of the bride. Curiously, I glanced her way the moment I heard the sound of her shoes touching the tiled floor and I saw a graceful woman, proudly walking down the aisle, at times quickening her pace, eager to meet her husband-to-be and have him make her his wife. The hem of her beautiful white gown followed her decisive steps and she looked like she was the happiest woman alive. As the little girls sprinkled white rose petals on her way to happiness, a wide sincere smile wouldn’t leave her face. The moment she approached Jared, they held hands and looked at each other lovingly. This is how a bride should look like on her wedding day.
Even though evoking bad memories or making comparisons was the last thing I wanted to do at the time, the moment the priest started the ceremony and the lovely couple revealed their excitement by smiling at each other, I couldn’t help but remember. Like a taunting memory, the image of a scared girl standing in front of a cold, cruel and powerful man suddenly consumed my mind.
For seconds, if not minutes, my eyes were glued to that happy couple who was about to pledge their eternal love to each other and I couldn’t look away. At some point—I don’t know when exactly because I wasn’t really paying attention to my surroundings—I felt the fire of that green gaze burning an impression on my skin, compelling me to turn and face him. Slowly, I directed my gaze at Sebastian and met his light stare that instantly tried to convince me that the man from that dark memory didn’t exist anymore. The storm that was building in his eyes told me that he was well aware of the flashbacks that appeared so vividly in my mind and in that moment, I knew he was thinking the same. Not wanting to prolong this moment of discomfort, I looked away from him and directed my gaze at the shiny floor. The words of the priest and sweet exclamations of love that Jared and Amelia had written for each other echoed through the room, but I didn’t hear them.
Deep inside, I cursed for allowing myself to get lost in thoughts which reminded me of that scary contract, as well as the fact that we still hadn’t consummated our marriage after our wedding night. Hopelessly, I wondered if things would ever fall into place for us. I wondered if we would ever look at each other just like Jared and Amelia had; with the strength that could not be broken by anything on this world or the one beyond.
As if witnessing an instant miracle, I heard the angelic words that spread through the room like a sacred melody representing an unmistakable reassurance and an answer to my long forgotten prayers.
Love is patient, love is kind...
I gasped in wonder as the priest continued reading the beautiful testimony of love that described all of the glorious details of its beauty.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
As the storm of new, warm memories provided a confirmation for each and every one of the spoken sentences settled in my mind, I drew in a deep breath, feeling the warm stream of enlightenment rush through me. In the final act of the eye-opening revelation, Sebastian’s hand brushed against mine, patiently entwining our fingers and pulling me into the disarming softness of his touch. I could sense the tenderness being replaced by a much stronger feeling that made him squeeze my hand with determination like he would never let go of it. Gasping, I gathered the courage to look into his eyes once again and what I saw was an almost unbearable glow that accentuated the words which were spoken to the newlywed couple in order to strengthen their bond, but it had an irrevocable healing effect on ours all the same. The priest continued with his preaching and our eyes remained locked on each other, giving us a chance to observe as the last clouds of darkness around us were chased away by the power of the illuminating light. All I could see was the calming green horizon in his eyes and a wide smile simultaneously teased our lips as we absorbed the words...
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
The sound of the word warmed up my heart and I subsided into oblivion that would forever remain in my memory because it marked the moment when I completely opened up my heart and my soul to the man whose diamond eyes pierced into me. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the heat that spread through my body, making me aware of the strength I kept looking for at so many different places, but all along it had been right there, deep inside me. The crazy rhythm of my heart sped up as I peeked up at Sebastian again. At last, I had seen the blinding light. And it was the brightest shade of green. In a careless game, every single heartbeat evoked the presence of the strongest of all emotions, synchronizing with the words that repeatedly rang in my mind. I love you. I love you. I love you.
“I love you, Sebastian.” Rushing like there was no tomorrow, I formed the words on my lips, without
actually pronouncing them but the flicker of lightning in Sebastian’s eyes told me he recognized what I had just told him.
The loud applause of the crowd interrupted our moment when the priest pronounced Jared and Amelia as husband and wife. At the same time, we both stood up and joined the celebration, clapping together with everyone around us. As Jared got the permission to kiss his bride, I saw Sebastian’s hand twitch in discomfort like he’d just remembered something. Once again, our eyes sought each other and I could see him stare at me with a stunned expression, almost like he was in a deep state of disbelief. I smiled at him innocently, confirming my admission from moments ago in an indirect manner, but he didn’t smile back. He was lost in deep thought, gaping at me like I had told him that everything was upside down; as if suddenly the sky was green and the grass was blue. I gasped because I realized he would have believed those things sooner than he would have believed I had actually fallen in love with him.
As the realization surged through me even stronger than before, that innocent smile grew wider on my face and so did the look of amazement in his eyes.
Before he got a chance to react, people started gathering to congratulate the happy couple. Contrary to my belief, both of them were down to earth people who surprised me with their kindness when we congratulated them on their wedding and wished them a lifetime of happiness. Amelia even suggested she would like for us to spend some time together so that we could get to know each other. Her proposal took me off guard and I couldn’t hide my surprise fast enough, amusing Sebastian way more than it should have.
On our way to the nearby location of the wedding reception, Sebastian remained quiet and still lost in thought, but he wouldn’t stop glancing my way with what looked like a content smirk on his face. He didn’t have to tell me—I knew what he was thinking about.
When we arrived, I was astonished by the sight of the beautiful castle surrounded by huge lawn and lots of colorful flowers of all shapes and sizes. As I took in the beautiful and imposing space around me, I heard the noise of the streaming water. Once I located where it was coming from, I noticed a small creek with an adorable little bridge. Interestingly enough, it was very close to the castle, but almost hidden in plain sight. Without a doubt, the location of the wedding reception was fairytale beautiful.
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