Royal Date(90)

Nico hadn’t wanted the wedding to be so far out because he worried about our ability to last that long without crossing any lines. It wasn’t easy to wait, but we managed. I kept my promise and had retained my unicorn status. Thankfully, we wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

We got to the church, and I waved to all the people who were cheering across the street.

The king waited outside the church for me, as he was going to escort me down the aisle. The girls climbed out first, and when I got out, the cheering increased. Lemon handed me my bouquet. I had insisted that the main flower be moonflowers. The florist apparently had a not fun time of gluing the petals to wire to make sure they stayed opened, but I couldn’t have anything else. Red roses were woven in between what had become my favorite flower.

I waved again to the crowd, while Giacomo fluttered around me, making sure my dress was perfect. He straightened my veil in the back. I had a long train, which Lemon held for me.

I had asked the Monterran designer to mimic the dress I had worn in Paris. The white satin had an overlay of lace with sparkling Swarovski crystals, so that I looked like I was wearing snow. It was long-sleeved so that I wouldn’t freeze. I had insisted on a red velvet sash at my waist, tied in a big bow in the back. I wanted it to match Nico’s pendant. The queen had taken me into her vault and invited me to help myself to her jewelry for the wedding, but I wanted to wear something that had meaning to me. This morning Nico had sent over a package with matching earrings and a tiara. He had also bought matching earrings for each of my bridesmaids. I had never felt more beautiful.

I put my hand on his father’s wheelchair, and we slowly entered the massive cathedral. A choir sang as I walked down the aisle. I saw so many people I knew and loved. Caitlin waved to me as I passed, and I smiled at her. I noticed she was pregnant again.

My mother sat near Caitlin, but closer to the front. She blew me a kiss. Things weren’t necessarily great between us yet, but we had been working on our relationship, and I knew that I couldn’t get married without her there. Lemon’s parents, Sue Ellen and Montgomery, were there as well, pointing their cell phones at us. I saw the friends I had invited from my graduate program, along with Professor Stevenson, and I got more smiles and waves.

Queen Aria sat in the very front row, and she was crying happy tears. It got me choked up and I had to look away so that I wouldn’t ruin all my eye makeup.

Then I saw Nico, and only Nico. He wore a military dress uniform, a bright red coat with black pants and a gold sash. I knew Alex was his best man, and Dante and Rafe his groomsmen. But I didn’t notice any of them.

My heart lifted at the sight of him. He was about to become my husband.

As long as I could remember the correct order of his names.

I walked up the steps to stand next to him. “You are so beautiful it hurts to look at you,” he told me.

A warm glow encased my heart. “I know the feeling,” I whispered back.

“I’m glad you showed up,” Nico said with a smile.

“Well, I already had the dress on, so I decided, why not?”

I could tell that delighted him and he wanted to kiss me, but he refrained.

The ceremony was long, and in Italian, English, and Latin. We had practiced the ceremony, so I knew when I was supposed to kneel and what I was supposed to say.

Then it was over. We had made our vows, I had said his name right, and we were married.

Married!

Nico kissed me in front of the whole crowd, and last night I had told him not to be embarrassing as I would have to see all these people again. He kept himself in check, but I knew he was tempted to lean me backward and make a scene.

The priest introduced us as Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Dominic and Princess Katerina of Monterra. I had the title of princess since he was the heir and the crown prince. Soon it would be queen. Queen Katerina. The coronation was scheduled to happen in a few months. Lemon expected there to be crowds of tourists for that as well.

When we exited the cathedral, the crowd went insane. There was a limo waiting for us, and we waved to everyone before getting in.

“Be careful not to crush her skirt,” Giacomo told Nico as we climbed in.

We sat together, holding hands, grinning.

“Hello, wife.”

“Hello, husband.”

He kissed me and I warned him not to mess up my makeup, but he didn’t care. And soon neither did I. I could always fix it later.

His kisses were full of love and promises for what would happen later that evening.

It was slow going to the palace, and I was glad the windows were tinted so that the whole world didn’t catch me making out with my new husband.

As soon as we arrived at the castle, Nico practically jumped out of the car and picked me up in his arms, surprising me. I laughed as he carried me up the steps and through the open door. He was skipping steps, practically running.