Royal Wedding
Micah sat in front of the dressing mirror, her swollen eyes covered with makeup, her brown hazel eyes drained of life, and her face masked with contour.
Her long black hair was brushed and styled into a sophisticated low bun; a hairpin, which extended as a veil, concealed her face but was transparent and easy for the eyes to peer through.
Micah was wearing a white gown with red color tints at the bottom of the dress. Heavy necklaces rested on her chest like a burden, and a black diamond earring dangled on both sides of her ears.
The maid slid a shoe under her feet, then made her sit down on the armchair, waiting for the wedding procession to begin.
Micah licked her lips, then blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to hold the tears that threatened to fall.
Just then someone pushed the door of the chamber open and walked in; Micah didn't bother to turn around to see who it was.
Berth languidly made her way to where her sister was and stood behind her; her eyes were red and swollen, and her rosy lips were chapped. But she was still dressed to attend the wedding ceremony.
"You should be happy, sister." Berth cooed, looking a bit envious. Micah was seated backing her, so she couldn't get a glimpse of her face.
Micah didn't pay any attention to any of her sister's words; she didn't even reply.
"Here you are, seated in my place, about to wed the king…of Decreash." Berth's eyes stung with tears, but she held them back as her jaws clenched.
"You could have easily refused him, but you didn't…you agreed to get married to him; you had no concern for my feelings…
"It's always about you, Berth." Micah's shaky voice whispered; she was still seated, backing her sister.
"Because I know what I want and you don't." Berth scorned.
"I know what I want, Berth, and it's not getting married to the king of Decrease. It is not wearing a crown and being locked up in this prison in the form of a castle; it is out there! Micah said, rising to her feet.
She turned around to gaze at Berth.
Berth inwardly marveled at how gorgeous her sister was looking in the white gown with a faint red at the bottom. The golden embroidery and heavy necklaces on her neck.
"You got me into this, and now you blame me for your loss? Pathetic! Micah said before gazing ahead.
A maid had just walked into the room with her head hanging down.
"My lady, it is time." She said, other maids filed in to take Micah to the reception hall.
Berth bit her lips bitterly, then inched closer to her sister.
"You can still stop this." Her eyes dilated desperately. Micah only gazed at her sister with despair; she smacked her lips before slowly looking away.
"Let's go." She said, slightly raising her gown as she followed the maids. Berth was stunned by her sister's spitefulness; she could only blink her eyes in amusement.
The wedding ceremony was taking place at the famous royal town hall. A few miles away from the palace. This was because the subjects of Decreash would want to attend, and the hall was built to accommodate thousands.
Royal carriages paraded the streets, all making their way to the town hall. The royal carriage Micah was seated in was no different; she was all alone in the carriage. Ragaleon was in another carriage.
The other royal family made it to the town hall in time to be seated in wait for the wedding ceremony to begin.
The other four queens were led to special seats immediately they stepped in with knights escorting them from behind.
The reception hall was filled to the brim with guests.
The household of Ashram from the kingdom of Nehoviah was present, the household of Makaah from the kingdom of Vandamonth was present, and the household of Baylord from the kingdom of Samari was also present.
Household Hematite, from the kingdom of Hamstung, was also present.
Jazell had her hands in front of her, one on top of the other gracefully. The red gown she wore clung to her from her waist up to her chest. The bottom was flared. The gown was sleeveless but was enveloped with a long cape-like jacket with the same design as the gown; it had long sleeves.
Her shirt blonde hair had a side parting, the black diamond earrings she wore dangled on her ear, and her blue eyes had the unswerving gaze of a hawk.
Seated beside her was Racheal. She wore a blue gown, which had a zip running from her chest up to the neck. The sleeves were long; she wore a black sleeveless vest with sharp ends on the shoulders on top of the blue gown.
Her brown hair, which was parted into two and then braided separately, slipped down and was then packed into a small bun.
Her emerald eyes were soft and casually fixed on her father. She had her hand on the silver necklace she was wearing, caressing it out of habit.
A royal throne was in the middle, at the left-hand side; seated was Jia. She wore a green dress, her straight black hair let down freely, her obsidian black eyes casually sweeping across the colossal hall.
There was a golden necklace on her neck, with pearl earrings dangling at both sides of her ear.
Tamina was seated next to Jia, clouded in a purple-colored gown. The gown had a silver embrace on the waistline and a white furry texture on the neckline. The wrists of the gown also had a furry design, like that of wool.
Her red hair was woven into a fishtail braid, her siren grey eyes as seductive as ever. She wore a silver ring, which she fondled, and her neck was mélange with a small silver necklace, almost inconspicuous.
A glimpse of her cleavage was in view; princes and kings present at the ceremony cast momentary glances at her.
The queens were seated at the upper deck of the hall as befitting their status. Selena and Johanna were seated side by side at the other side of the upper deck with Leah, William, Helena, and Amilek seated by their sides.
Suddenly the doors of the great hall open, and royal knights file in at both sides like ants making a straight line. Armed with swords and clouded in shining armor. They matched in making a rhyming beat as their feet kissed the ground.
They lined up at both sides of the door, making a path all the way to the priest. They clashed their swords in an X-shaped manner, each knight to the one opposite him.
Then they stopped marching; for a brief moment there was silence. Then slowly a man with the air of a mighty wind stepped in
Two guards blew their trumpets loud enough for everyone to hear.
"His royal majesty, the mighty lion, lord of the seas and the forest. Ruler of the imperial kingdom of Decreash, Regaleon Von Clegane!
A guard shrilled in a high-pitched voice.
The congregation in the hallway languidly rose to their feet. So did the queens seated at the upper deck of the hall. Ragaleon slowly made his way in, accompanied by his hand, Brandon, and his personal knight.
As he made his way through the path the royal knights had formed, the sword crossed above his head slowly dropped immediately as he walked past each knight, and they bowed to show their courtesy.
His black shoulder-length hair stood still as he walked like a pillar of storm. He didn't acknowledge their greetings; his eyes were fixed straight ahead.
His golden eyes, as still as the ocean, and his thick dark eyebrows give him a sharp and serious look. He had his hands crossed behind his back. He was clothed in a red and black regalia.
The black shirt, black pants, and black boots. Enveloped with a long, thick red robe with white fur on the necklines. The red robe was long, trailing behind him, and a golden crown rested firmly on his head.
Ragaleon made his way to where a priest stood clothed in a black cloak. On the priest's forehead was a triangle drawn with red paint.
Everybody in the hall bowed in courtesy before he got to where the priest stood and took his stance beside him.
Ramah was seated amongst the congregation, her blue eyes fixed on Ragaleon. She blinked her eyes bitterly, then smiled faintly. She was wearing an orange gown with long sleeves and a black cape-like jacket. Her hair was styled in a crown braid.
Just then she saw Berth making her way in the hall from another inconspicuous door, different from the one Ragaleon had just walked through.
Her eyes were heavy with sadness, as if she were mourning. Ramah shot up her eyes, a bit stunned.
"Wasn't this the same lady that had boasted to her face she was getting married to the king? What could possibly have gone wrong? These were Ramah's thoughts.
Just then the great door Ragaleon had just walked through opened.
The hall fell into a deep tranquility, hardly a sound being heard. Almost at the same time, everyone turned their head towards the direction of the door.
Micah took a step into the hall room as she slowly raised her brown eyes, beholding the congregation in the hall. A small gasp escaped her lips but could barely be noticed; her face was concealed with a veil.
The white gown she was wearing has tiny bits of diamond that glittered as the rays from the sun cast through the ceiling windows reflected. She was like an angel, walking towards the devil himself.
As she made her way in, the knights began to bow.
"My queen." They chorused as she walked past them. Micah looked traumatized; it was her they were talking to; they were calling her their queen.
She gazed at Ragaleon, and immediately she remembered everything that happened last night. The cold words he whispered to her ears. Micah blinked her eyes to hold the tears that were threatening.
The guards couldn't proclaim her name because they didn't know her background or who she was. They only knew she was about to be wedded to their king, Ragaleon.
All eyes were on Micah; Jazell balled her hand instinctively. The anxiety was killing her; she wanted to be able to see through that veil, to know who it was Ragaleon was about to make his queen.
Berth's face was emotionless, almost nonchalant; she was trying hard not to look pathetic. But just then her gaze locked with Ramah's; she slowly diverted it and then swallowed hard.
Micah finally got to where Ragaleon stood; she stood opposite him, the priest standing in between them.
"Today, we are all gathered here to witness the wedding ceremony of his royal highness, King Ragaleon Clegane." The priest started off, and the subjects made a sound of joy.
There were some subjects outside the hall peering through the windows, struggling to have a glimpse of the wedding ceremony.
The priest then signalled a handmaid standing aside holding up a tray containing a silver knife. The maid stepped forward, and the priest took the knife in his hands.
"You will both be like cottons sewn together. Man and wife, a bond thicker than that of any other." The priest said, taking Ragaleon's hand, he slowly inserted the sharp knife into his palm, parting it a little, and blood flowed out.
He did the same for Micah; she quivered as the knife ran through her palm. Then slowly the priest placed Micah's palm on Ragaleon's and rubbed them together.
"Blood is thicker than water; today you are joined with blood, unbreakable, impenetrable. Repeat after me…
I will love you and serve you. In loyalty, in good health or worse, to fulfill my part and be with you till death do us part. Here today, I swear it by blood…." The priest made them recite their vows as they repeated after him.
He finally lets go of them, slowly disengaging the palm that was rubbed together, now smeared with their blood.
"You may kiss the bride." The priest said, stepping aside.
Ragaleon stepped forward, and Micah blinked her soft brown eyes as she tried to look away but slowly retraced her eyes to the man in front of her.
Immediately Ragaleon raised the veil, and he leaned in to plant a kiss on Micah's lips; the whole crowd broke into murmuring.
"She is a commoner!
Ragaleon paused in his tracks, his lips barely touching Micah's.
"Who said that?!