Chapter Nineteen

The entire morning had been a blur. Allura had awoken with a horrible headache and Emilee had given her some strange fizzy drink before she pulled her out of bed. Allura could not remember how exactly she came to stand before the chapel doors but as she took one last look at herself in the mirror Emilee held for her, she knew that has had been prepared.

Allura stood tall in her mother’s wedding dress as white as the purest snow except for the tips of the gown’s train which she had instructed to be dyed pink to match her ring. The embroidery that had been added to the corset of the gown was pink to match. Even her hair had streaks of pink in it, even though they were meant to wash out from the evening before.

Her hair had been meticulously braided and curled and piled on top of her head, secured by her tiara and all hidden under a lacy veil with small crystal embellishments. Even if this was not the wedding she had dreamed of, at least her gown was everything that she had wanted.

“You look beautiful,” Emilee reassured her. Allura could only smile in response. Emilee quickly set down the mirror and handed Allura her bouquet of pink roses.

“Are you ready?” Coran asked, dressed as smartly as Allura had ever seen him. He looked debonair in his black tuxedo. Allura could think of no one else to walk her down the aisle, Coran had been like a father to her over the years.

Allura nodded although she did not feel ready. She did not think that she could ever feel ready for this. Not only was she doing something she never thought she would ever do but she knew that she had said something nasty to Lotor the night before and she had to face him now. The worse part of it was she could not remember what she had said. Not even Emilee could refresh her memory, she had done it solo.

The music started first and Allura recognized the sonnet she had chosen as a child for her wedding march. It brought tears to her eyes to hear it now and she fought to keep from letting anyone see how it effected her. She wanted to handle her fate with as much dignity as she could.

The doors to the small castle chapel opened and Emilee started her procession down the aisle. Grieg met her just inside the door to walk her down the short aisle to where the priest stood. To where Lotor stood.

Allura averted her eyes quickly and saw some familiar faces sitting in the pews. The team was there of course. She saw her cousins Romelle and Bandor and her Aunt Orla. She saw Nanny sitting beside them. There were other faces too, but Allura could not recall all their names. Dignitaries from other kingdoms on Arus. Most likely to make sure she did what she promised she would do to save them all. There were Drules among the guests as well but all on the groom’s side. It polarized the chapel.

Coran took her arm and started their procession. Allura would have stood there too long had he not been in in his right mind. Part of her wondered if she were still enough and quiet enough if she would have disappeared.

The guests stood when she entered, the Drules were a little delayed though. They seemed very out of their element. Allura wondered briefly what a Drule wedding ceremony was like but did not have time to explore that idea. All too soon, she was being handed off to Lotor. She did not even hear Coran give her away.

“Countrymen,” the priest started. “We are gathered here to bare witness to the union of Princess Allura Farla Dannon of Altair and Prince Lotor Sincline of Korrinath.”

Lotor stood very still beside her, looking very much nervous. It was very reassuring to see a similar feeling in him that she herself was feeling. Of course he looked quite handsome. His long white hair was pulled back into a low pony tail and made his angular features more prominent. He wore a black tuxedo with a pink rose on his lapel. His bow tie was slightly lopsided but no one would have faulted him for it as he still made it look perfect.

He must have felt her gaze because he turned to her. His alien yellow eyes searched her face and she saw the hint of a smile at the corners, the rest of this face was stoic. As the priest droned on about the institution of marriage, she wondered if Lotor was listening to any of it or lost in thought just like she was.

“As is customary,” the priest said at the end of his sermon, “The couple is now asked to profess their vows to one another before their peers.” Allura handed her bouquet to Emilee as they had rehearsed the night before and turned to Lotor. He took her hands readily, grasping them firmly as if he could sense her urge to run down the aisle and out of the castle.

Allura thought of her mother then and that she had been in the same situation years before. Although she was not forced to marry and enemy, her mother had found happiness with her father. It was possible for Allura as well.

“Do you hear something?” asked abruptly, his gaze flicking to the closed chapel doors. Grieg had turned too but Allura heard nothing but the hushed whispers among the guests.

“What is it?” Allura asked quietly, not liking how tense he had gotten. He had already been tense from nerves but this was worse. Lotor turned to Grieg and nodded to him. Grieg left his position as the best man and started toward the chapel doors when a commotion arose just outside the chapel. Allura could hear it now.

“Emilee?” Allura turned and look at her guard who had her hand on her ear.

“Riots,” Emilee replied still listening to the report being broadcast to her piece. “Outside the castle and they have gotten violent. The guard has had to try to subdue the crowd.”

Coran stood from his seat in the front row and approached. “Maybe we should postpone this until another time when your life is not in danger.”

“My life is always in danger, Coran,” Allura sighed. Grieg had secured the chapel door but made a motion that Allura could only explain as a hurry up.

“What do you want to do?” Lotor asked, still holding her hands. “It is your choice.”

“Choice is an illusion, Lotor,” she said rather bluntly and sighed. Then she turned to the priest. “Lets continue.”

“Prince Lotor, please recite the vows.”

“I, Lotor Sincline, do take you, Allura Farla Dannon, as my lawful wife before these our peers. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you through all trails and tribulations and forsake all others until death do we part. Do you accept me as your husband?”

Lotor said his vows without any help from the priest. He said them succinctly and with full intent. He did not waiver from a single detail in his declaration.

“I do,” Allura replied, her voice coming out very quiet. Lotor seemed to visibly react after she agreed.

“Princess Allura, please recite…” Before the priest could finish his sentence, the floor began to shake. Over the din of the startled guests Allura could hear an explosion. Lotor quickly pulled her close, enveloped her in his arms as the ceiling cracked and dust and rubble fell down upon them.

Everyone in the small chapel burst into motion. Emilee was on her communicator in a moment after checking to make sure Allura was alright. Everyone was on their feet; some were trying to get to the door and some were checking on one another. She could not see much in Lotor’s arms though, his embrace encircled her completely.

“Are you alright?” Lotor asked as the ground stopped shaking. Allura lifted her head from his chest and felt a tug on her heart when she saw the look of worry on his face.

“I’m fine,” she said, not really fighting to get out of his arms.

“Allura,” Emilee finally approached. “The explosion is being claimed by a resistance group. They are saying that they will not stop until every Drule is off of Arus.”

Allura had hoped that her people were smarter than all that.
Sure she had her prejudices against the Drules as well but she knew when to admit she would need their help. That time was going to be coming soon and she wanted Lotor’s ships to aid in the invasion from planet Doom. The particulars of the invasion could not be made known to the public but she had hoped that they would have had a little more faith in her.

“Thank you Emilee,” Allura said. “Lets continue.”

“Please recite the vows,” the priest repeated.

“I, Allura Farla Dannon, do take you, Lotor Sincline,” she had to pause. She could not believe the words that she was about to speak. “As my lawful husband before these our peers. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you through all trails and tribulations and forsake all others until death do we part. Do you accept me as your wife?”

“I do,” Lotor replied with conviction made all the more poignant due to being in his arms.

“As witnessed by your peers,” the priest concluded. “Let it be known that these two are bound to one another as husband and wife and let nothing rend them asunder.”

As was tradition, those that witnessed the union all that had their wits enough to reply said in unison: “It is written and observed.” Allura only heard it from Emilee and Coran who were standing the closest. That meant that it was completed.

She was Lotor’s wife.

Lotor did not hesitate to lean in to capture her lips. It caught her off guard and made her heart leap in her chest. She could not say that it was unwelcome or unpleasant but definitely a new sensation. His lips on hers were warm and wonderful. He kissed her as if he thought she would be snatched from his grasp at any moment. It would have gone on forever had not another blast shaken the room.

“We need to get her somewhere safer,” Lotor snapped at Emilee who merely nodded in response. Allura knew where that would be and she was not certain that would be where she was ready to go just now.

The safest place in the castle where the royal suites.