Alice Windsor | BRF Story

11.

Eaton Hall, Cheshire 

October 2010

Alice and Arabella met when they were still children, and if you asked Alice she could not tell you how old they were when they first became friends, but it seemed like forever. And when they were young they made promises, promises they both kept. 

The friends promised that when each of them married the other would be the maid of honor. At the time Alice didn't understand exactly what being a princess meant, and even after she learned, and she was explained by the Palace that a princess could never be a maid of honor, she promised herself she would be part of her best friends wedding no matter what. And after many months fighting the Palace here she was, witnessing her best friend getting married to the love of her life. 

The Eaton Chapel, just outside Eaton Hall, had every bench filled with only the couple's closest friends and family, while the Duke of Westminster's country estate was receiving another three hundred guests for the evening reception. 

Lady Arabella was beautiful, with her wavy, light brown hair up in a beautiful hairstyle and adorned with freshly picked white flowers from the Duke's estate. She was wearing a beautiful white ballgown with the most delicate lace Alice had ever seen, and on her right hand her sapphire engagement ring. 

"I, Arabella Margaret, take thee, Hector John, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth." 

Alice tried to discreetly clean a few tears from her eyes before they started pouring down her face and probably ruined her makeup. 

Everyone was there to witness the ceremony and soon after signing the register, the couple and their guests were on their way back to the estate, with the couple leading the procession in a vintage convertible from Hector's father's collection. Alice, having only arrived a few minutes before the ceremony actually started with the four pageboys and flower girls, was only now greeting her friends and even family. First she talked with her father, stepmother and Harry, and then proceeded to find William near the entrance of the chapel with Catherine, which made Alice smile and giggle. 

"Hello."

"Lily, good morning!" William kisses his sister's cheeks and puts one of his hands on her back, facing his girlfriend, who seemed pleased to see the close relationship the siblings shared. 

"Alice." Katie said, after kissing the princess' cheeks and slightly bowing her head. 

"You know you can call me Lily, Katie. After all, I hope you will soon be officially part of our family." Alice gave her brother's girlfriend a wink, which ended with Catherine flushed and William rolling his eyes. 

"I noticed both William and Edward are here." William finally says, looking at his sister, who seemed eager to disappear from the face of the earth the moment the names of her two ex boyfriends left her brother's mouth.

"Yeah, both are friends of the family." 

"Huh..." 

"Wills." Katie said, a warning look between the two lovers was shared, one that was meant for only the other understand the full meaning, but deep down Alice knew what it meant, and she was grateful for her brother's girlfriend sympathy towards Alice's situation. 

"You're going to greet them?"

"Maybe later, if I have to. They've already left for the Hall anyways." 

"Then we should probably go as well." 

The siblings nod in agreement and Katie is quick to grab her future sister-in-law's arm, following a few steps ahead of the prince, who could only laugh, and thank God his future wife and sister were such good friends. 

Alice knew the engagement was coming soon, after all her brother had to ask her for the ring, and Alice couldn't be more happy knowing that first, the ring would be close to her brother's family and second, that ring, the ring worn and adored by their mother, would one day sit on the Throne of the United Kingdom, and receive the recognition it deserves. 

As they arrived back at the Hall Alice couldn't contain a smile of happiness. After one not very good breakup and one that nearly destroyed her, she was finally happy with herself, and happy being alone. She had matured a lot in the few years since her break up from Edward, and although she still didn't see herself getting married at this moment, she knew that in a few years, when the time and the person were right, she would welcome the change with open arms. 

So she enjoyed the day like she was supposed to. She was with her best friend as they all celebrated the couple's love and the future they would share. And she smiled knowing that she would be able to see her best friend's happiness as they both grew older and wiser, and found the happiness they used to talk about when they were teenagers at Benenden.