The Foreign Bride

Twenty

Edward tapped his fingers across his desk as he listened to his longtime friend continue on with his drunken story.

"And then..." Drake giggled, "She told me I was an egotistic jerk. An egoistic jerk, Ed, isn't that funny?"

Edward glared at his friend, "Don't you have a wedding to prepare for?"

Drake shrugged, "I'm too drunk to remember."

Edward inwardly sighed and stood, "Okay, this is enough. Come on, Drake lets get you ready." He grabbed his friend by the arm and tugged him towards the dressing room adjacent to his study.

"Where are we going? Are we going to get more to drink?" Drake giggled.

Edward smiled back, "Of course buddy, just stand right here."

Edward turned around to grab the pitcher sitting neatly by the window.

He walked to his friend again and patted him on the back, "I'd like to say I'm sorry for this but I would be lying." He said as he poured the cold water on his head.

Drake gasped sharply and shook his head, "What the- Today's my wedding day, isn't it?"

Edward shrugged, "At least you remembered finally."

Drake quickly grabbed for his change of clothes that Edward had brought with them, "How long do I have?"

Edward glanced at the clock, "Ah, I would say about five minutes before the ceremony. I guess I will see you there?"

He closed the door and left his friend struggling to prepare in five minutes.

Outside his study, Annalisa waited for him. He took her by the arm and they slowly made their way to the cathedral.

"I must know, how did you get Drake to remember when he was drunk?" Annalisa asked, giving him a curious glance.

Edward chuckled, "Darling, that is for me to know. It's something every best friend does to each other."

Annalisa smiled, "Has he ever done this tactic before?"

Edward snorted, "Of course not, love. He has no way of defeating me like that."

After greeting the guest, they sat down for the wedding and waited.

While Annalisa swooned over how beautiful the ceremony was and how perfect the bride was, Edward attempted to get some much-needed sleep.

"King Edward!" A shrill voice screamed out, the doors to the cathedral slamming open.

Edward shot to his feet and faced the small squire that he towered over, "What?"

"It's the village sire, they have destroyed it."

His heart stopped beating for a small moment before he stood, "Get my horse!"

"Sire, there is no time. He wants to talk... now."

Annalisa, who was clinging to his arm gasped, "No, Edward you can't go see him!"

Edward leaned down to quickly kiss his wife, "I will return, Love. Go check on the people while I talk with him." He promised.

This was war and he was not backing down on this.

Whether or not he lived, it was still war.

~~~~~~~

Annalisa!" A voice called out as she stood frozen on the pavement.

Her eyes reflected the bright orange flames as the washed over the small village. Her heartbeat accelerated as she listened to the various cries and screams as the fire engulfed her people.

As a Queen, she had failed.

Her people were suffering and she could do nothing for them. All she could do was watch her people suffer.

She watched as people held their injured loved ones in their arms, crying over them. The smell was becoming more and more pungent as the wind began to circulate. Bile began to rise in her throat as she choked on her tears.

"M'lady," She heard someone call softly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Annalisa turned slowly and looked her trusted handmaiden in the eye, "I failed them."

"I know, M'lady, I know." Bridget whispered.

Annalisa fell to the floor, her body shaking, "I killed them. Because of me, my people are dead. I should have just gone to him and let him have what he wanted instead of running like a coward."

She buried her face in her hands but Bridget pulled her hands away, "You are not to blame for this. You should never think that."

Bridget gathered her Queen in her arms and simply rocked her back and forth. After all, what more could she do?