Serendipity ✔

XXVI

"Time slows down whenever you're around."

♫Today Was A Fairytale - Taylor Swift ♫

  ♛  

It was winter again. 

The snow had successfully created a white blanket around the Winchester castle. The crispy air that had fogged up the glass windows of the castle could be felt inside. Though, not a soul seemed to care that day. 

"You look absolutely beautiful." 

That was the sentence a mother had said to her daughter. The woman already had tears in her eyes, as she studied her daughter in a white-as-the-snow dress. The girl's brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in big waves. On top of her head laid a princess tiara, her own emerald eyes reflecting the sparkle of it. 

"Mother, please stop crying," she turned around to face her mother. "Lady Penelope just finished my makeup. You heard what she said about crying."

At the mention of that, the red haired girl popped her head from the other side of the dressing stall.  "Do I hear tears? Miss Annabelle, you better not be crying!"

Annabelle chuckled and shook her head. She reached out to wipe her mother's tears away from her face. Before she knew, the woman had pulled her into a tight hug. "I just cannot believe my very own daughter is about to marry." 

"You better believe it, Mrs. Elizabeth," Madam Mary had said as she entered the room. She took one look at Annabelle and smiled brightly. "You look even more enchanting than usual, my dear."

Annabelle was about to say something in return, when their attention got diverted to her brother coming into the room and closing the door in a rush. 

"Jamie, what's the matter?"

"The prince seems to want to talk to you, Annabelle," he sighed, running his fingers through his long brown hair. "I kept telling him that it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding but he wouldn't listen." 

"Ah, Alexander has always been very persisting," Penelope said with a chuckle. Just then, they heard a voice coming from behind the door. "Annabelle, are you in there?"

Annabelle sent a reassuring look to the rest of the people in the room, and walked towards the door. She put her hands on it and leaned in. "I am."

"Good," she heard him let out a small sigh of relief. "You aren't planning to disappear on me again, are you?"

That was when Annabelle chuckled. "I promise I am not."

"You must know that I would find you even if you do, right?" she heard him say. Smiling to herself, she decided to tease him, "And, why is that?"

She could not see him, but she could hear him leaning his head against the door. She bit her lip in anticipation of his answer. 

"Because you and me, we are truly inevitable, my darling." 

  ♛  

When Annabelle's father caught sight of her in the wedding dress, he clutched his chest and gasped in adoration. She blinked back her tears and smiled at the man she used to look up to for many years. He caught her hand and twirled her around in circle, making her giggle. 

"My little girl," his voice sounded strained before he cleared his throat. "I could not be more proud of you than I am today, Annabelle." 

Her bottom lip trembled, "You are going to make me cry, Father."

"No man will ever deserve you, my dear," he smiled and held her tightly to his chest. "But, I will  sleep peacefully tonight for I would know I left you in the arms of a kind man that truly loves you." 

He started leading her towards the entrance of the church. His last sentence was still stuck inside Annabelle's mind, as she wiped a stray tear away from her face. "No need for tears, Annabelle. It's a happy day."

She looked up at him and genuinely smiled. Though she was surrounded by a sea of people watching her every move, she felt nothing but calmness. Her father was the cause of that, because he held her arm tightly in support.

As he led her down the aisle, she saw Madam Mary and her mother sitting together and waving intently at her. Her mother held a handkerchief that was probably filled with her tears already. The King and Queen were seated neatly on their thrones, watching everything unfold in front of them. From the corner of her eye, she saw Penelope and Marcus discreetly sitting a few chairs away from each other, though she already caught their little secret a couple of weeks before. 

And, then, she saw him. 

There he stood, looking very tall and very lean. Similarly to the first time she saw him, she felt  butterflies grazing her stomach. She could not help but look at his eccentric blue that seemed to plead her to move further and further down the aisle. When her father put a kiss on her cheek and left her to him, she heard him take the deepest of breath.

"You look..." he seemed to be unable to finish his sentence as he intently stared at her. She smiled at him, ignoring the heat in her cheeks and stomach. "Thank you."

Alexander's fingers had gently brushed up against her hand, before he took a hold of it and brought it to his lips. Putting a kiss on top of it, he sighed contently. Then, he asked her, "Are you ready to become a princess, my love?"

"Yes," said Annabelle, looking at him warmly. "But first, I want to become your wife."

And, so she did.

GUYS!!!!! The next chapter is going to be the Epilogue :'). The feeling is so bitter sweet it's unreal. This is actually the first book I have ever finished and it gives me sooooo much encouragement to write out my other ideas for books! A million thank yous to everyone who's reading my book! I appreciate you all <3

Oh, and another thing. Will anyone be interested to read a short story about Penelope and Marcus? Let me know in the comments :)