The Prince's Choice ✔

Chapter Fifty Four • Vows and Blood

-Jade-

Jade walked out of the house in her dress with Iria's and Samuel's help. They carried the train since she did not want it to get stuck in the door.

The trail was very long, but the dress was not made for a wedding in her father's gardens. It was made for a royal wedding and definitely fit its purpose. Jade almost felt bad that the tailors had created such an amazing dress and so few got to see it. Their craftsmanship was nothing less than incredible.

"Are you ready, dear?" Her father suddenly asked standing next to her.

Jade looked at the old man who had looked so remorseful a couple of months ago after she had screamed her lungs off at him for giving her away to some stranger.

How things change... Jade chuckled internally and gave her father a little wink.

"You were right." She admitted whilst nodding to his question. Her father needed no explanation about what she was talking about. He just looked a little bit grumpy for about half a second.

"I liked it better when you weren't so fond of him." He answered in a joking tone and a cheeky smile was hiding beneath his grumpy exterior. "But yes, I was right. I am always right."

Jade heard her mother scoff at her husband in the distance. She stood with Liz by the snow-covered arch that lead into the garden were William and the rest were waiting. Jade placed her hand on her father's arm and smiled at him.

"Well, I hope you approve of him..." She sighed as they walked towards the gardens. She had a hard time believing that deep down her father would not approve do William, he was after all the one who had decided to accept William's proposal, on her behalf.

Iria and Samuel ran ahead and into the gardens with happy chirping voices, announcing that Jade was on her way.

"Of course I do." Her father answered her, but in a very low tone so her mother would not hear him. "I am impressed by the boy actually. He managed to win you over, and he has not pulled all of his hair of from your stubbornness. He almost deserves you." Her father said and chuckled.

"I remember someone who told me that this young man," Jade nodded towards the gardens were William waited, "... was as damn close to being worthy of your daughter as any young man could get."

"Precisely, as close one can get." Her father stated. "No one fully deserves you, my sweet girl. Not even royality."

Jade laughed and raised an eyebrow at her sweet father and then rolled her eyes at him. It caused him to laugh shortly.

As Jade and her father came up to the arch, Jade's mother had tears in her eyes.

"What is wrong, mother?" Jade chuckled lightly. Her mother waved away Jade's question as more tears filled her already teary eyes, incapable of answering the question without starting to cry. Her father chuckled as well and gave his wife a warm look.

"It is very cold, dear. You will freeze to death." Liz sighed and brushed Jade's arms up and down. "Please let me get you a cloak."

She tried one last time to get Jade to change her mind about getting married in just her dress. Liz had tried her very best to get Jade to either wear something over the dress or have the wedding inside.

"I am not having this discussion with you again, Liz." Jade answered gently. "I want to get married in father's garden and it would not do the dress justice if I wore that ugly cloak over it."

Liz shook her head but with a smile on her lips.

"Fine." She answered and rolled her eyes playfully. "You truly are the only one for that boy, and the only one who can handle him. You are the only one who is as stubborn as he is... if not more."