Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) (13 page)

“No. They’re much simpler.” Kathryn replied. “Now, Ruby, yours is right here.”

She pulled a white dress from the first box. It had one strap over the shoulder and the body was made up of several strips pieced diagonally to about the mid-thigh/knee area. It laced up one side with some kind of lace or something showing between the laces then the skirt puffed out and flowed on the floor. It was okay, not great. I liked the jeweled design like a bursting star over the chest where the strap was. I knew I could get Adele to make some of those red.

“Too white. Adele, it’s going to make my head look like it’s on fire if you don’t do something.”

Adele sighed and looked up at Kathryn. “Do you mind if it’s altered a little bit just to add some color?”

“Very well. I’m aware you can do it quite easily.”

I was glad all the maids left so no one witnessed this. Adele used her gift and made the fabric under that lace stuff red and even made the laces red without me having to say so. She even turned some of the jewels that were on it red to look like rubies, knowing it would satisfy me even more and it did. “Better?”

“It’s enough splash of color to be good enough I suppose.”

“Then get it on.” Kathryn said, handing it to me. “Jaylyn, I have yours right here.”

She took another dress from another box. It was white and slim down to just the waist with a cute puffy/twirling skirt in a few layers under the jeweled belt. The top was crisscrossed over the front to extenuate her assets with wide straps to frame them even more. It said Jaylyn allover it already so I didn’t know if she wanted anything on it to be changed.

“It’s adorable! I love it.”

“But?” Kathryn hinted towards it like she knew she wanted to do something to it like I did.

“Can you make the layers of lace netting green, Adele? And I mean like green like my eyes so maybe it draws some attention away from them. That ought to do it. I don’t have to be so drastic as Ruby.”

“Hey! You’d want to if your head looked like the top of a tree.”

“Yours doesn’t look like the top of a tree.”

I sighed. She obviously didn’t get it and I wasn’t in the mood to explain.

“I think she was suggesting that you don’t have green hair.” Adele whispered.

“Oh! Yeah, I guess I don’t.”

“Get it on. We’re running out of time.”

“Okay.”

“That’s a good idea.” Kathryn said. “Adele, your dress.”

Kathryn opened the last box and pulled out yet another white dress. Was the stipulation a wedding thing or Seni’s main color was white? Anyway, hers was a slim design in strips kind of like mine but the torso was lightly gathered all over to look elegant with its strapless sweetheart neck line and jeweled design to look like flowers. The skirt of the dress had streams of flowing sheer fabric that wasn’t all attached to each other but all separated.

“Of course it’s nice.” I said. “What’d you expect? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to wait for you out in the hall with my—”

I didn’t even know if I could say it.

“Husband?” Jaylyn smiled as wide as she possibly could and the only thing I thought to do was turn from everyone, walking stiffly towards the door.

“Wow.” Troy muttered.

I looked up at him, my eyes slowly narrowing and turning red. “Don’t say another word.”

He laughed. “That’s not what I meant when I said, wow. You look—”

“Perfect.” Darius smiled, taking my hand.

I looked into his eyes and they caused mine to slowly fade while I smiled back. “Next to you? Now that is a compliment.”

“I’m glad you came.”

“Did you really think I’d miss it?”

“I wasn’t sure.”

I laughed, having a moment while I thought back to the anxiety I felt all day. “There were a few hurdles today but after working through it with a wall that’s no longer there, I decided, you’re worth it.”

“Wait. What wall that’s no longer there?” Zayden asked.

“Don’t worry. Adele fixed it. No one saw. I just had to work through the idea of marriage.” I felt sick after saying it. “I hate that word. It sounds like it’s for old people.”

They all laughed. “What?!”

“It does. Say it in your mind a few times. You’ll see.” They were quiet and I guess they were doing it because their expressions changed. “Told you but it’s too late to take it back now.”

“I wouldn’t.” Darius said. “I love you. We’ll just reframe from saying that word.”

I laughed to his cuteness and kissed him. I agreed but I wouldn’t let this happen with anyone but him.

“Awe, you two are just so sweet together.”

I turned and Jaylyn was standing in the doorway.

“Please, don’t.”

“Well, you are. It’s just delightful to watch.”

“All right, get moving.” Adele pushed Jaylyn out the door so she could walk through. “We’re on a schedule.”

“Yes, we are.” Zayden walked to her with a smile and held out his arm.

She took it rather aggressively and pulled him closer. “And I’d like it to be done quickly.”

“What happened to the bond you had with him earlier?”

“It’s not getting in front of him I want over. It’s this entire night. I’m not really good around people.”

“You’ll grow to be.”

I tried not to laugh when I saw Kathryn behind her in the doorway. “Adele?! Yeah, right! She’s always hated it.”

“Yes but you’re also still very young even if you don’t think that. I understand how Assassin prospects are forced to grow up quickly and leave adolescence behind much sooner than they should but there’s still room to grow. Being here will teach you that and the things you have to leave behind won’t seem to matter.”

She was giving advice by speaking from experience and Jaylyn, Adele and I looked at each other with this unbelievable reality. It nearly brought us to tears and we approached her, proud to be in her presence.

“You’re still alive.” Adele said.

Kathryn smiled. “We were always family. Traits like that can never be given up on.”

We rushed into her, putting our arms around her anyway we could. We were beyond expression to have discovered her this way.

“Okay, we’re lost.” Zayden said from behind us. “What’s going on exactly?”

We turned and couldn’t stop smiling.

“Remember hearing about the Assassin leader that was lost in the field?” Jaylyn asked.

“Our first night together.” Troy said.

“Well, we found her!”

Their eyes widened and Zayden stumbled over his words. “What—how—why am I just hearing about this?”

“I didn’t exactly want you to be bombarded with all the details at once.” Kathryn said. “The day isn’t about me. In fact, we should probably be getting you downstairs. Time to make your grand entrance.”

“But—”

“Now.”

Zayden let out a long sigh but Adele kept close to him with a smile and started leading him forward. He went willingly and I could hear the ballroom stirring with activity as we got closer. The night it seemed wasn’t over.

Chapter 26

Adele

“It’s all right.” Zayden said. “You’ll have to get used to this life sometime.” He must have felt how nervous I was upon hearing all the commotion.

Troy walked through the curtain with Jaylyn as they were announce and Ruby and Darius did next.

“Sometime doesn’t mean now.” I muttered.

“A little too late for doubts.” Zayden smiled, hearing us being announced in the distance. “And I won’t let you take it back.” He pulled me through the curtain alongside him and everyone applauded with joy to see us walking in together as one.

I was still feeling nervous, not from all the people watching but from what was up ahead where Zayden was leading me. Izin stood stiff with his hands behind his back and Kathryn was already at his side, holding the box to the crown he would present to me. Everyone was watching and I was only nervous because I hated the constant attention.

We stopped in front of the King and Queen and Zayden bowed his head. My eyes were still on Izin and I didn’t bow until Zayden barely nudged me with his arm. My gaze broke when my head lowered for just that instant but found its way back to him when I looked up.

He didn’t say a word. The box was opened to reveal the Senian Princess crown and was held out next to him. Izin made the first move and reached for me, removing the Kaluian Princess crown from my head. He placed it in the open box to his right that my father was holding open and took it even slower to reach his hand to the one on his right.

I remained still but lightly bowed my head again, waiting on him. The Senian crown was placed on my head and I lifted mine when Izin took my hands. Our eyes met and his seemed more gentle and welcoming, as did his voice. “Today is a favorable day since you have joined our family whether I had planned it this way or not. Still, we welcome our new Princess.”

Everyone cheered.

“And ladies.” Izin smiled, looking back to Ruby and Jaylyn. “Glad you could finally take me up on that offer.”

They looked at each other and smiled.

“It was all in the timing.” Jaylyn said.

Izin laughed. “Yes! Quite but I’m overjoyed to be welcoming you now.” He took their hands, kissing each of their cheeks while they tried their best not to blush. He was charming when he wanted to be and now was definitely one of those times. “Now, this is the time when I would just love to spend some quality time with you and possibly go over what you might expect later but as it is, I’m well aware that they’ve already corrupted you.”

Zayden sighed almost embarrassingly. “Father, really? That’s the word you chose to use?”

“Yes, I think it fits. Like always, you never waste any time.”

I just smiled and took Zayden’s hand to ease the moment. “It’s okay. It’s exactly what you did.”

“See? Now, go mingle. Don’t ignore your guests. They’ve been waiting for this day as long as I have.”

“Since I was born?” Zayden muttered.

“Don’t disappoint them.” Izin smiled, turning away to his chair.

Zayden kept from saying anything else and turned towards the crowd with me. “Ready for this?”

“Like I have a choice.”

It made Zayden smile and we took our first step onto the crowded floor. We received a few simple greets and didn’t really stop to talk to anyone until we saw an equally familiar face.

“Oren!” Zayden called, delighted by his presence. “Glad you could make it.”

“Last one to get here probably but of course I wouldn’t miss it.” The two Princes shook hands with a very brief pat on the shoulder. “I heard about the beacons being lit and I was completely ready to join you in the exploration but come to find out, you just got back from one.”

“As was reason for it.” Zayden looked at me and so did Oren.

He smiled handsomely. “Hello, Adele. Nice to see you again.”

“Hello Oren.”

“You two know each other?” Zayden asked.

“Awe, didn’t tell him about us?” Oren joked.

It was playful enough that I tapped his shoulder. “There’s never been an us. Oren is the one that contacted us about their ambassador. We just made Arianna think it was for her benefit and she sent us like we wanted her to.”

“Why am I just hearing about this? You actually had a heart in the middle of war that you never showed me?”

“You know how much I hated it, Zayden. Suffering is suffering. It doesn’t matter where it’s coming from.”

“It was a nice job though.” Oren said. “Too bad you missed it.”

“So I keep hearing. Where’s your wife?” Zayden brought up the question to get away from it though we were never involved like I said. He’s been married for three years, longer than I’ve known him.

“She would have loved to come but being eight months pregnant permits her from traveling. I hope you don’t mind but I won’t be able to stay that long.”

“I understand completely. I wouldn’t want you to miss that because of me.”

“Thank you.”

“Please excuse us.”

“Yes, of course. Make your rounds. We can talk again.”

He took my hand like a gentleman and kissed the top of it. I smiled shamelessly and Zayden began to lead us away. “How haven’t you told me about that?”

“It wasn’t a big deal. It’s not like anything else happened. No one was supposed to know that he was involved. His father wouldn’t have liked it but it was true. You could have done it too if you knew about Lamar’s plans sooner.”

“Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about this now. We won’t be seeing him again. Let’s enjoy the night.”

I was ready to and stayed close to him.