There was only one thing left after everything was sorted out.
“I have sorted out the bouquet, Countess.”
Aruvina handed Pristin a thick document.
“You can choose from these.”
“I think the lily of the valley is my favorite.”
Wedding arrangements.
“I’ll take this one.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Originally, it was going well, but it was temporarily suspended due to an unexpected situation in the middle.
In the meantime, a lot of time passed, and there was no time to really delay. It was time to get ready.
Pristin had wanted to join in on the wedding preparations, but Jerald had strictly forbidden her from working, insisting that she needed absolute rest for the time being. As a result, the ladies of Camer Palace, including Aruvina, and the ladies who participated in the management of the royal palace had been working themselves to death.
“You’re working hard these days, right?”
Pristin said in an apologetic voice,
“But please work a little harder.”
“I have to, it’s the wedding soon.”
After a month of preparations, the wedding was now only a week away. But Pristin still couldn’t believe she was getting married. It was almost like a dream, that everything is settled and all that was left was to be happy.
“I’m looking forward to your wedding.”
“You’ve been through a lot lately, too. Thanks, Christine.”
“It’s not just anyone’s wedding, it’s my sister’s wedding.”
Christine replied in a tone of how she would say that between sisters.
“I’ll do my best. You’ve been through a lot.”
“…I know. We’ve all been through so much.”
The past two years had been unexpectedly hard, but in the end, it was a happy ending, so she was very fortunate. Pristin looked at her younger sister with warm eyes and said prophetically,
“Now we have nothing but happiness to look forward to.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Later that evening, Pristin felt a peculiar bloating in her stomach. Aruvina was quick to notice and asked,
“What’s bothering you, Your Excellency? Shall I call the palace healer?”
“Actually, I’m feeling a little queasy, but…”
Pristin replied, rubbing her stomach gently,
“Not enough to call for a healer, I think I’ll feel better after a walk.”
“Shall I accompany you?”
“No, it’s all right. I’ll just go for a quiet walk on my own.”
“But still…”
“Now there’s no one to hurt me,”
Pristin said with a casual smile.
“I’ll just wander around here for a bit.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Understood.”
Aruvina nodded, and Pristin went outside with only a thin shawl draped over her shoulders. However, the shawl seemed unnecessary as the weather outside was not cold at all.
With the moonlight being particularly lovely, Pristin was enjoying her nighttime walk.
— Rustle
At that moment, Pristin sensed a presence. She flinched and looked around, startled.
“Who is it?”
As she looked around nervously, someone suddenly hugged her from behind. A startled Pristin was about to scream.
“…Your Majesty?”
“Oh, my. Are you surprised?”
Jerald’s panicked voice was heard.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you.”
“Well, you approached without any sign at all.”
Pristin chuckled softly and then asked,
“Did you come out for a walk too?”
“No. I came to see you.”
Jerald kissed her on the shoulder and whispered,
“I was on my way to Camer Palace but was fortunate to find you here. Are you out for a walk?”
“Yes. My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable.”
“Then we should call the healer right away…”
“Oh, it’s not that serious.”
Pristin quickly shook her head.
“Seeing you now, I suddenly feel better.”
“That sounds too much like a lie.”
“Well… But it’s true that I feel good.”
Pristin confessed to Jerald with a small smile,
“I missed you a lot today.”
“Oh no. I was wrong. I should have gone to see you first.”
“I didn’t say it on purpose because I thought you’d say that.”
Pristin kissed Jerald’s cheek lightly and whispered,
“I heard you’re very busy these days.”
He had been. He’d been working a lot on the follow-up after the rebellion was put down.
And with the wedding fast approaching, things were getting even more hectic.
“I can still find time to see you.”
“It’s easier for me to see you at the end of the day than if you try to force it.”
After a few moments of silence, Pristin spoke up, her voice wry.
“I can’t believe we’re actually getting married in a week.”
“I can’t believe it either. You’re really going to be my empress in a week,”
Jerald whispered, hugging Pristin tightly and looking like he was walking on clouds.
“I can’t help but laugh at the thought of it, even as I’m working, because it feels like a dream.”
“Are you that excited about marrying me?”
“Of course. It’s something I’ve been dreaming about ever since I met you.”
He had always pictured it in his mind. He always pictured himself marrying Pristin and having a happy family. It was so nice just to think about it, so when he actually was getting married, it was like he was dreaming.
“When I realized that I might lose you forever, I knew for sure that I would never be able to live without you, not even for a moment.”
“…”
“You have no idea what it was like to go through each day, each moment, without you, and that’s why this moment is so precious to me.”
“Same for me, Your Majesty.”
They must have felt the same way during that time, how anxious and nervous they were to be away from each other for the first time since they reaffirmed their love.
“From now on, there will only be good things for us. I believe the baby inside me knows that and was holding on safely because of it.”
“Yeah. Only really good things will happen in the future.”
Jerald whispered love, his face buried over Pristin’s shoulder.
“I love you, Pristin. I’ll continue to do my best now, but after we’re married, I’ll do even better.”
“I think you’re already doing more than enough, Your Majesty. Just look at how kind you are to me.”
Pristin turned to face Jerald, looking into his eyes tenderly as she promised,
“I’ll also be a really good wife after we’re married.”
“We’ll be the best couple.”
Jerald moved closer to Pristin and whispered,
“I’ll make every effort to ensure you’re the most loved wife.”
Then their lips met gently, and under the silvery moon, their kiss continued for a long time.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
And finally, it was the night before the wedding.
“…I’m really getting married tomorrow, right?”
Before going to bed, Pristin said, looking nervous,
“Oh no. I’m so nervous, Christine.”
“What’s the matter, Sister? You weren’t really nervous before that.”
“To think that I’m really getting married… I’m worried if I can do well as His Majesty’s Empress.”
Christine understood Pristin’s concerns. Becoming the wife of the emperor of the empire was a far cry from being a commoner’s wife. Christine took Pristin’s hand firmly and said,
“You can do it. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
“But…”
“Becoming the empress doesn’t mean you’ll immediately take over the inner palace duties.”
Given Pristin’s pregnancy and the trauma from the recent kidnapping incident, it was decided that her training as empress would be conducted over a long period after the wedding. Consequently, the current system for managing the inner palace would remain in place for the time being.
“Even after enduring such great trials, you’ve stayed strong up until now. You’ll be able to continue doing so.”
“Christine…”
“Above all, I, and His Majesty, will be firmly by Sister’s side.”
Christine smiled and then placed a hand on her abdomen, kissing it lightly.
“My beautiful niece or nephew will be there too. And there is also Princess Claret.”
“That’s true. I have so many precious and supportive people around me.”
“Forget about everything else and just think about His Majesty. He’s a wonderful person who loves you dearly. I believe that’s enough for you to make this marriage a happy one.”
“Yes, I will…”
“Countess.”
Then she heard Aruvina’s voice from outside.
“What is it, Madame Korsol?”
“His Majesty is here.”
At the sudden visit ahead of the last night before the wedding, Pristin and Christine looked at each other with a look of surprise.
But only for a moment, for Christine stepped outside, and Jerald entered the room.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here tonight…”
“It’s our last night together before we get married.”
Jerald said with a smile.
“I have somewhere to take you.”
“Where do you mean, where are you going?”
“That’s a secret.”
Jerald picked up the shawl that had been hanging over the chair and then approached Pristin; and after meticulously tying the shawl, he asked, gently making eye contact with Pristin,
“Will you come with me?”
“Ah… is it far?”
“Not very far.”
“I guess I’ll have to walk a little bit.”
“I’ll carry you if you’re tired.”
“What? No. I’m fine.”
Pristin, who shook her head in a hurry in surprise, asked quietly a bit later,
“Is it that far?”
“No, I’m exaggerating,”
Jerald said, reaching out to Pristin.
“Let’s go together.”
Pristin stared at the hand, but soon found herself interlocking hands with Jerald, his warm, firm grip pulling her closer.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Pristin had no idea where she was going, even though she was following Jerald’s footsteps. It was after only about a three-minute walk that she discovered Jerald’s destination.
“Your Majesty, this is…”
“That’s right, we’re on our way to the empress’s palace.”
“Why the empress’s palace suddenly…”
“I have something to show you.”
“Show me what?”
“I have something to say there.”
Jerald went on after a moment of silence,
“Something important.”
“An important story?”
What could possibly be important to talk about when they were so close to getting married? Pristin continued walking with Jerald, half-anxious, half-excited.
“…Ah.”
When they finally reached the empress’s palace, Pristin couldn’t help but panic.
