The garden has been taken care of in every detail. The flowers are in full bloom and colourful as if they forgot this is the north.

The maids have decorated every single chair with white lace.

​​

I'm wearing a candid dress, white like snow. My hair is flowing on the back. I'm the representation of the perfect Ethirian bride: white like a dove and innocent like a puppy.

When I step out, I find a little ball carrying some flowers in a small basket. Lavinia lifts her head and stares with her big eyes, waiting for a sign from my side.

«Weren't you playing with your father?» I inquire.

Kate is a few steps away, so it's not like Alexander left the little ball unattended. However, it's weird that he left our daughter of his own free will. Has something happened?

«Daddy said mother will be unhappy if he's not perfect,» she replies.

Her words are so clear and precise that it's scary. Oh, I like to think she learned to talk from me. Alexander doesn't really use perfect sentences to talk with Lavinia.

From him, she learned to use the third person to talk about herself...

«Vinnie wanted to see mother,» she says, in fact. «Daddy said it's your special day. Vinnie will do her best and stay with auntie.»

«Auntie?» the Princess shouts from behind me.

I wince, surprised. I forgot about her for a moment.

«Auntie Kate,» Lavinia confirms.

«Oh, but you also have a Royal Aunt!»

«Do I?» the little one murmurs.

«Lavinia, you were too little to remember. This is your aunt, Princess Lyland.»

The little ball purses her lips and continues to stare, not fully convinced.

«Martia Kyre,» I add, and she seems to remember.

«Auntie!» she shouts, and she walks to her. «You're my daddy's sister.»

«Yes,» the Princess replies, puzzled.

My daughter is smart, isn't she? She remembers everything her daddy says. It's not quite the same with my words and teachings, though.

She's selectively smart.

«We can play together while your mommy and daddy get married for the umpteenth time,» the Princess says, stretching out an arm to my little ball.

As the two princesses walk away together, I hear the first words ever my daughter says to her highness.

«I am a Princess too!» she starts. «Daddy says Vinnie can call aunt Martia auntie.»

«All right.» the Princess nods. «It makes sense to me.»

These two will make trouble together one day.

«My Lady,» lady Lyana calls me, and I return to the real world. Oh, it's time!

I'll be married to the man I've loved for two years now. We'll walk down the aisle together and exchange rings in front of a dumbfounded priest.

And it will all happen because we both wanted it. We agreed on everything, from getting married again to the details like the date and the number of rings.

Every non-trivial aspect was analysed together.

Alexander had so much patience to listen to every single of my proposals and help me decide.

When I turn the corner and step into the garden, I find the most handsome man I've laid my eyes on. He's wearing white, his hair is glued back. He also has some military decorations on the jacket, letting us remember who we're talking about.

His smile crosses his face from ear to ear, and his black eyes shine under the sun.

He's still tall, stunning, and overbearing. Still, I can see only gentle intentions in his expression and only love in his eyes. He's still the same person I married in the past, but I failed at recognising his genuine self back then.

I can't say I know him to the fullest even now, but our life together has been full of exploration and new discoveries. We've found out about ourselves times and times again, and we continue looking for new little things we didn't notice before.

«You're beautiful,» he says, reaching out for my hand.

«You too,» I sigh. So much handsomeness will be wasted when this evening we don't do the deed. Oh, come on... If I knew we consummated the third night only, I would have postponed the marriage!

«Shall we go?» he murmurs, looking at me with just a hint of uncertainty.

I nod, and we proceed towards the improvised altar. We're in the middle of our garden, instead of inside a church.

I don't move my eyes away from Alexander until reaching the priest. It takes me a lot of willpower to gaze at the officer and recognise the girl with painted skin.

The High Priestess. I should have expected it.

«I see two souls have chosen,» she comments.

Then, as if twisting the cult of which she's the head isn't worth much, she starts officiating without worrying about the two rings and the weird happenings that brought my husband and me to get married again.

I glance at Alexander to convey to him all of my questions, and he just smiles back. His usual grin is so comforting, and I abandon my doubts and focus on the ceremony.

When we're at the end, the High Priestess turns to me.

«Theodora, do you willingly take this man, Alexander, as your spouse?» she asks.

Uh? Was I supposed to be asked a question? Was there even a question in the protocol at all? The first time, there was just the singing and the ring at the end. Oh, and the cut on the palm. No one proposed that, this time.

It seems that a blood vow can't be undone, so we've been married all along. Oh, whatever.

I've been asked a question, and I need to answer.

«I do!» I exclaim.

The High Priestess repeats the same question to Alexander, and she then declares our marriage renewed. Confirmed. Something like that.

I've been swindled! We've been married all along!

Oh, kind of.

However, this is what people do only when they're really, really in love. They willingly confirm their marriage with a second vow.

Olly brings the rings, elegantly leaned on a pillow.

Alexander is faster at reacting, and he takes out mine before I have time to move a finger.

He puts the ring on my left hand, and then he offers his hand to me.

My fingers tremble because of the emotions while I put the ring around his.

Whatever this ceremony is, it's important. A renewal or a new marriage, it's not that relevant, as long as it's me and him.

I can't lose focus because of such detail.

When the rings are in place, Alexander smiles. I take a step forward, and we don't wait for permission before kissing.

Our lips meet for a second only, but it's enough to prove our love. We can kiss better later.

When we turn towards the garden, our guests and employees clap their hands and whistle or shout happily.

I burst out laughing, surprised by this sudden vitality. In the capital, all we got were cold congratulations. Very few people were truly happy for us.

«I'm happy for you both,» Princess Lyland says. She's the first to approach us. «I hope this is enough to be finally considered family.»

Behind her, Bertha Grahm is still clapping. Her smile and red cheeks convince me she's not pretending to be happy.

«Such a touching ceremony... Congratulations!» she says.