Sadly, the end. It's short, not much dialogue, but there's not much else I can say about our hero and heroine.
So read on, and enjoy the blissful ending of this story...
The Wedding
Raissa stood in front of the mirror months later in a gorgeous white dress. She turned and admired the handiwork at several angles. The servant that Richard had rescued, Dinah, made it to repay the king for his good acts. The material was a soft silk, the feeling of it against her skin was heavenly. She spun some, letting the skirt swish around her, then flung the veil over her face.
A knock came at the door and Raissa called for them to enter. In walked her mother and Isa. The queen nearly cried at the sight of her daughter in the gorgeous wedding gown. Smiling, she hugged her mother and told her not to cry. "Oh hush," she retorted. "It's a mother's job to cry over her daughter's wedding. I shall do what pleases me, and if crying is up there, I shall cry."
Raissa simply laughed and nodded, saying, "Alright, Mother. If it pleases you."
Richard stood at the altar, anticipating the moment Raissa would step through the large wooden doors, revealing herself for the last time as an unmarried, unbound woman. Suddenly the doors flung open and the organ began playing the traditional Pondeiran march for the bride's procession. Toulouse and Isa came in first, Toulouse wearing a handsome jacket of dark grey and crème trousers, Isa was wearing a dark green dress, carrying a small bouquet of wildflowers. The rest of the party followed identically, then the Pondeiran march changed to the Aldrian wedding ballad, though more of a march. Raissa stepped in, her father escorting her, and Richard nearly died. Her face covered with a lace veil, her dress looked as though it was made by magic. She glided down the long, stretching aisle, and her fiancé thought that it couldn't have taken much longer, for it had seemed like an eternity by the time she reached him.
Neither the bride nor the groom remembered the ceremony, they rarely remembered any ceremony at all. Those in attendance thought it was the most beautiful thing, this young couple, these future monarchs portraying well true joy. They didn't realize that they were indeed in love, that it was nothing much to them anymore that the marriage had been something they were forced into. The couple felt elated, and nothing could have taken away their joy.
About a year later, Raissa gave birth to a gorgeous girl, naming her Shannaye. Even as a baby, her hair was the most rich shade of auburn, with eyes of emerald-brown. She was the king and queen's pride and joy, and the girl was soon followed by an heir for the monarchs, a boy named Edmund, and strong, willful baby with dark hair and bright, brown eyes. After him, their last child, Kaylla came along. Her hair was darker than Edmund's- as dark as a raven's feather, with eyes identical to Shannaye. The family was very much a happy one.
Woot! We are done, yet I am sad to leave this story. I felt it was my crowning glory, I adored the story so very much… but! Now you can read about their child, Shannaye, and I hope to have that story up soon. So keep an eye out!
Farewell, Bring What May Come, it's been great.