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Alex sighed as she smoothed down the dress she was wearing, preparing herself to face the woman she would be married to, someone she had never held a conversation with before.
Kara poked her head into the room, “Are you almost ready?” She stepped in and closed the door, a wide smile across her face.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Alex muttered, brushing off invisible wrinkles.
“You’ll love her, I just know it.” Kara reached towards her and wrapped her in a hug. “And, we’ll truly be related!” Her smile was infectious and Alex couldn’t help but smile back.
“I hope she is as you say.” Alex said, turning towards the door that Kara had come through.
“She’s even better.”
The House of El and House Danvers had been trying to write a peace treaty for centuries, their kingdoms had been at war for so long that even the royals did not know what they had been fighting about.
King Jeremiah and Queen Alura had decided that they would marry their two daughters, since both were already good friends and it would be a good match. However, Kara had fallen in love with Queen Cat and Alura would not break her daughter's heart. Alura then brought up that her twin sister, Duchess Astra, would marry.
Jeremiah had been apprehensive, but after discussing it with his wife, multiple advisers, and talked to Astra himself, he had agreed.
Alex had never met the woman, knowing of what Alura looked like and she said, she was expecting a carbon copy of her. As she walked down the aisle with Kara by her side, a change she had insisted and had been granted, she took notice that they weren’t a copy at all.
Whereas Alura’s face was open and she gave off an air of outright warmth and motherliness. Astra’s face appeared cold, her eyes closed off and her stance was almost hostile. Although Alex could not deny that she was beautiful, in a way that Alura was not.
The white streak in her hair made her stand out, a sign that she clearly did not want to be mistaken for her sister. Her cold appearance gave her a look of other-worldliness, like she had fallen from the sky and was among the lesser people.
Alex squeezed Kara’s arm as she continued staring, neither of their eyes leaving the other as she was lead to the altar. Kara gave her arm a gently squeeze and left her side to stand behind her, next to her mother, Eliza.
They were following the customs of the House of El, since they were marrying in the Danver’s kingdom. The priest started the ceremony, as she and Astra put up their right hands and grabbed the others in between them.
The ribbon that was wrapped around their joined hands signified that they would always be bound to the other. The wine that was poured over their hands signified that they were now joined together in blood. The last part of the wedding was the rings, they put them on their left hands, their right still joined by the ribbon.
Alex could feel the cold metal as Astra put it on, it seemed to be made of some black metallic material. Something she assumed could only be found in her kingdom.
“I know unite you both.”
The crowd of gathered nobles and townspeople erupted into cheer as hundreds of years of war was finally over.
All Alex could feel was the cold metal on her left hand, and the warmth of Astra’s in her right.
It was required that they have the first dance. Astra took the lead, Alex let her. At first, it was awkward for both. They didn’t know how to start a conversation with the other and danced in silence.
“Thank you,” Alex blurted out, Astra looked at her in confusion. “For doing this, marrying me.”
“It was for the good of the kingdom.” Her voice came out soft but powerful, Alex shivered at that.
“Yes, but it didn’t have to be you. It could have been anyone else, you didn't have to volunteer.”
Alex felt the grip on her hips get tighter and she was pulled closer. “Yes, I did.”
She could now see that Astra’s eyes weren’t as cold as she imagined; instead, they held a warmth to them that made Alex catch her breath. As quickly as that happened, Astra pulled away. Alex had not realized that they had finished their first dance and other couples joined in with their partners.
Astra disappeared with a whispered, “I will be back shortly,” and a kiss to her cheek that had Alex dazed and walking to the table that her mother and father were sitting at.
“You both danced lovely out there.” Jeremiah said with a smile on his face. Eliza nodded, although her face was sour. She had not entirely agreed to the marriage, being the only opposing voice in the matter, they had gone with the majority.
“Thank you father.” Alex politely responded, as mile of her own crossing her face.
She looked out across the ballroom, seeing if she could spot Astra anywhere. Instead, she spotted Kara and Cat both dancing, Cat speaking to her and Kara laughing happily. Hank, her father’s top adviser, was standing by the food and talking to some of the other dignitaries. She spotted other faces in the crowd that she knew but could not find her new wife.
“Looking for me?” A voice spoke to her left, making Alex start and look.
Astra sat down next her, sitting a respectable distance away, but close enough that Alex could easily reach across and kiss her.
Shaking her head, Alex responded. “Yes, just curious as to where you might have gone.”
Astra set two glasses down, “Thought you might be thirsty.”
Alex took a grateful sip at the same time as Astra. “You know, there are servants who could have done this?”
“Are you saying that you are incapable of getting your own drink.” Astra’s voice was playful but her face had become closed off.
“Not at all,” Alex responded smoothly, setting her cup down. “Just glad to meet someone who doesn’t solely rely on others for mundane tasks.”
Astra’s eyes became bright and they talked all through the evening. As her hand rested against Astra’s arm and she was rewarded with a dazzling smile; Alex was sure that she was already starting to fall in love and that she was completely helpless.