3. Maisy
Maisy woke the next morning to the sunshine on her face and the sound of birds singing. It was such a fairy-tale feeling that she was smiling even before she opened her eyes. As she became more awake, though, Maisy felt a sense of heaviness sink into her chest. It was her wedding day. And despite everything, it wasn’t how she pictured her wedding day would be.
She didn’t have long to dwell, because her sister burst through the doors and into her bedroom. They were in adjoining suites in one of the palace’s towers, and Lily, always an early riser, had made a habit of waking Maisy up by leaping onto her bed. True to form, Lily flung herself onto her sister’s bed and popped up, blue eyes twinkling.
“Good morning, Bride-to-Be!” she trilled.
“Good morning, Maid of Honor.”
Lily rolled onto her side and smiled. “Can you believe you’re getting married today?”
“I can’t.” Maisy smiled indulgently. “Can you believe it?”
“No!” Lily laughed. “It feels like just yesterday when you were preparing for your prom and I was a heartsick ten-year-old who just wanted to go with you.”
“I remember. And because I’m such a great big sister, I made you your own prom.”
“Right, you did!” Lily grinned. “We both dressed up and danced in the living room, and then you gave me punch.”
“It was just apple juice with cinnamon.”
“I loved it.” Lily flopped onto the pillow next to Maisy, her smile fading to something more serious. “Everything’s changing. You’re going to be married. You’re going to live in Aenicea instead of Boston. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”
Maisy knew she should have said something reassuring about how Lily could visit her anytime and they would always be sisters, but her heart felt heavy. Instead, she just put her arm around her little sister and pulled her close.
“It does feel like a lot of things are changing, huh?”
“But it’s exciting too, right?” Lily twisted to look at Maisy. “Are you excited?”
“Of course. But we’d better get moving. There’s lots to do.”
“I know.” Lily sat up and ticked things off on her fingers. “There’s the visit to the traditional baths. Then we have brunch with your friends. And then the wedding. I heard they’re going to release a thousand doves!”
“I don’t know where you heard that, but I don’t think any doves are involved. We do have other things to do, though. Let’s go.” Maisy gently shoved Lily off the bed. She wasn’t in the mood to dissect her feelings about the day ahead, even with her beloved sister. It was better to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Thirty minutes later, the sisters were reclining in a hot tub that smelled faintly like lemons and mint. The bath attendants had allowed them to wear swimsuits to cater to their “American sensibilities,” so Maisy was in her favorite green one-piece and Lily was in a yellow bikini. Everywhere Maisy looked, there were beautiful things to be seen. The floor tiles were gorgeous blue-and-white swirl, the walls were filled with windows looking out over the sea, and the tub they were in was tiled with geometric patterns in blues and greens.
“Now, this is the life,” Lily said. She dipped her head beneath the water then emerged, her golden hair plastered to her neck and shoulders. She grinned the grin Maisy remembered from endless childhood afternoons and, for a moment, everything was as it should be. They were just two sisters together, enjoying a morning at the spa.
Then Maisy remembered the wedding and felt nerves twist her stomach. In just a few short hours, she’d be wearing a lacy white dress (picked out after hours of research by Maisy, Lily, their mother, the queen, and about eighty stylists and publicists) and walking down the aisle on her father’s arm. And when she reached the end of the aisle, that would be that. A whole new life would start, whether Maisy was ready for it or not.
“Maise?” Lily nudged Maisy with her shoulder. “You look all worried again. The spa morning is supposed to be relaxing.”
“I know, I know. And it’s lovely.” Maisy smiled at her sister. “Just hanging out with you is the best pre-wedding morning I could have.”
“Aw.” Lily grinned. “Thanks. You know, all this pomp and circumstance is making me think about my own wedding.”
“Are you dating someone?” Maisy asked, sitting up straighter.
Lily laughed and shook her head. “No. Not yet, anyway. After seeing all this fairy-tale magic, I think I’m a little ruined on normal guys. Maybe I need my own prince.”
“Sure.” Maisy reclined against the edge of the tub again and splayed her hands across the top of the water. “Got anyone in mind?”
“I don’t know. Xander’s handsome. But it would be weird to marry a guy who looks just like my brother-in-law.”
Maisy snorted, but her heart gave a strange twist at even a casual joke about her sister marrying Xander. “Is that the only thing holding you back from marrying Xander?”
“Mostly.” Lily flipped a strand of wet hair over her shoulder.
“Honey.” Maisy glanced at her sister. “I know this all seems very glamorous, but you might want to choose a life out of the spotlight, with a man you pick for yourself.”
Lily’s blue eyes furrowed with worry. “Do you regret agreeing to marry Niko?”
“Of course not.” Maisy put her arm around her sister. “Niko is a wonderful man. I just want you to be aware of everything that comes with marrying a prince, beyond the fancy clothes and balls and dinners.”
“Okay.” Lily still looked a little concerned, but one of the bath attendants came to fetch them for manicures before she could ask any more questions.
Over the next few hours, Lily and Maisy went from manicures to massages to another spa soak before making their way to the staging room. The other bridesmaids were already waiting for them, and at the sight of Maisy, they squealed and pulled her into a group hug. Maisy smiled at her friends. It was nice to see everyone, from her childhood best friend to a beloved cousin, to women she went to college with, all in the same room.
“Come on!” Jenna, Maisy’s former college roommate, took her by the hand and pulled her to the makeup chair. “We need to get started!”
“No time to waste!” Lily agreed enthusiastically.
Soon, another friend had started a playlist of pop songs that had been popular when Maisy was in college, and they were all dancing around the room, singing into hairbrushes and exchanging lipsticks. It was almost exactly how Maisy had always imagined her wedding day (she’d been inspired by a lot of eighties movies growing up). Yet she struggled to join in. Instead, she sat in her makeup chair as stylists came and went, helping her apply makeup to make her look fresh and lovely, and twisting her hair into an elaborate updo complete with silver pins. One of them added a modest silver tiara, and Maisy realized with a jolt that today was her first appearance as a princess of Aenicea.
As her wedding look slowly came together in the mirror and Maisy’s friends danced around her, she felt that she was looking down on the scene from a distance. Today was her wedding day. And although it was the perfect setting, with all her friends, and although even Maisy could admit that she looked gorgeous, it didn’t feel right.
“Okay, dress time!” one of the stylists sang. Lily hurried over, and together they helped Maisy step into the dress, then pulled it up and over her shoulders before lacing the back.
“Wow, you look beautiful!” Lily grabbed Maisy’s hands and pulled her to a full-length mirror in the corner of the room. Her bridesmaids gathered behind her, and they all took in the sight of Maisy in her wedding dress.
It really was a beautiful dress. A lacy bodice with off-shoulder sleeves and an elegant neckline leading down to emphasize Maisy’s waist, then cascading into an equally lacy skirt that brushed the floor in soft, floaty layers. Maisy’s face was adorned with subtle makeup that made her cheeks look rosy and her lips look full and pink. Mascara highlighted her long lashes, and eyeliner brought out her green eyes. The tiara glinted atop Maisy’s brown curls, which had been arranged into an elegant style. Maisy looked every bit the picture-perfect bride. She just didn’t look like herself.
As a child, Maisy had imagined wearing a dress like this and walking down an aisle to a man who loved her, whose face lit up at the sight of her. Today didn’t quite match that mental image.
It’s all going to work out, Maisy told herself silently. Your new life begins today.
“Okay, you have a few minutes, then it’ll be time to set up for the ceremony,” one of the stylists announced. The bridesmaids squealed with excitement, but Maisy felt another stab of worry. Hopefully, everything would go as planned. She didn’t think she could deal with any surprises today.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lily ran to get it and, when she returned, she was smiling.
“Dad’s ready to walk you down the aisle. And he says it’s time to take our places.”
“Okay.” Maisy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let’s do this.”
“Time to get you married!” Lily squeezed her hand. “I can’t believe this it really happening.”
Maisy took another deep breath. “Me neither.”