Chapter 28
Three Months Later
“You’ll make a beautiful queen,” Lea said brightly, her soft blue dress brightening her fair features. “Let me just grab a couple more hairpins for your veil and you’ll be perfect!”
“Get the poor girl a snack while you’re at it,” Gerda said, calling after the springy handmaiden as she gave my train another fluff. “She’ll need all the energy she can get to dance the night away.”
I laughed with the kind servant, our smiles twinkling in the long mirror.
It would never stop amazing me to see my own reflection looking back at me.
There was once a time that I only saw my future husband’s eyes in every shiny surface or speck of ice.
I looked down at the white gold ring nestled on my finger, the sparkling white diamond almost as clear as the ice ring that once held its place.
He wasn’t the old Cassian, but he was just as easy to love.
Our love unfolded just as it had the first time around, but this time, our memories took place in the halls of a joyful castle instead of a frozen one.
Lea came to me as a handmaiden after Cassian caught her trying to steal from the royal pantries.
The poor girl was fearful that her family wouldn’t have enough food to make it through the winter, so Cassian offered her a well-paying job to cover any expenses they could ever have.
“There you are.” Lea handed the hairpins to Gerda, who delicately tucked them against my scalp to secure the sparkly white veil. “And here are some fresh berries for you, Your Highness. Sorry they’re so cold. I think the venue is a little too chilly for warm meals.”
“I don’t mind a frozen snack,” I giggled, plucking a sweet berry from the bowl. It still tasted like candy. “Thank you, Lea. Will your family be attending the celebration?”
“Will they? My siblings have been looking forward to it for weeks,” Lea said.
She always lit up when talking about her family.
“Jack has been practicing his dancing for days now, and poor Nora is probably going to have to dance in crutches after how many times he’s stepped on her toes.
I bet my Ma and Paw are already claiming their seats. ”
“Well, I hope they don’t sit there so long that they freeze to their seats,” I said.
Lea and Gerda fluttered around me, adding a few finishing touches to my long lace gown, and double-checking all the satin buttons that cascaded down my sleeves.
It was Cassian’s idea to have the wedding in an ice castle, but it was my suggestion to put it up on the mountain and have the guests arrive by royal sleighs.
Cassian’s magic built the castle just as it had been before, but with a few more fur pelts to keep the seats warm. Today, I prepared for my wedding in my old room, the one that nobody else would ever remember existing before.
Though our first love would always be reflected in these walls.
It didn’t take long for Cassian to confirm Blamore’s schemes after I brought them to light. When asked how I knew about his plot, I simply explained that I overheard a whisper, but Cassian always seemed to know that it went deeper than that.
Tonight, I would tell him everything. I wanted him to know the story of the little match girl and the snow queen.
“Are you ready?” Gerda asked me, my heart fluttering.
“Yes.” I followed her lead out the door, each step echoing like the best note on a xylophone as I traversed the frosty halls I’d missed so dearly.
I was nearly at the grand hall when the skittering of quick steps made me pause. Gerda peered around the corner to see what the commotion was and nearly tumbled over when two rosy-cheeked children slipped on the ice and collided into her knees.
“Goodness!” Gerda folded her arms. “What are you two doing back here? You should be in your seats by now.”
“Sorry!” Gilly said hastily, her pretty braids tied back with silver ribbons for the occasion. “We didn’t mean to be trouble. We just wanted to give Miss Princess our wedding gifts!”
“Yeah!” Harley said, thrusting out a lump wrapped up in old newspaper. “But we have to hurry, Granny thinks we’re looking for the washroom.”
“Now, children...” Gerda folded her arms. “It’s time for the bride to meet her groom. Go back to your seats and—”
“It’s quite all right, Gerda. I can spare a moment.
” I knelt down in front of the children, smiling ear to ear as I admired Harley’s handiwork.
Aside from seeing them around the kingdom, this was the first time I’d truly met them in this life.
“That wrapping looks beautiful, Harley. Did you do it yourself?”
“I did!” Harley said proudly, thrusting the heavy gift into my hands. “But, uh...how did you know my name?”
“Douglas told me, of course,” I said right as I pulled the paper off the familiar rock. He was missing his charcoal smile, but I’d know that old stone anywhere. “He’s quite the companion, you know. Are you certain you want to part with him?”
“It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” Harley said, standing tall and proud like the guards always did. “Douglas deserves to live in the palace!”
“You’re quite right,” I said, handing the prized possession back to Lea for the moment. “I’ll see that he gets an excellent seat at the reception. Thank you so much for the wonderful gift.”
“It’s not nearly as good as my gift!” Gilly butted in, pushing her own newspaper-wrapped present into my palms. It was small and rectangular...like a very familiar box.
Could it be?
I opened the gift, and my fingers buzzed as they came into contact with the magical box of matches.
They’re back.
My eyes misted over as I recalled the desperate moments these tiny flames had saved me from. In each life, I’d hoped to share them with someone in need, but today, all I needed to do was walk down the aisle.
“There’s three in there!” Gilly said proudly. “It’s getting warmer out, so you probably don’t need them to start a fire, but I thought they would be great for lighting pretty candles or even fireworks!”
“That’s a great idea, Gilly,” I said, watching her smile widen as I used her name. “But I think I have an even better idea. Did you know these matches can grant wishes?”
They both gasped, and I could hear Gerda and Lea giggle behind me.
“Really?” Harley asked, inching closer to the box.
“Really.” I nodded, pulling up the box to retrieve the three matches. I lit the first one, the tiny flame sparkling in the children’s eyes as I handed the first one to Harley. “What would you like to wish for?”
“Oh...” He squeezed his eyes, thinking impressively hard until he popped open his eyes. “I wish for a big feast after the wedding!” He blew out the candle.
“Marvelous wish.” I smiled, striking the next match and handing it to Gilly. “And what do you wish for, Gilly?”
“I wish...” She pondered for a second, then gave her match a decisive smile. “I wish for everyone to have a wonderful time today with their families!” She blew out her match, and the magic dissipated in the air, preparing the castle for the grandest celebration of the century.
“I can’t wait to see them come true,” I said. “I’ll make my wish in a moment. Why don’t you two go take your seats?”
The children scurried off, and Gerda continued her task of leading me to the aisle. She paused me in front of the frozen double doors, and I could somewhat make out the blurry shapes of guests sitting throughout the hall, and a tall, dashing king waiting at the front in his favorite fur cape.
“The doors will open in a moment,” Gerda told me, adjusting my train one final time. “Would you like to hold your bouquet?”
“No, thank you,” I said, gently waving off the beautiful array of white roses and snowdrops. I struck the last match on the side of the box, handing the box to Gerda as I held the flame above my swelling heart. “I’ll just carry this.”
The doors split open, and the entire kingdom rose as I took my first step down the aisle.
Cassian’s face was all I could see, his adoring gaze making the tiny match burn even hotter in my fingers.
His eyes flicked briefly to the flame, a puzzled look crossing his joyous smile as I whispered my final wish.
“I wish for a lifetime of memories with my king,” I whispered, raising the match to my lips. “Every lifetime.”
I blew out the match.
Cassian’s smile froze. I continued walking down at a slow and steady pace, watching as his hand slowly moved to his forehead, and his eyes grew wider by the second. I made it halfway down the aisle before he took his first step.
The crowd whispered as he stumbled away from the altar, his eyes locked solely on me as his walk turned into a run, and his run turned into him crashing into my arms. I nuzzled into his warm embrace, letting the used match fall from my fingers as the crowd awed at the affectionate, though unusual display.
“Safara?” He whispered in my ear, pulling away enough to cup my face in his warm hands. “I... I remember.” His voice wobbled, his smile almost too big to fit on his handsome face. “My queen.”
I snaked my hand around his neck, my veil fluttering as the officiant chuckled back at the altar. “My king.” And then I kissed him.