5
One prayer away from heaven
"A pologies, Your Majesty. She needed some finishing touches," Dara said, breathless, as we reached the church door. King Thadrius stood there, arms crossed, waiting.
As always, he was draped in bright fabrics, favoring floral prints. And, of course, atop of his head sat his golden crown, its rubies catching the light. But the way he clutched his long black fur cape made me uneasy. Was he hiding something beneath it? Or maybe, at this point, I was just imagining things. Or perhaps, deep down, I really wished for something to happen.
“You can excuse your maid now, Donatella.” His gaze swept over Dara, slow and dismissive.
Before I could open my mouth to say something, Dara was hugging me, whispering in my ear, “Listen to me carefully, Lady Love. Always go where your heart points, it is your compass. You are destined for more things than you think.”
I was on the verge of tears when she touched the shell at the back of my hair—the same one she had placed there earlier to hold it tight, not letting a single strand come loose.
“This is my wedding gift to you.” I frowned, confused, as she stepped back. Then, she took my hand, kissed it softly, and whispered, “Go get what's yours, Lady Love.”
And then, so quickly, she was gone. I stood frozen, unable to move.
King Thadrius cleared his throat before taking my arm, linking it with his.
“Her name is Dara," I said. "And mine is Donna, not Donatella.”
My stomach twisted. Maybe because I'd dared to speak to The King like that. Or maybe because Dara's words felt more like a farewell than a promise to stay forever.
I closed my eyes, took a breath, and in the darkness, I wished.
Because it turned out I wasn't strong enough. So please—if someone could help me. Some God, any God. Please.
“Please,” I whispered, barely realizing I had spoken, as the church doors opened.
A beautiful melody greeted me, along with a sea of unfamiliar faces. Andas The King and I entered, the guests rose from their seats.
When I looked up, I saw Diego waiting for me at the altar. And in that moment, I felt like I was going to spend an eternity walking down this endless church .
I looked down at the red carpet beneath my feet and took the first step forward.
“Please,” I whispered again, believing it so fiercely that even my trembling nerves seemed to conjure voices in the silence of my mind.
The battle starts now, Lady Love.
“Donna is a name you were given by a thief,” The King said quietly, just for me to hear, as we walked in unison. “That name will not be heard in this court anymore, because it reminds me of your disgusting father. This is not only a wedding, today you are reborn.”
My body went rigid, and I froze, unsure of what to do next.
Keep walking, Lady Love.
I kept walking with the sound of the violins, and my eyes on the floor.
“We can show to the entire Kingdom that a person can be redeemed from their sins. That piracy is a disease that can be cured.” He looked at me then, at my dress and wings. “With a pretty face and a few reading lessons, as is your case, of course.” He smiled with malice and faced forward. “But the message is what matters, is it not, dear? I am a very merciful sovereign. Because I could have hung you next to your father and you could have died like the demon, but instead I exiled it with all of them pirates, and made you the angel.”
We were halfway through the church when I felt tears threatening to come out of the corners of my eyes. So I looked up. Maybe to see if my father could give me strength to say something, or at least just enough to keep moving forward.
Hold on just a little longer, Lady Love. Just a little longer.
The majority of the church ceiling was painted in frescoes about battles against piracy. And as we kept walking to make it to the aisle, I could see it all, every detail.
Pirate ships sinking in the sea. Pirate flags gnawed and dismantled by waves and royal cannons. Shining treasures sunk to the bottom of the sea. But above all, an open sky and a beautiful entire blue ocean to be discovered.
With my head still tilted to the ceiling, I closed my eyes, and again, I wished. It was broad daylight outside and the colored lights from the stained-glass windows shone into my closed eyes, making my prayers look more beautiful and hopeful. And maybe, just maybe, if I opened my eyes... my wish could be fulfilled.
Always with the "maybe", Lady Love. Open your eyes.
And I did.
And when the light coming through the dome revealed a figure tied to the ceiling, I knew it was true that I was beginning to become delirious. But I tried to focus on it again because that part of me, the one that had read so many books and lived so many stories, told me that I was right, and that was indeed a person hanging on a rope from the church dome.
And it was descending. And descending. And descending. And… It was a male figure now. With a long leather coat and very old boots. And he kept descending.
And then, a pair of blue eyes and a scar above a left eye .
It couldn't be.
IT CAN, LADY LOVE!
He pulled a knife from one of his boots, and then he threw it. Straight at me. So fast.
Prepare for impact, Lady Love.
And finally, a sigh of pain.
And with my mouth open and eyes teary, I looked down to find a knife in my stomach, and blood on my white wedding dress.