-Jinhae’s POV-

It was a glorious day for a wedding as Lu Han’s mother, Lady Xiao Lu, said upon waking up that morning to organize the final touches of the wedding ceremony this afternoon just before sunset. Indeed it was. The skies were clear with no hint of clouds from nearby horizons, a swirl of pink, tangerine and purple as the sun began its daily temporary farewell. The air was crisp and refreshing. It was perfect. At the courtyard below the room where I stood, I could see peach and white gossamer tent they’ve set up at the vast garden of the Jingshen manor for the ceremony. Music wafted up around as well as the faint voices of the people who were invited. It was really a perfect set-up for merry-making.

I turned away from the window of Lu Han’s bedroom and once again, looked around to see the things that were in it. It was like the first time I came in. He was really smart and thought ahead of his age. Instead of toys, I found peculiar things that he explained to be some things used in alchemy and magic. For a toy, he had a very complicated piece of tiny hexagonal gems that resembled a rubiks cube except that it wasn’t square and it had a more complicated shape with twelve sides, not six. He let me read his journals and most of them were from his childhood where he spent most of his days going out to the hills and discovering something new, not to mention a sort of mathematical equation that riddled most of the yellowing back pages. It was his form of play and he might have been an amazing prodigy back then. He’d be a genius in the human world.

His parents…They were the kindest people I have ever known. His mother was an oracle, beautiful with those huge eyes and gentle features. Lu Han looked like her except for his nose and subtle jaw line which he definitely got from his father. They were going to be my family and they’ve treated me as if I was already married to their son. They were sweet people, those that you wouldn’t ever feel uncomfortable around and like their son, they were full of wisdom. Lady Xiao Lu’s soft-spoken manners made her seem fragile, but I knew, deep inside, she was a strong person.

She monopolized my time since we got to Elatus, telling me things about Lu Han I should know. I could tell how much she loved her son by the way she talked about him, always tenderly and full of praises. He deserved it. She told me tales about his childhood and how he treasured the ring that I now wore for out engagement. Apparently, there’s another ring for the wedding which Lady Xiao Lu would bring out later. She told me that she knew my mother and the Lake Guardian, too, since she grew up in the monastery at the northern part of Elatus, but her parents were originally from the capital where my mother, Rose Lady, she called her, was her playmate. She was special since she could see the future, but instead of staying there, she chose to marry Lu Han’s father.

I touched the ring on my finger, feeling the rough edges of the stones embedded to it. As young as I was, I am to marry. It was so ironic since I planned to get married when I turn twenty five. Shinhye said she never wanted to get married before and I don’t think that even Sehun had the power to change her mind. She wasn’t very keen on staying by his side although she says she loves him. I guess people don’t really have to be together just to prove how much they loved each other like my twin and I were apart, but we hold each other dearly in our hearts…even if she wasn’t talking to me at the moment. She merely passed my thoughts and said congratulations with a faint smile before disappearing again. I wished she could be with me.

I stared at my reflection in the huge mirror on the east wall of the room. A maiden with long hair set in intricate braids and curls that framed a delicate face with bright green eyes and cherry lips stared back at me. She was clad in pristine white robes with silver accentuations and pieces of tiny yet intricate hair accessories. She was a vision, if only she’d smile. I forced myself to do so, but it was awkward. The fact that I was going to marry Lu Han made me lightheaded. In the human world, that seemed to be farfetched, but then again, this was Elyxo, a simple world made of dreams and magic.

The door suddenly opened, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of the mirror. I couldn’t move, overwhelmed with emotions, afraid I might burst out crying. It even took me a while to realize that the best man, Lay, entered the room and was no standing behind me with both of his hands on either of my shoulders. He smiled at me through the mirror.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he remarked.

“If you’re referring to that woman,” I pointed at my reflection, “…then yeah. I guess I saw one.”

He chuckled and replaced the mirror in front of me after he rounded the chair I was sitting on. He was, yet again, in another formal set of robes that was like the one I saw him wear during the rite. “Ghost?” He looked at me for the longest time and broke into a smile. “You’re beautiful,” he said.

“You’re beautiful. Lady Xiao Lu is and so is your mother.” I shrugged. “Why do I feel like this?”

He sat on the arm of the chair and looked at me through the mirror. “I think it’s natural.”

I nodded. “Really?”

“Then again, how would I know?” He returned his gaze to me, directly. “I’ve never been married.”

I laughed at that, punching him lightly on the arm. “You’re silly.” I sighed. “I haven’t either.”

There was silence then we both burst out laughing.

“Jinhae,” he said after a while.

“Ne?”

He smiled at me and took my hand. “Please remember that I’ll always be here for you no matter what. You can tell me anything, do you understand?”

I smiled back, feeling better already. “Thank you, Lay.”

He patted my hand, but I pulled him in for a hug.

“Thank you so much. I can never ever say the words to tell you how grateful I am for you.”

He pulled back and nodded. “You’ll be a good wife to Lu Han.”

Right after he said that, there was noise from outside of the room, rustling robes and pleasant voices.

“I haven’t seen her in months. I would definitely want to see her before her wedding,” one voice insisted and Lay closed his eyes in embarrassment. It must be Lady Jiao Liang. The voice sounded like it.

“She’s here?” I asked excitedly.

“Of course,” Lay murmured and opened the door for her and Lady Qian Yi, Tao’s mother.

I met them when they cam into the room and they were about to take me in their arms, but they hesitated and just took my hands.

“You’re very beautiful, dear,” Lady Jiao Liang said to me, an emotional look about her face as she glanced at Lay who bowed and exited the room. “How have you been?”

“Great, your grace. What about you? How are the children in the hospice?”

“They miss you, darling.” She sighed. “You’re getting married.”

Lady Qian Yi gently squeezed my hand. “I wish you a blessed life with Lu Han.”

“He’s a good lad. He will do everything he can to protect you,” Lady Jiao Liang said.

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“Visit us whenever you can.”

“Of course. That would be lovely.” I smiled and bowed before them. “Thank you all for everything you’ve done. I’ll forever be indebted.”

They both smiled at me and after a short chat, they left.

I was left to sit down on my own again, wasting for the time to come when suddenly, the room opened again, I felt a great presence enter the room and when I turned around to see who it was, I saw this man with long, dark hair, his eyes were dark emeralds and he somehow looked like he could be around Lu Han’s age, dressed in blue robes. Then he spoke. “It’s been a while.”

I immediately recognized his voice. My day would have been complete if only Shinhye was there. She was the only one that’s missing. I smiled. “Appa!”

-Lu Han’s POV-

The wedding was about to start. Everything was set. All the people we have invited were seated where they were so supposed to be. My parents were there as well, sitting by the front. Lay stood beside me at the aisle just in front of the altar where the Oracle Minister stood, doing something with what seemed like a lock of hair that burst into flames and emitted a green glow after he added a few strands of his hair into it and poured a familiar-looking clear liquid into it. He then placed it on a stand by the altar, letting it burn. I didn’t really know it was a part of the ritual, but when he saw me looking at him, he merely smiled at me then at Lay. My parents smiled at me and nodded, but I cannot rest easy. Where was Jinhae?

“Why isn’t she here yet?” I asked Lay.

He grinned. “She backed out?”

My eyes widened although I knew he was just jesting. “Don’t say such things,” I mumbled when Kris suddenly stood behind him.

“What seems to be the problem?” he asked. “What’s taking the bride so long? The sun’s about to set.”

A strong gust of wind suddenly blew past us. It was coming from the altar. It was gone as quickly as it disappeared, but the flame to his side seemed to glow brighter than ever. I looked behind me and saw the minister looking straight ahead and smiled.

“The ceremony is about to start,” he declared.

Kris frowned and sat down when the music began to play, producing a heavenly song that needed no words to be understood. It spoke to me and everyone else in the garden, but I forgot everything else when I caught a glimpse of Jinhae’s white robes from the corner of the garden. My eyes traveled up and I saw her smiling face, her eyes glistening with tears. She looked at the person whom she held onto as they marched closer in accordance to the music. I was puzzled at first and my eyes strayed quizzically at the man who held her arms, mirroring the same reactions the other people had except for my mother and the Oracle Minister. They seemed to know him. I had an idea who he was, but…

“She’s happy…” Lay whispered.

I smiled and looked at Jinhae once more, preoccupying myself with only her. She was a vision and I couldn’t believe that a goddess like her would be my wife, mine and forever will be as I was hers. I felt the urge to meet her halfway and take her in my arms, proclaim my love to her right there and then, in front of everyone and for the world to see how much I adored her. She was the one and no one can ever replace her in my heart.

She walked down the aisle, smiling at everyone around her. A slight blush adorned her porcelain cheeks. She paused for a while,