Your floor length green silk dress trailed behind you, the bodice crossed with patterned flowers made from white lace. On top of it, you had been dressed with a white and gold floor-length, armless dress coat before it had been tied with a golden cord across your waist. Your hair had been combed through several times before part of it was braided in from the sides to the top of your head, the remaining blonde locks being left loose. A golden chain had been placed around your neck, an emblem of the Elven Royalty encased in a giant pendent. The weight of it lay heavy on your chest as did the great weight of expectation. Today was the day you would become Queen of Aranthi.
                Time had flown by since the battle back on Earth where you had slain Grinkel and saved JR. You had been living in Aranthi for just over one month now and moving from Earth to Aranthi had been a huge culture shock. There were so many traditions, so many customs that you had found yourself struggling to adapt to, however the citizens, be they Elf or Fairy had all welcomed you and had been extremely accommodating whilst you adjusted to your new life. Had they not been so kind, it would have taken you even longer. But the person who you owed the majority of your gratitude towards, the person who had helped you the most was none other than JR.
                Living with JR had been daunting at first. You had worked yourself up so much with these unspoken expectations he had off of you but all the anxieties had vanished rapidly the moment you realised-it was all in your head. JR expected nothing off of you. Having helped defeat Grinkel, he was content enough having you by his side. You had saved his life for one thing and you had willingly come to Aranthi for another-what more could he ask for? You may have not told him how you felt properly yet, but he was a patient man. When the time was right, he would accept your honest feelings more than happily.
                JR had ordered for you to take many lessons so that you were able to learn more about Aranthi, of the language, the people, the lands. It had been hard work but it had been fulfilling. Any time you had struggled, he had guided you himself, trying his best to make things easier for you, sometimes offering encouraging words and other times giving some well needed advice. You had not expected this at all, but spending so much time with him in this way had helped you warm to him even more. Sometimes when JR helped clarify anything you were having difficulty with, he would have this glint in his eye. It was so focussed and so charismatic your heart would go wild. Somehow he seemed completely oblivious to the fact he had such charms but you were not about to tell him. If he knew how it was making you feel, surely he would put on such charms all the time and you were not sure you could handle that just yet!
                JR continued looking at you bashfully, the way he had on Earth whenever you passed each other by. He would smile to himself every now and again, sometimes even saying, ‘I can’t believe you’re actually here…’ before clumsily making an exit from wherever you were. Sometimes it happened in the courtyard, sometimes in the gardens, sometimes in stairwells and each time it did happen, you felt yourself anticipating these moments more and more. It was fair to say that JR had won your heart some time ago, but now you were coming to accept things the way they were.
                He had planted a small seed of love and it had begun to flourish now. Would he expect you to say those three words he so desperately wanted to here today though? That was the question…but if you did not, he would surely understand…would he not?
                “Are you ready, my lady?” the maid asked you, curtsying before stepping back, allowing you to gaze at your reflection in the mirror. It was another person from another time, or so it felt like it. You could barely recognise yourself, that person staring back at you, dressed so elegantly; it could not be you, yet it was.
                “You look beautiful, my lady,” the maid told you, a smile upon her face. You smiled back and there in that moment, saw yourself again.
                “Okay, I’m-I’m ready,” you nodded, decidedly.

The doors opened to the temple and there you stood, looking in. There was a choir at the front singing hymns in a foreign tongue, the Elven language you were still attempting to master. Everyone was stood on each side of pearl coloured marble flooring, paved from the entrance to the stage at the front where JR stood. You dared to look at him and instantly noticed how mesmerised he was, stood looking in your direction. Was it because of you? The thought made you blush, especially now that you had also taken in how dashing and handsome he was in his royal emerald green robes and crown.
                You took a step forward and entered the temple, walking gracefully, as practiced, up the few steps to stand opposite your King. He hesitated before reaching out and taking your hands, his touch making you feel alive instantly.
                “Enchanting…” was all JR managed to say before he went a deeper shade of red than he ever had before. You giggled slyly and he smiled bashfully, the exchange between you both warm and light hearted.
                An Elven priest stood at the front and raised his hands, silencing the choir. He then began to speak of the Arethan spirits, of how the fates had bound JR’s fate with yours many eons ago and how the unification of you both was a coming of a new era. Was this customarily said? You were doubtful. You were then asked to kneel down on to a white silken cushion whilst the priest placed a crown upon your head, after which you were then helped back to your feet by JR. You were asked to make a solemn promise, customary during a coronation ceremony, something JR had practiced with you many a time.
                Placing a hand over your heart, you raised the other, palm facing towards the priest and spoke loudly and clearly:
                “I solemnly promise to rule by the side of the King of Aranthi, Jonghyun Kim the Third from now until the end of our times. I promise to serve the people of this country as a servant of the Arethan spirits, sacrificing my needs before theirs in order to rule with honour, grace, humility and courage. Never will I dishonour the name of the Kings and Queens before me and should I do so, will allow the fates to punish me accordingly. From now, I am bound by oath, as the Queen of Aranthi.”
                JR took one of your hands into his and the priest stepped forward. He tied an emerald green ribbon around your hands, proclaiming the Arethan spirits had accepted this unification. You then placed your free hand upon your tied hands and looked up at JR. A lump formed in your throat. This was the hard part now; your wedding vows. You had rehearsed them over and over again but it had made no difference. Every word seemed to have vacated your mind as you felt yourself drown in the deep pools of his green irises.
                “Your vows…” the priest prompted.
                “I…I…” you took a deep breath and JR nodded towards you in encouragement. “I can’t promise you much, but I can promise you that I will always try to be the best that I can be. I don’t have much to offer but I will work as hard as I can, to break through barriers and to-be true to myself and to you. I promise to strive to be a good Queen, not just to the people of Aranthi but to you. I will be fair and just and always…I will lo…” you watched as JR’s eyes widened and the simple movement was too much. “I will…always be yours.” You had faltered. So close you had been to saying those words but it had been too much after all. He looked a little deflated but he squeezed your hand tightly before placing his free hand underneath your tied ones.
                “I have spent my entire life waiting for this moment and when we first met, I knew straight away I would have to wait even longer. Since then I have been patient, counting down the days until you saw that you were eternally mine and I eternally yours. Now that we are stood here, I am filled with nothing but ecstasy, knowing that you chose to become Queen of Aranthi, to serve our people and to be by my side forever. I may not be the best and I hope you can forgive me for that, but I will try hard for you, to ease your worries, to help you through difficult times but more than anything, I hope that my love will be enough for you.”
                You smiled noticing how he had said all of that without faltering or turning into a tomato. It was the most embarrassing speech he could have given but he had spoken each word earnestly and you could not help but admire him more for it. Giving your own speech had felt awkward but he had so naturally allowed the words to flow from him. A true King was brave in any given situation and he had proven himself by standing on this stage, proclaiming his love for you in front of so many people. Could you ever manage that? Definitely not…
                The choir began to sing once more, the temple echoing with their melodic voices. The priest carefully untied your hands and the moment he had, JR took your hand and stepped closer. A knot of anxiety formed in your chest. Was he about to kiss you? You looked up at him, stunned, watching as he edged closer and closer…but he missed your lips and you instantly felt a fool.
                “Forever is a long time…” he whispered in your ear before pulling away, a small smile upon his face, “And the fact that I love you won’t ever change.”
                “Well…I killed a goblin prince for you so I’m pretty sure I’ve got one up on you here,” you absentmindedly blurted out to him. For a moment, he was taken aback but then he began to laugh.
                “Is this you indirectly telling me that you love me?”
                “It might be-wait…” he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around your waist.
                “I know you were about to say it in your vows…”
                “JR…people are watching…” he looked at you with sad eyes and you felt yourself melting. “Fine, I…” you closed your eyes and mouthed the words he so desperately wanted to hear, hoping it would be enough.
                “I love you too, with all my heart, my Elf Queen,” he kissed you on your forehead and there was an uproar all around you as the celebrations commenced. He took your hand in his and nodded.
                “Shall we?” You smiled and nodded back at him as you took a step towards your new life, a step towards a life time together…

THE END