Chapter 153

The next morning in Eryndor arrived with the wedding day, and preparations had already consumed every corner of the palace.

Even so, the servants still moved around with urgency, carrying gowns, arranging jewelry, preparing perfumes, and checking ceremonial items because everything had to proceed flawlessly today.

Guards had been repositioned throughout the palace and security had been doubled, especially around Rosalind’s chamber.

Although the air carried the sweet scent of flowers, and a beautiful promise of a union, it did nothing to ease the cold tension that lingered beneath it.

The palace gates stood heavily guarded yet formally opened for the ceremony, while trumpets and ceremonial horns echoed throughout the grounds.

Nobles had already begun arriving in their royal carriages, dressed in their finest attire as they stepped down one after another and were announced before entering the ceremonial hall. Kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, and other influential nobles from different kingdoms had come to attend because this was not only a wedding but also an important political event.

Inside the hall, nobles were already taking their seats while servants stood in their assigned positions waiting for the ceremony to begin. The place had been lavishly decorated because Alaric had never been the type to hide his wealth or influence. Polished walls reflected the glow of enormous chandeliers, rare flowers filled elegant vases, ribbons were tied around pillars and chairs, and the red carpet stretched proudly across the floor. Royal banners hung high above the gathering while the insignia of Eryndor occupied every prominent position, and sacred ceremonial items had already been arranged where the vows would be exchanged.

As Rosalind watched the nobles arriving through the palace grounds and listened to the distant sound of the trumpets, her stomach twisted because the Queen of Merovia had yet to arrive.

Standing by the window, she found herself wondering whether her package had even reached the royal family at all.

The longer she waited, the more it felt as though her hopes were crumbling before her eyes. What if the message had been intercepted?

What if it had never reached Merovia?

What if nobody had seen it?

Then what was she supposed to do? Was she truly going to marry Alaric and spend the rest of her life trapped in misery? The questions chased one another through her mind until she became restless.

Soon the maids assembled inside her room and guided her to a chair before beginning the lengthy process of preparing her for the wedding.

Despite her growing anxiety, they carefully arranged her hair into an elegant bun while leaving soft tendrils framing her face. Makeup followed, adding a deep blush to her cheeks and color to her lips before they brought out the jewelry intended for the occasion. Rosalind immediately recognized every piece because they were the same ones she had worn before the wedding was originally called off. Now she was being dressed in them once again, and as each heavy necklace and jeweled ornament was secured onto her, she could only swallow hard.

The more they prepared her, the sicker she felt. There were too many people around her, and the combination of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty churned violently inside her stomach.

“My lady, are you alright?” Freya asked after noticing her expression.

Rosalind managed only a weak smile before the preparations continued. She tried her best to hold herself together, but when it was finally time for the wedding gown and the corset was being tightened behind her, she suddenly pressed a hand over her mouth.

“Is it too tight, my lady?” one of the maids asked in concern.

Rosalind couldn’t answer. Instead, she hurried past them and rushed into the bathing chamber before emptying the contents of her stomach.

When it was over, she remained bent forward for a moment, breathing heavily.

She had tried to hold it in, but the fear had won.

All the nervousness, anxiety, and dread she had been carrying finally overwhelmed her.

On a day when a bride was supposed to be excited, she had never felt more terrified in her life, and her body seemed determined to remind her of it.

Freya quickly followed after her with a glass of water while the other maids remained behind whispering amongst themselves about what had just happened.

Rosalind accepted the water, rinsed her mouth, and spat it out before leaning weakly against the basin.

“You really don’t look well, my lady,” Freya said softly. “Do you need to rest p>

Rosalind took a shaky breath, her chest rising and falling against the fitted wedding gown. “I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. “I’m just very scared p>

Before she realized it, tears had begun gathering in her eyes.

“What are you scared of?” Freya asked gently.

Rosalind looked at her, and she couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out. “What if it’s too late p>

Seeing how distressed she was, Freya didn’t even hesitate to step forward and wrapped her arms around her.

Rosalind had become a trembling mess, her breathing uneven and her throat tight, yet the unexpected embrace brought a warmth she hadn’t realized she desperately needed.

Slowly, little by little, her breathing began to steady and the panic loosened its grip on her chest.

When she had finally calmed down, Freya pulled back slightly and offered her a reassuring smile. “You shouldn’t worry so much, my lady,” she said gently. “I promise everything will be alright p>

Rosalind tried to smile through her tears even as a few escaped down her cheeks. “The makeup will get ruined,” Freya reminded her, and the tears were quickly wiped away before they could undo all the effort the maids had put into preparing her.

Afterward, Rosalind returned to her seat and allowed them to continue their work.

They adjusted the jewelry one final time, making sure every piece sat perfectly in place before helping her into her heels. The bouquet was placed carefully into her hands, and finally the veil was lowered over her face.

When everything was done, Rosalind could hardly recognize herself.

She felt her nervousness rise again but she quickly remembered what Freya had told her and forced herself to remain calm.

The day was not over yet, and as long as it wasn’t over, she could not afford to lose hope.

Some time later, a knock sounded at the door. “It is time p>

The announcement made Rosalind’s heart leap straight into her throat.