MoonLife (19 page)

Stunned at my reflection, I wasn’t sure what to say. I was speechless, and that doesn’t happen to me very often.

“Well, what do you think?” asked Wendy
.

“I’m shocked. I can’t believe that’s actually me. I feel so different.” I took another look and still couldn’t believe that was my reflection in the mirror. I really did look like my
Mo
ther
;
I was beginning to feel like a real Princess
,
too. Tears started to well up in my eyes. I fought them back, not wanting to mess up the beautiful makeup job.  “Do you think the crown
’
s too much
,
guys?”

“You are the Kali Princess. It is a tradition that at formal events you wear your crown. Do you like it?” asked Aman and she adjusted it a bit on my head.

“It is beautiful and matches the locket my
m
other gave me.”

“The crown is part of your family’s
R
oyal jewels. It was your
m
other’s and your
m
other’s
m
other before her and so on. Your locket is part of the
R
oyal jewels as well. You know, your locket is told to be magical. It is said that when the princess opens the locket
,
it will show her all the people she loves.” Aman looked at the locket longingly.

“It does, it shows me Sebastian and my
m
other.” I thought to myself, I hadn’t left it open that long. Maybe it does more? I reached down and opened the locket. The girls looked on as we watched the locket first show Sebastian and my
m
other then slowly the pictures changed to my
adopted
parents, and then to Wendy and
Marco
. I smiled up at the women. They were amazed at the locket and I think a little speechless. “Well
,
I guess we know the story is true, it does show me all the people that I love.”

I took another gaze in the mirror. Wendy had her phone and snapped some photos of me. Then she had Keket take a couple of her and me together, and of course we had to get a group photo of all us girls.  She even texted a picture to
Marco
back in Sacramento
.
I knew he would love seeing me all dressed up!

“It’s time Princess, shall we go…
?
”
s
aid Keket
,
and she motioned towards the door.

With that, I was off to become Mrs. Sebastian
K
night.

Chapter
Seventeen

Standing outside the doors to the Sanctum, I took a deep breath. This was it, the end and beginning of the journey. No longer would I ever be just plain Sadie, soon I wouldn’t even be human
…
I would be a Royal Mandurago. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I thought about my biological parents and all they had done for me growing up. I remembered the feelings of being alone that I had fought with all my life. I thought about Wendy and me always being on the outside of everything going on as kids, wanting to be in the cool crowd
,
but not knowing how to step in and fit i
n
. Would I fit in now? Would this life fit me
?
Would Sebastian be happy with me for all eternity?

I thought about our first meeting, seeing him across the street from the flower shop. How he made me feel when he would show up at the store to surprise me, the sun just going down and the smile on his face. Or just seeing him walking down the street, and how my heart started to beat double time. How his touch sends an electric shock down my spine and his kiss unleashes the inner animal in me.  I thought about the feeling I get when I am in the same room with him, just being near him makes me happy, I don’t even need to touch him, I just need to know he’s there. He was the one I need to talk to first, whether there was something good or bad going on in my life. I knew I had never felt alive until I met Sebastian and learned who I actually was. But this, this is big, this is forever. I took another deep breath and reached out and held on to Wendy’s arm to steady myself.

“That’s right…deep breathes
,
Sadie. It’s normal to be nervous, this is a huge deal. You can’t come back from this.” Wendy said
,
as
s
he held my arm.

I looked up at her and saw worry in her eyes. “I know
,
Wendy. I know that this is what I want to do, I know that I love him more than life itself
. I
t’s just scary. I’m not just getting married
…
I am getting bound to him for all eternity. No return policy and I’m being changed into a
R
oyal vampire.”

She hugged me carefully, trying
not
to mess me up or pull on my veil. “I know
! I
t’s enormous! Tonight will change your whole world. But Sadie
,
when you think about it, is it truly going to be that much different? You’re with Sebastian all the time anyway
. T
he only thing that will change is that you will be a Mandurago and not a human. And
ya
know, with your Royal
b
lood I don’t think you’re really all that human anyway. So all that’s changing is that you will be bound to the man you love to death, forever. No one will be able to separate you again.”

I smiled over at Wendy. When she put it that way, it didn’t seem as if it would be that much different. He loves me, he wants me…forever and no one again will separate us. I smiled bigger, realizing she was right, and all the positives clearly outweighed the negatives, burning fire or not.

Keket came up to us and gently hugged me, the other two women followed behind. “I want to warn you of what to expect. Shortly our ruler, King Nicon will come down. The music will start and he will then escort you down the aisle. At the end of the aisle, before Sebastian and all your guests, he will gently bite your neck and carefully drink from you, then pass you to Sebastian who will bow to him and take you up the altar.”

“Why exactly does King Nicon have to bite me?” I asked, really not wanting to do that part of the ceremony.

“It’s an ancient tradition symbolizing that you are free of disease and Sebastian has his blessing to be bound. Normally it is done by a high ranking official in the Manduragos. It is our highest honor to have the King walk you down the aisle.” She looked like I should be thankful he was doing it. I tried to look appreciative, but I honestly just didn’t like the idea of anyone biting me other than Sebastian.

“Then after you are passed to Sebastian he will take you up the walk way to the altar. There you will say your vows and do the ceremony. “

“We should have practiced this or something. I don’t know what to expect on the altar, what I am supposed to do
?
”

“Don’t worry, just follow Sebastian’s lead. It will be fine. It’s just an average handfasting ceremony.”  Said Keket and she adjust my dress and crown.

“Oh good.” I said, but what I was thinking was HANDFASTING?? I
s
that the
same
as BINDING??

I looked to Wendy for a little support. She came around and hugged me yet again.

“Keket
,
what about after the ceremony? Do we kiss like at a normal wedding?”

“Yes
,
you do and then you bow to the crowd and will be taken to the bridal chambers or as you would call it the Honeymoon
s
uite.”

“Is that where
the Turn
will happen
,
too?” I asked, hoping that they didn’t expect to watch.

“Yes
,
it is specially outfitted for anything you both may need during that time. Locked down too, you won’t be able to leave until it’s over, good or bad.”

“Good or bad, what does that mean?” I asked, looking into her eyes to try and get a deeper feel for what she was trying to saying.

Keket looked down and the other girls all gave me a very solemn look. “Keket
,
what does that mean
?
”

“Well
,
I am sure Sebastian has told you that not everyone makes it through
the Turn
. It is intensely painful and some people, especially woman
,
aren’t
physically
strong enough.”

“Yes
,
Sebastian had told me that.” It was a sad thing that almost half the women didn’t make it, and a third of the men died as well. “Sebastian also said that a Kali Princess has never been through
the Turn
.”

“This is true
. W
e don’t know what to expect or if it will be easier or harder. So you both will be locked in the room until
the Turn
is over. Either you both leave or only one will. We are hoping there will be no problems for you. We want you to be one of us. ” She smiled a wistful smile at me.

“So there is a chance I may not make it? I just assumed with my Royal
b
lood, my chances were higher than most.”

“If there was a fifty-fifty chance, like a regular mortal, would you do it anyway? Does it really matter what the chance is? You love him, you won’t live without him. You were born with his mark. What does it truly matter?” I looked at Keket long and hard and thought of her words. She was right
. I
t
wouldn’t
matter
if
I only had a three percent chance, I would still do it. I love him and even with those slim chances
,
they were better than being without him.

“You are a bright woman
,
Keket. I knew I liked you the moment I saw you stand up to Talia. When this is all said and done, and I regain the throne, I would love for you to be a part of my team at the castle.”

Keket smiled widely. “I would be honored
,
my
Princess
.”

“Sadie…Keket, please call me Sadie
,
” I reminded her.

“Sadie. How about Princess Sadie?” she giggled
.

“Well
,
that’s a little better, but I would really like my friends to just call me Sadie
.
”

“You consider me a friend?” she bowed to me
.

“Stop bowing
. O
f course I do.”

“Then
,
Sadie
,
I would be honored to assist you at the castle.” She leaned in and hugged me.

Two men approached us
.
“T
he King is here
,”
said one to Keket. I heard the music starting to swell inside the Sanctum. It was a beautiful, haunting melody, much different than the regular wedding march. I asked Keket quickly what the music was. She told me it was my family’s
R
oyal anthem, the anthem of the Oubliettes’. I thought I had heard the music before, it was far away in a dream I had with Sebastian. The thought of my family’s music playing while I walked down the aisle made me terribly emotional. I felt tears again swelling in my eyes as I tried hard to fight them back. This was my big day and I would not go down the aisle crying like a school girl with runny eyeliner. I took a deep breath and held it. I looked up at the ceiling and imagined spiders crawling out and falling on my head. Yes, I know it’s wrong, but it’s what I have done since I was little. I am scared to death of spiders, so the idea of them falling on my head has always made me stop crying.

“Are you ready
,
Princess?” said the regal man that had just walked up beside me. It was King Nicon. He offered me his arm, and I wrapped my arm through his. The massive wooden doors opened in front of us as if by magic, and the crowd turned to stare as we entered the large cathedral.
It
was packed, not a seat to be had. Way down in front I saw Sebastian, his face turning from an anxious look to utter happiness when he saw me standing in the back of the Sanctum. It took every ounce of will I had not to take off run
ning
down the aisle to him. I knew
…
I knew right at that moment that I was in the exact right place I needed to be. I had never been so certain of anything in my whole life. Sebastian was my destiny, and that destiny was about to happen.

Chapter
Eighteen

The
S
anctum was set for a night wedding; the lighting in the room was dark as if you were out walking in the night. Above me were large modern chandeliers, dancing in the air that reminded me of a moonlit sky. Around the circular room were sconces that were directing light up the walls, not to illuminate the room but to give it mood lighting. In the middle of the
S
anctum, where Sebastian waited for me, was a round platform with a large canopy laced with twinkling lights. It looked as though they had captured all the stars in the night sky and placed it in this room. The pews were lined with rich jeweled tapestries
.  Wendy’s flower arrangements lined the aisles, there were
lilies and roses were strewn about giving it a surreal feeling. It was the most gorgeous sight I had ever seen. It felt so ethereal, so magical, and it was so perfect for our ceremony to start our moonlife together.