Parent-Teacher Conference Ch. 23

The Wedding

The next week was pure chaos. Gone were the banquets and meetings of dignitaries, instead, there were wedding preparations, rehearsals, and learning the customs of the ceremony of Oliver's world. The only comfort I could find was Oliver was working as hard as I was. Helena was having us do a hybrid wedding with the traditions from Earth blending with the traditions of their world. My nights were no better as my shock and excitement had been replace with fear and doubt. Lara slept next to my bed as I couldn't sleep without at least two or more nightmares causing me to scream in my sleep. After the second time of her running into my room ready to kill, she slept next to me as to help wake me, and calm me down.

My nightmares were worse than ever. I saw Oliver leaving me at the alter for another woman, never coming, not being there, leaving me, sending me back to Earth alone, without Lara by my side. A few I witness him killed before our wedding and thus I was sent back to Earth heartbroken and alone. Exhaustion was getting the better of me, but I refused to let anyone know, as I was sure my nightmares were triggered by the stress of the wedding. However, Lara did go behind my back and had Iman give me something to help me sleep the night before the wedding that blocked the nightmares. I won't lie, it might the one time I wasn't angry with her for not listening to me.

The day of the wedding was even more stressful and chaotic than I could have ever imagined. It started with a fight with Ibarra and Lilja about my dress and Lara's dress, which I won. Then it was a fight with the bathing. Why they want me to shave my sex I'll never understand as I insisted on keeping my pubic hair. 'I must remember to ask Oliver about this, or perhaps Helena one day.' Once I was dressed, I let them apply my make-up, then I had them apply Lara's make-up. Soon, we are dressed, painted, and as Ibarra was putting my veil and comb into my hair. Queen Helena walked in wearing a beautiful silver gown. I felt she had worn it to match my dress

"Oh Alexis, you look so beautiful."

"Thanks," I said smiling.

"And Lara," said Helena, "your father would be so proud of you. I wish he were here to see you."

"As do I my Queen," said Lara.

"Ladies, may I have a few minutes alone with Alexis," Helena asked.

"Of course My Queen," said Lara escorting Ibarra and Lilja out of the room and closing the door.

Helena touched my veil and said, "Such a strange tradition to cover your face as if they are trying to hide you."

"Kind of is," I said. "Part of it has to do with forcing the man to commit to his bride in the case of an arranged marriage, and part was because when a man wanted a bride, he'd kidnap her from a neighboring tribe and cover her head with a blanket so she couldn't see where she was being taken. It's also a symbol of modesty and purity. Oliver said to wear what would make me happy, and I chose this because it reminded me of the pictures of my mother when she married my father."

"Then that's what really matters," she said. "But I have a gift for you. I remember you told me about the gifts new couples receive from family and friends and I wanted to give you something that was given to me when I married Oliver's father."

She handed me a small box that felt like crushed velvet. Inside was a necklace with a large blue stone in the center, it looked like a 10 carrot sapphire. "Oh Helena," I gasped. "It's beautiful!"

"All I ask is you wear it today," she said.

"I can't take this," I said.

"You must," she said. "The mother of the male child gives his life-mate a gift to show her support. It must be something that was once hers. Besides, you told me you lacked something blue and this will meet that requirement. This was mine, and I want you to have it."

"Thank you," I said smiling. "Can you help me put it on?"

"Of course," she said and quickly stood up, grabbed the necklace, and put it around my neck.

The necklace was heavy. I felt it pulling on my neck and pressing on my chest. Helena kissed my cheek and pulled my veil over my face. "My son is so lucky to have someone like you, and now, to have you to become his wife, it's a dream come true. Our people will be very lucky to have you as their Princess, and one day, as their Queen."

"Thank you," I said. "I hope I don't disappoint everyone."

"Nonsense, I've seen joy from so many just by you entering a room. Now come, it's time for you to become a real princess," she said and led me out of my room.

We walked down the hallways, Lara right behind us. Ibarra and Lilja had already gone to the ceremony. Soon, we were in our staging area, and Helena said, "I need to take my seat, but I've asked someone to stand in for your father and escort you down to Oliver. I know your own father could do it, Oliver shared with me about your family. I hope you don't mind, but when I mentioned to him about your traditions, he wanted to be there for you. I hope it's all right."

I smiled and said, "Thank you, who is it?"

"Me," said a deep voice that was vaguely familiar.

I turned to see Ambassador Quez smiling at me. "Ambassador Quez?"

"I know I am not your father, nor am I from your world, but we do not get to be in our daughter's ceremonies as they often do not have such formal ceremonies. Since I only have sons, three fine sons, and you have no father, maybe I could step in for him in on just this one occasion. That is, if you do not mind."

"I do not mind at all," I said fighting the urge to cry. "Thank you."

"It is my honor," said Ambassador Quez.

Queen Helena left and I took one of Ambassador Quez's arms as we wait. Soon, Lara left us and we wait, alone. Maybe it was his presence but my levels of fear and panic were much lower than I anticipated.

"Prince Oliver is very lucky to have such a strong and beautiful creature to be his life-mate. Don't let those who wish to bring you down, make you doubt yourself. Prince Oliver chose you above all others. One day, they will see what he sees."

I smiled and said, "Thank you."

The doors opened and the most beautiful music filled the air. Ambassador Quez and I slowly walked down the aisle. The room was filled with all kinds of creatures, some I'd met and some I hadn't. I saw Lara smiling at me and then I saw Oliver. Even though my veil I could see his clothes. He was wearing what looked like a white tuxedo with silver trim. I was sure it was more of what he'd wear from his world, and yet it reminded me of what he would have worn in mine. His brown eyes shined at me and soon, we were standing in front of the guests. Ambassador Quez shook his hand, then placed my hand into his, and stepped away. Oliver raised my veil and gasped. I'm not exactly sure why, but I didn't care. He led me forward and the ceremony began.

Our first kiss as husband and wife, Prince and Princess, was soft and gentle. Cheers echo from the room and I knew it was not a dream and I was now his wife. Just an hour ago, I was just plain old Alexis Perry, a schoolteacher from Earth. I stood here now as Princess Alexis, wife of Prince Oliver, and future queen of a world I didn't even know existed two short years ago. We left the ceremony and entered another large room. I saw tables, plates of food, and what I would call a dance floor. After we ate a fine meal, Oliver led me to the dance floor. Soon, music filled the air, and I recognized it from my iPod. It was Journey's "When You Love a Woman." It was the same song that Mr. Jarvis sang the night Oliver came back and proposed to me. Oliver's smile told me he wanted it clearly known this was how he felt about me. We moved across the floor gracefully. I felt his ring press against my fingers as he held my hand and we glided across the floor. The best part was when Oliver surprised everyone, especially me, by singing the last line of the song, "You see your world inside her eyes."

I gasped and hugged him tightly as the room filled with cheers and applause. Later, Oliver was dancing with the Queen and I was dancing with Ambassador Quez. This was followed by more dancing and celebrations. It felt like the night would never end. I was sure this wasn't part of their traditions, but mine. Yet here they were, Oliver's family, Oliver's friends, Oliver's people, dancing and making me feel special, important, and loved. It was a feeling I'd only felt at the end of the school year when my students were leaving to move on to another grade, or another school, and I knew I wouldn't see them again anytime soon, but they made sure I know how much they loved me. The difference was now I knew, they weren't leaving, they were entering. Helena's words about quieting those who gossiped about me echoed through my mind.

Suddenly, I knew, that this was what the vision of my mother and Mandy were trying to tell me. I was destined to be a wife, a mother, and one day, a queen. I knew my future with Oliver would be bright, and when the time comes, we will become King Oliver and Queen Alexis. Perhaps one day, Earth can join the federation that we are a part of, maybe not during my reign, but during the reign of our children, or grandchildren. I had finally found true happiness, with a man who traveled across the galaxy in search of that one, his life-mate, his true love, his soul mate, and found all of those in me. I wasn't sure what I did to deserve such a wonderful man, but I really didn't care, what I cared about his making him happy, and being the queen he believed I could be, one day. I knew with him by my side, I could be.

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I wish to thank all of you for sticking with me until the end. I know that in the future I won't post such short chapters on this site. I hope you liked the tale of Alexis & Oliver. I may one day come back and post more including what happens with their children.

~NymphWriter