19. Eliza

The twins, Garret and Jasper, were born via scheduled C-section that went as smoothly as we could have hoped for. Dr. Weiler kept me in the hospital for a week, before Edward could take the babies and me home.

Much sooner than Edward was happy with, we returned to our normal routine of him taking me to graveyards at night, while Lucy looked after Garret and Jasper. I worked extra hard to make up for lost time and finished two more mantles, driven by the time that suddenly seemed to run through my fingers.

I put the finished mantle that included nettles Lucy had touched aside, worried that it might negate the effectiveness of being the antidote to the curse. I kept it just in case though, because suddenly the six years were almost up.

We were nearing the end of the sixth year and I still had one mantle to go, when Edward put aside what he was doing and walked over to where I sat, sewing with the babies asleep in their swings.

It was Lucy’s day off and a rare moment for us to be alone.

“The two years are almost up,” Edward said, hunching down next to me, resting his hands on my thighs and sending shivers of pleasure and desire through me.

I sent a warm smile his way and nodded happily. Yes, the two years were almost up. He didn’t know that it was six for me.

“Does that promise still stand that you will tell me your name in a few months?”

Yes, my eyes promised.

He grinned. “Good, how about we plan a wedding for it? I can get someone to officiate and have your name added to the certificate as soon as you can give it to me.”

My heart skipped a beat, that sounded… wonderful, magical even. I nodded vigorously.

“Good, it’s settled then.”

I beamed at him. “I’ll help you plan it,” he promised. “I’m sure Lucy will love to lend a hand too.”

I slung my arms around him and pulled his head to my chest so he could hear the rapid beating of my heart.

“You’re happy?” he stated more than questioned.

I brought my head down and kissed his lips. Chaste at first, but soon desire took over.

“Ah, my precious, I love you so much,” he mumbled between kisses.

His fingers incited a firestorm inside me. I didn’t think I would ever tire of him kissing me, touching me. I moved my hand under his shirt to explore the hardness of his chest, moved them up and down the thick valleys and crests of his muscles.

Blood rushed through my veins, hot and heavy. My breathing increased as his hands moved between my legs. We didn’t find many moments like this alone, and I was determined to take full advantage of it.

Just then, Garret cried.

With a sigh of regret, we drew apart, grinning at each other in slight amusement over the interruption. We were still too early into our parenthood journey to be annoyed by the interruption. Both of us were more than willing to attend to every whimper of our sons.

“I got him,” Edward said, kissing the top of my nose. “Hold that thought.”

We both knew I would be holding that thought for a while. Soon, Lucy would be back and Edward would turn into his dragon form. Maybe tomorrow morning… an idea grew in my mind. If I stayed naked in his bed, he might have a few minutes after he returned to human form and before he had to go to work. Yes, I decided, that will work. Then I became distracted by the sight of Edward holding Garret in his arms, gently swaying and cooing to him.

It tugged at my heart seeing them, my family, I thought, while a warm cozy sensation ran through me. That’s all I had ever wanted since I was a little girl. I always thought one day I would marry a prince or king and live happily ever after.

After our stepmom cursed us, I thought that dream was gone and dead.

And now look at you, I smiled at my little family. Edward wasn’t a prince or king, he was so much more than that. Soon we would be married. My brothers would return to their true form and we could be a real happy family.

I didn’t doubt for a moment that after Edward finally found out my whole story, he would invite my brothers to live with us if they decided to do so. It had been a long time since I had been able to talk to them and I had no idea if they were plotting to take their rightful places back or not. I, for one, was content where I was, ready to put this chapter of my life behind me and to never think of Constancia again.

I would have liked to see my father again, but he was still under Constancia’s spell and wouldn’t be the man I grew up with and loved. I had resigned myself to never seeing him again a few years ago. It still hurt when I thought of him even though I had somewhat come to terms with it.

Lucy brought the twins down for dinner and we all sat together like a happy family. I hadn’t told Edward about my misgivings about her, convinced Lucy had indeed snooped through my brothers’ room and taken the nettles for whatever reason. So I put up a smiling front, nodded or shook my head when appropriate but otherwise stayed out of their quiet conversation.

Edward tried a few times to pull me in, but resentment toward Lucy and yes, a hint of envy, kept me sullen. Soon, my mind whispered. Soon he will be all yours again. Lucy will have finished her year and you will have your voice back.

That became my mantra over the next couple of weeks when I worked hard on the twelfth mantle. Eleven were done, but one included nettles that had been touched and picked up by Lucy and I wasn’t sure how it would affect the lifting of the curse since I was supposed to do all the work by myself. Which was why, just in case, I started on number twelve.

I also hid the mantles away. I couldn’t have said why, but an inner voice urged me to.

Otherwise, Lucy was an angel. She helped with the wedding arrangements as if she was my sister—she didn’t hold it against Edward and me for deceiving her into thinking us already married, instead, she thought it was so romantic. She made phone calls when necessary and drove to town with me when Edward had to work, and helped me pick out a wedding dress, which she said he shouldn’t be privy to.

The twins behaved in their car seats while I tried on several gowns and finally, with Lucy’s help, decided on a real princess’s wedding gown.

The bodice was strapless, leaving my shoulders and neck exposed while snuggling against my chest and lifting my breasts most tantalizingly, maybe a little bit more than was expected of a bride, but hey. I liked it.

The skirt fell wide over yes, an old-fashioned crinoline, which I hadn’t worn since being forced to leave Fable Forest, and it felt like coming home.

I liked the outside clothing, but I had missed these elaborate dresses and attending balls, where my skirts would swing in tune with the music while a prince or one of my brothers swung me around the dance floor.

I gladly gave all that up to be with Edward. But still, it felt nice.

Ten petticoats rested over the crinoline, before the final white satin layer fell over them. They were long enough to scrape the floor with a three-foot train that would detach for dancing later.

The veil was equally long and would be held up with a diadem that had belonged to my mother. It was one of the final pieces of jewelry left and I would wear it with pride as a nod to my princess status, without anybody being the wiser.

A pearl necklace with a large diamond in the center and matching earrings finished off the look. I had emptied the satchel Nan had given me completely, save for my father’s seal that I was going to give to Caspian when the time came. I had no idea how Nan had gotten her hands on it, but it would help Caspian to press his claim if he decided to fight for his title.

“You look like a fairy princess,” Lucy gushed. “Especially with your black-and-white hair. It gives it such a unique contrast.”

I had gotten so used to the altered state of my hair, that I had nearly forgotten how ebony black it used to be. Now though, I liked the white, silvery strands in between.

“One day you’ll have to tell me if you came from Fable Forest. I swear you’re the picture of one of their princesses,” Lucy continued with her probing. Something she had done a lot lately, as if daring me to reveal part of my story. Which, given that I couldn’t speak and mostly had to really think through how to convey whatever I wanted to say with my hands, would not happen. In some ways, I was grateful that there would be no slip of the tongue.

“What about your parents? Will they be there?” Lucy kept peppering me.

I shook my head and watched her through the mirror as she struggled to keep from frowning.

“Please forgive me if I’m overstepping, I’m just trying to get to know you better, Mrs. Seymore, but are your parents dead?”

I nodded even though my heart bled for lying that my father was dead. I wished for nothing more than for him to be able to attend and to give me away, as tradition called for—another thing that Constancia had robbed us of.

I didn’t answer, instead, I gathered my skirts and stepped off the pedestal, away from the mirrors, letting the seamstress know the dress was perfect and to pack it up.

Today we would take it back with us because the wedding would be next week. A tingle moved through me. Next week!

How dreadful and endless it had sounded to live in secret and to be unable to speak for six years. And now, finally, the time had come.

So much had happened in those six years, mainly of course, meeting Edward and falling in love with him, but there had been other good times too. I liked to think that the entire ordeal had brought my brothers and me closer despite us not being able to communicate, or maybe because of it. We had turned from siblings into a unit, and I vowed that I would never allow this to change.

Then my mind drifted naturally back to Edward and a smile spread across my face at the thought of how much I loved him. He was the one. The love of my life. And next Sunday would be the happiest day of my life. I would finally talk to Edward, we would be married, my brothers would be back to their normal selves. Everything would be wonderful.