11. Cassie

11

CASSIE

The morning sun hadn't yet chased away the remnants of a restless night from me when a knock sounded on the door to the room we'd made the communal dressing room for the wedding party.

I walked to the door and opened it a crack. Aiden, his arms cradling a garment as though it were a newborn, gave me a sheepish grin.

"Wow," I stepped into the hall as he unfolded the dress for me. It was ethereal, all gauze and gemstones shimmering in the soft light, delicate yet stunning. The fabric seemed almost translucent but held a secret modesty, falling just right to complement my skin tone, casting a radiant sheen that would make me glow.

"Isn't it too much?" I asked, holding the dress against myself, suddenly self-conscious. "I mean, I can't be outshining Roma or Shay. And you know, all bridesmaids are supposed to match."

Aiden cocked his head, considering. "Different colored dresses, I've seen it on your shows." He paused, then added, "Should I get gowns for Roma and Shay?"

"No, no," I quickly said, thinking of the brides' fondness for their chosen attire. "They love their dresses. Let's not complicate things."

He nodded. "I'll be back in a moment."

The door latched softly behind me as I carried the dress in, and the room erupted into a cacophony of giggles and exclamations over the dress. We couldn't help ourselves—the situation was too absurd, too wonderfully bizarre. Cathy doubled over, clutching her stomach as she laughed, while Tanni's chuckles bounced off the walls, mingling with the sound of my own uncontrollable snickers.

"Who knew Elves had such... extravagant taste in fashion?" I managed to gasp out between fits of laughter.

At that moment, Martellus nudged the door open with his shoulder, his eyes clamped shut.

"Everything all right in here?" he asked, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he was fighting back his own amusement.

"Aiden," I said, wiping a tear from the corner of my eyes. "He just waltzed in here with a dress for me fit for a queen, not a bridesmaid."

"Ah, yes, well, dealing with Elves is always interesting," Martellus said, his deep voice resonating with a mix of resignation and exasperation. "They have a flair for the dramatic. If you have Aiden's full attention, try to get used to it, Cassie."

Just as the laughter in response to Martellus' comment started to subside, Aiden reappeared by him, his arms now filled with even more fabric—dresses for Cathy and Tanni. My jaw dropped.

I had picked out the bridesmaid dresses myself, and they were nothing like these. And while beautiful, not something to wear to a wedding ceremony.

"Aiden," I smiled at him, trying to turn this into a silly game. "What's next? Are you going to bring me underwear too?"

He blinked twice, turned on his heel, and exited the room, clearly off to fulfill my request. The door hadn't even clicked shut before Roma snorted with laughter.

"Can't wait to see this Vegas number he brings back," Roma teased.

"Girl, you know you asked for it," Tanni added, her voice trembling with laughter. "No getting mad, no matter how outrageous it looks."

I could only groan in response as the heat rose to my cheeks. Shay buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with mirth. "Oh my god, Cassie, what have you done?" she said, words muffled by her palms.

"Shay, your makeup!" Cathy cried out just as Aiden swept back into the room, holding up an impossibly extravagant set of lingerie glittering with gemstones.

"Really?" I looked at the bra and panties, unsure whether I was on the verge of tears or about to collapse into hysterical laughter. "This doesn't exactly scream comfortable."

"Are those real diamonds?" Tanni whistled long and low, ogling the bejeweled, eyes dancing as she glanced at me.

"Absolutely! And comfortable too; I tried the bra myself," Aiden assured us with a grin that somehow managed to be both proud and sheepish.

"Magic, then," I muttered, trying not to imagine Aiden testing the fit of a bra. "Because we're definitely not the same size."

"Of course, it's magic," he said as if that cleared everything up.

"Thank you, Aiden," I said, ushering him towards the door again. "We need to get dressed now. And while these dresses are beyond gorgeous, we can't wear something that competes with the brides."

"Wait, Cassie," Aiden paused, his expression hopeful. "What do you think about wearing the bridesmaid dresses for the wedding and these gowns for the reception?"

"Fine," I conceded, relief flooding through me. "That actually makes sense."

"Excellent!" Aiden beamed, obviously pleased with himself, and then he finally left us to change.

"Unbelievable," I muttered, still trying not to think about the fortune hanging on hangers and lying across chairs. "All right, let's get these dresses on before I have a full-blown panic attack."

A few minutes later, a knock at the door pulled my focus from the sea of gowns and laughter. "What now?" I called out, half-dreading the answer.

"Ah, I have one last thing," Aiden said through the wood.

I swung the door open, bracing myself. He stood there, holding a tiara in his hands—a delicate circlet of metal and gemstones that glinted with an otherworldly light. Behind me, a mixture of snickers and gasps rippled through the room.

"Whoa, what's that for?" I blurted out, staring at the crown warily.

"Isn't it obvious? It's for you," Aiden replied, as if crowning me was the most natural thing in the world.

"Look, I'm not the queen here, okay? That's Roma's job." My voice was firm, but I couldn't help being a little mesmerized by the intricate craftsmanship of the piece.

"Would you wear it if I brought one for Roma too?" He tilted his head, considering my reaction carefully.

"Fine," I sighed, resigning myself to his plan. "I suppose so."

"Perfect!" His smile was triumphant, and for a moment, despite everything, I couldn't help but share in his joy.

Aiden's grin widened, and he reached into his messenger bag with a flourish that was all too characteristic of him. He pulled out a box of polished wood and opened it to reveal a velvet lining cradling an ancient-looking diadem. Its stones sparkled with the wisdom of ages, and the metalwork twisted like vines frozen in time.

"Thought you might say that," he said, mischief clear on his face. "I anticipated your objection."

"Roma?" I called.

She came over, her eyes round as she regarded it.

"Where did you…?" Her words trailed off as she peered closer at the relic.

"Bran's grandmother's crown. It seems an elf had a rather light pocket that became heavy during a stroll, and they only realized it when it was too late." Aiden's explanation came with a casual shrug as if such occurrences were everyday events.

Roma took a picture. I peered over her shoulder.

So, hey. Aiden says this is your grandmother's crown. Says it was 'found' by an elf. That true?

The reply came quicker than I expected, the words on Roma's phone screen carrying a weight of their own.

Unfortunately, yes.

There was a pause before another message popped up.

????That crown has been missing for centuries. Leave it to an elf to turn a royal heirloom into a pocket trinket.

Even through text, I could feel Bran's mixed exasperation and relief.

"Elves," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head. But there was no denying the beauty or the sentiment. "You're giving this to Roma?"

"It's Bran and Roma's wedding gift," Aiden confirmed, practically beaming now.

"Alright then." I took the diadem carefully from the box, its weight a tangible piece of history in my hands. With a deep breath, I pivoted to hand it to Roma.

I was unable to suppress a grin as I watched Roma admiring the diadem once we were in the room and the door closed again.