The Prince's Wedding

Surprises and Disguises. 25

The morning brightness creeps into my sleep and I impatiently turn away from the window, snuggling back into the soft pillows when a hand gently touches my bare shoulder.
"Hey....are you up?" Prince Alexander asks softly and I reach out to hold his hand, pulling it under the covers with me and he laughs.
 
"I guess that's a yes." He chuckles.
 
"No. It's a no... with a hint of come back to bed." I moan and I feel him plant a kiss on my cheek.
 
"Well, that sounds tempting as ever, my love. But I'm afraid if we do that, no one would plan our wedding." He says and at those words, I reluctantly open my eyes.
Our wedding.
We'd started plans for it since we entered a new month because now, the wedding is closer than ever...realer than ever. And though Prince Alexander and I are basically inseparable ever since that night at the bridge, I still can't help but get nervous whenever I think of being his wife...for life.
"Very well..." I mutter as I sit up in bed, "I'm up."
 
"If it helps, I arranged for your breakfast to be brought into the room. I figured you'd oversleep for like the sixth time this week and I wanted to ease out your day for you." He says with a smile and I plant a kiss on his lips, suddenly realising he's fully dressed.
 
"Are you about to leave?" I ask and he chuckles.
 
"No, I had a meeting with the council. I just returned so I could check on you."
 
"A meeting?!" I ask, suddenly alarmed as I look out the window at the sun.
How long was I asleep?
 
"Yeah, you've been asleep for a while." He says with a chuckle, like he can read my mind.
 
"I'm way behind schedule... I have to meet Felicia for my wedding gown fitting." I say, already scrambling to get out of his bed when he pulls me back and kisses me softly.
 
"Sorry, I couldn't start my day properly without one of those." He mutters when the kiss is over and I smile.
 
"Glad I could help." I say, then I leave the bed and head for my chambers to get ready.
 
***
"This is the ceremonial, Nirvanian wedding gown for royalty, passed on from generations ago and redesigned every time." Felicia says as she walks into the fitting room, carrying a big, beautiful white down with little emerald coloured designs at various places.
"I've already adjusted it to your measurements, Your Highness. So when you try it on now, I can decide how to redo the designs to your taste." She says, already handing the dress to some maidens and they start helping me into the gown.
As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I watch as my body fits into the gown almost perfectly, with it flowing below my feet and spreading out in an amazing ball gown train. But the bosom seems a bit tight...actually, it's too tight.
It's not even giving them the allowance to completely fit me into the gown.
 
"Is it supposed to be this tight?" I ask Felicia as she rounds me, her observant eyes sweeping my body.
 
"That's odd." She mutters, "These are the same measurements I've always used for your dresses, Your Highness." She says, finally stopping in my front and observing my face.
"Leave us alone." She says to the maidens and they leave the room while I stare at her, confused.
 
"Is there a problem?" I ask and to my surprise, she casually reaches out and cups my breasts in her hands through the dress, rendering me speechless as her hands travel down to my midsection and she looks up at me with excited eyes.
 
"Your Highness," she begins, sounding elated, "You're with child." She says and I quickly push her hands away as I stagger back.
With child?
 
"What? No, I'm not." I say firmly and almost defensively, my heart pounding but Madam Felicia doesn't seem the least bit convinced.
 
"Your body changes don't lie, Your Highness."
 
"It could be that I've simply put on a bit of weight." I say shakily and almost too quickly.
I can't be pregnant.
 
"Please don't be offended, Your Highness, I'm not trying to scare you. But I've helped take care of pregnant women before when I was still working in the village...my mother showed me how to tell." She says cautiously and I just stare at her, shocked.
"I noticed you've been sleeping in a lot recently too..." she adds, almost in a mutter.
"Forgive my asking, Your Highness, but...when last did you bleed?" she asks and I open my mouth to tell her just last month, when it dawns on me that it was before that.
Way before that.
So I just stare at Felicia... trying to control my rapid breathing.
 
"You don't have to panic, Your Highness. There's nothing to be worried about--"
 
"Take this gown off me...now." I say and she bows and gets to work, quickly unlacing the gown until it falls off and I hurriedly get dressed and leave the fitting room...heading straight for the physician's place.
 
****
 
 
ALEXANDER
"But it doesn't make any sense." I say to Felipe as I pace the small room behind the throne room, which is a private and undisclosed area where my father and the kings before him held discreet and emergency meetings.
 
"Why is Melissa always attacked only when she's in the castle? She stayed in her cottage for a month and she didn't get attacked once."
He sighs deeply, and then looks up at me.
 
"I'm afraid we have to start considering the one option we've been avoiding Your Majesty. Someone in the castle is either the killer or working with the killer." He says gravely and I stop pacing to turn to him.
 
"Do you really think so?"
 
"Think about it. They tried every access they could to kill her and it was all through the castle. Food poisoning, sneaking into her bedroom, the archer in the ballroom of your engagement...and then the bridge. This person has more access to information about her whereabouts and yours than a random killer would." He says and it dawns on me, hitting me with a painful truth as everything comes to me.
 
"That's why they couldn't get to her in her cottage, they would have had to leave their assigned position here in the castle to be able to follow her enough and know her whereabouts." I say as I look at Felipe and I can feel his grave expression mirrored on my face.
 
"We've been too trusting with our staff." I mutter and he nods as he gets up.
 
"Indeed. You have to be very careful now, Your Majesty. I suggest on keeping everything between you and Melissa a secret from now on. Everything must be private. With the wedding close, it's too dangerous to take any risk on either of you." He says as he moves towards me, a serious expression on his face and I nod.
 
"You don't have to tell me twice."
 
"In the meantime, I'll work on a little personal investigation of my own." And with that, he leaves the room while I just keep standing, speechless.
Slowly, I walk towards the window and place both hands on the pane as I stare out at the people on the castle grounds, going about their various works.
Which one of you is doing this?
I thought Rupert was the only one involved with the killer... now apparently there could be one or more of—
 
"Stefan?" Melissa's voice calls from behind in a fragile manner and I turn to her, shocked.
 
"Melissa. Are you okay? How did you find me?" I ask as I cross the small room towards her.
 
"I met Felipe outside and he directed me..." she says almost in a murmur and I observe her worried face.
 
"What's wrong?" I ask as I shut the door behind her and she looks up at me.
 
"I... There's something...." she mutters nervously, her eyes darting in every direction.
"We need to talk." She finally says in a reluctant manner and I blink in surprise.
She's never said that before.
 
"Okay... what is it about?" I ask, leading her to a chair but she just shrugs away from my hold as she turns to me.
 
"No, I don't want to sit down!" she exclaims and I raise my hands, shocked as I observe her.
 
"Alright, alright... don't sit down. Will you at least tell me what's bothering you so badly?" I ask and she turns away,
 
"I'm not sure you're ready to here this." She says and I sigh.
 
"With the way you're acting? Try me."
 
"No, I'm serious Stefan." She says, turning back to me with panic clear in her eyes, "This is a big deal!"
 
"For God's sake, Melissa. Can you please just tell me?"
 
"I'm pregnant!" she exclaims and time suddenly slows down, moving in slow motion as I process her words while my arms drop to my sides.
She's... pregnant?
"We're not even officially married yet and we got really reckless and now on our wedding day...I'll be showing and everyone would be able to tell!" she says, clearly panicked and I just let a smile play on my face.
She's pregnant.
 
"You're telling me...that you're carrying...my child? Right now?" I ask, my mind already flooding with images of a pregnant Melissa, of holding our baby, of being a father—
 
"And...you're smiling?" she asks, marching towards me but I don't flinch.
 
"Why not? Melissa... you've given me the best news I will ever hear in my life. I'm going to be a father...and you're carrying my heir." I say as I take her hands in mine and unclench her fists while her troubled eyes search mine.
 
"And that's okay?" she asks, confused and I let out a chuckle, cupping her face in my hands.
 
"That's amazing. It's incredible, it's wonderful, it's perfect--"
 
"Perfect? What's perfect about a future queen getting pregnant before her wedding? It's so early and unplanned! Everyone will eventually know and talk--"
"Let them." I say, sweeping my hands up her arms, "Let them talk, I don't care. Nothing about us or our story has ever been normal from the start, and I love that. And now you're telling me you're carrying our child? In what world isn't that good news Mel?" I ask her and watch as her rapid breathing gradually slows down.
 
"So...you're okay with this?"
 
"Of course. I'm absolutely okay with this and I love it. Hey, we're in this together, remember?" I say as my hand cradles her neck and she lets out a sigh.
 
"Yeah..."
 
"What do I always say? I'm here..."
 
"You're here..." she repeats, like she's trying to reassure herself.
 
"And we're in this together." I say and she hugs me, holding me close as she sighs against my neck.
 
"I love you." She mutters and I hug her back, smiling uncontrollably as an indescribable type of joy overflows my heart.
 
"I love you too, Melissa." I say, and then pull back a little to look at her, "I don't want you telling a soul about this, okay? People can guess away when you start showing but until then, it stays between us."
 
"Okay, but Frederick and Felicia know about it... they're the ones who told me."
 
"Well if word ever gets out, at least we know who's responsible." I say to her and she leans back into my hug while my mind quickly moves from excitement to being alert.
Melissa has no idea about her killer possibly being or working with a castle staff, and I can't alarm her with that kind of news...especially now.
No.
Now, I'm not just protecting her...but our child, so I'll have to keep the news to myself and keep her safer than ever until I find that killer.
But if they try a targeted attempt at our baby...then we know who our first suspects are.
 
 
****
 
 
MELISSA
Is it a boy? A girl?
Twins?
Will she have my red hair or Prince Alexander's thick, black hair?
Will he have his father's bravery or stubbornness?
Questions upon questions pile in my head in endless curiosity as I run my hands over my smooth, still flat, stomach and observe the moonlight streaming in through the curtains. Prince Alexander is fast asleep next to me and I can't help but smile as I watch him. It's like there's a deeper emotional existence that magnets me to him with every glance.
Is this what being pregnant for someone you love feels like?
Or is it just pregnancy making me this way?
A year ago, if someone had told me I'd be here in Prince Alexander's royal chambers, sharing his bed and carrying his baby, I would have laughed....but here I am. And it's all because of King Russell.
If only I had the chance to talk to him just once...to ask him why he picked me to marry his son, why he chose me to be the next queen. But the closest I can get in speaking to him is going to his monument on the castle grounds...which isn't a bad idea now that I think about it.
Slowly, I climb out of bed and move to stare out the window. The monument isn't that far from the main doors and I can slip out and be back in a few minutes. It's crazy that I want to talk to someone I barely knew personally...but King Russell seemed like he knew a lot about me, and though I know he can't exactly talk to me, it'll feel great just thinking he can at least hear me.
I turn back to Prince Alexander and he's still fast asleep in bed.
Okay...just five minutes.
Quietly, I put on a robe and slip out of the chambers, signalling the guards to stay behind as I head for the stairwell. They look confused but they stay put and I quickly descend the stairwell, hurry out the main doors and towards the monument. I get there within a few seconds and sit on the platform, enjoying the quiet of the night as I run my hand over the marble surface.
"King Russell..." I begin softly, almost like a whisper, "it's me, Melissa. We haven't really had a chance to talk...and that is solely my fault. I thought marrying your son was overwhelming enough but now I'm carrying your grandchild, so I guess this is as good time as any."
I pause for a while, taking a deep breath as I try to clear my thoughts.
Why am I here?
"I'm here because...everything seems to be happening so fast. A lot has changed since you left, and although it hasn't been that bad, I can't help but wish I had the chance of knowing you, speaking to you and...well, knowing your answers. Every day since the announcement was made of me marrying Prince Alexander, I always woke wondering why I was your choice...but then I grew to love your son like I never imagined and with him, it feels like we can do anything together, like he completes me. I just wish you were here to see it all take place."
The sound of rustling behind me causes me to pause and turn back...but there's no one there.
Odd.
I sigh as I turn back to the monument, observing the words and its design.
 
"Now that the wedding is close, everything feels real and exciting and scary. I'm not scared of marrying Stefan or being the mother to his children...I guess that's the part that's real and exciting. What I'm scared of is being queen, for the rest of my life. I can't help but feel I would end up making mistakes and in turn, disappointing you and your expectations of me. Maybe I'm overreacting--"
Something makes a snapping sound behind me and I turn again, but all I can see is just some empty carriages and hay, piled up.
Slowly, I take in a deep breath to slow my racing heart as I turn back to my front.
"I just hope I don't end up letting you down. But if I ever feel like I am, I'll be back here to talk...because it feels like you really are listening." I say and move forward a little to plant a kiss on the writing where his name is carved.
At that point, I hear the sound of rushing footsteps coming quickly behind me and before I can turn around, something hard hits me at the back of my head....and everything goes black.
 
 
 
****
 
I groan at the excruciating pain pounding away in my head as the darkness clears from my vision and I slowly slip back into consciousness.
What happened?
 
"You're awake. I won't lie, a part of me was hoping that hit would kill you once and for all." A familiar voice says and I struggle to sit up, now realising that I'm in a damp, smelly wooden cage.
Slowly, everything becomes clear and I observe my surroundings, my hands already clenched into fists.
It looks like a cellar...but not the one in the castle, or even Nirvania.
Where am I?
 
"Don't get comfortable, you won't be here for long, trust me." The voice says again and I blink at the direction it's coming from as the person steps into view...causing me to gasp in shock.

Oh my God....
No... no... it can't be.
 
"Good morning, Your Highness." Caspian says, an evil and victorious smirk on his face.