Everyone seemed to want to be around her. To be near her. He could understand why she had managed to build an empire over the internet. With people who wanted to look like her, be like her. People who wanted to experience a slice of what she was.
She was compelling.
And after today she would be his.
He gritted his teeth, curling his hands into fists and waiting.
She would come.
And the momentary hitch of doubt that he had was assuaged by the appearance of her sister, who walked down the aisle with a small bouquet of flowers.
He had met her sister for the first time this morning. The other woman had seemed cautious around him, and a bit wary. Her husband had been more menacing. As had her brother.
Her father had seemed shamefaced, and Javier felt that was deserved. Her mother had simply seemed excited to be in a palace.
Javier had no concept of a family like this. Large and together, even though they disagreed on things, and it was clear that they did.
Though, he imagined that most families that appeared dysfunctional disagreed on small things, and not whether it was appropriate that one of them sold another into marriage. But at this point, what was done was done.
And she would be here.
She wanted him.
And she seemed committed to serving her role for the country.
That was her primary motivation. She had made that clear in the flower shop.
And it was a good thing. Because he could not afford distractions. He could not afford to start thinking in terms of emotion.
The music changed and he turned his focus again to the doorway. Watching with great attention.
And then, there she was.
The sight of her stole his breath.
She was...
She looked like she did for him. Only for him. Her dark hair was long and loose, the veil that she had soft and flowing down her back. She looked almost as if she didn’t have makeup on at all. Rather, she glowed. Her lips looked shiny and soft, her cheeks catching the light. It was magic. And so was she.
He had held himself back these weeks, because it had felt like something he should do until it was done. But now, here she was. Now she was his.
There would be no turning back.
When she reached the head of the aisle, she took his hand. And he pulled her to him. It was all he could do not to claim her mouth then and there. Not to make a spectacle of them both in front of the congregation.
And that was when he noticed the bracelets.
She had them both on one wrist. But the chain was there as well.
And when she looked into his eyes, he felt the impact of it all the way down to his gut.
She nodded slowly.
An affirmation.
She was choosing to give herself to him. And she was saying that she understood. The bond, the loyalty that traditionally existed here in this country between a royal husband and wife.
But he did not know where ownership fit into that. He did not know where duty and responsibility fit in.