[M] Royally Mistaken [Ashen & Midoripickle]

[Midori-Hime]

Jessamine yelled in surprise and then laughed as Giuseppe spun her around, clinging to him happily until he set her down again. She then watched with a bright smile as he placed the ring on her finger and already she could feel fresh tears prickling at her eyes again. "It's so perfect…" She muttered, touched that he had somehow found a match to the very necklace that was the reason for their meeting. When Giuseppe called her beautiful, she met his eyes again and blushed, quickly wiping away her tears as they fell. She thought she must look awful after crying, but she felt his words to be sincere and it brought a smile to her face.

However, before she knew what was happening, they were running to escape the crowd that had finally recognized their prince. She ran with him, never letting go of his hand until they were alone finally. She noticed his wince and realized his arm must be hurting, but before she could say anything, Giuseppe was drawing her in close to his lips. She closed her eyes, savoring the sweet kiss from the man she loved more than anything. The man who was now her fiance. Slowly she brought her hand to caress his cheek as they kissed, her fingertips playing with the tips of his dark hair.

Then after a long minute, she slowly drew back, looking into his eyes softly. "I love you Giuseppe… Y-you've made me so happy. I can hardly believe it…" She said, sounding almost breathless before she looked down at the ring on her finger once again. Jessamine then put her hands to her cheeks which were still a warm shade of red. "We have a wedding to plan…" She gasped suddenly as if it just dawned on her. "Do your… Does the King know?" She asked then.

[Ashen]

Jessamine was just magnificent, and soon Giuseppe could feel similar tears of joy prick at his eyes. He wiped them before they could fall. The way she was taking everything in with such an excitement made any regrets he might have had disappear. He wanted to embrace her again, but the steady pain from his arm suggested he not do that. He'd make up for it, he decided, tenfold, when he was healed.

She made the realization before he did. They did have a wedding to plan, a royal wedding! Giuseppe didn't think he would ever hear those words. Jessamine asked about his father, and the prince looked away with a shrug. "Yes..." he said slowly. "Well, he does not know it was my intention today to ask you, but he knows I acquired your ring, and he knew I was planning it. Or, well, I think he does. I never told him outright." Another blush rose to his cheeks at the realization. "Father and I do not talk about such matters. However... I will tell him today. I will them him, and Mother, and I am sure they will aid me in all the planning. It will be perfect, Jessamine. A royal wedding... Our royal wedding."

In the weeks that followed, Giuseppe got to work planning everything down to the last detail. His mother the queen was overjoyed he had finally found someone to marry, and she was right beside him in most of the planning. His father, more apathetic about the matter, was grateful he would at least have an heir with a wife to run his kingdom. Violet made fun of her brother at every opportunity, commenting on the dumb smile on his face or his sudden attention to detail. The prince, for once, seemed unperturbed by his sister's jests, so the princess eventually stopped and opted to help her brother tend to the planning.

Word had come that the band of thieves that had attacked Giuseppe and Jessamine on the mountain had been apprehended. Upon Giuseppe's request, they were not to be killed, but instead sent to the dungeons to wither. He'd put them to work, he decided, when all of the celebrations were over. His arm was healing nicely, and soon he was out of the sling and able to move it again. Everything was going swimmingly as the two planned their ceremony. When the day of their wedding finally did come, they were both sure they had made everything absolutely perfect.

[Midori-Hime]

A few weeks before the wedding, Jessamine had come to live at the palace to make proper introductions as the crown prince's fiancee and get used to living as a member of the royal family. She was extremely grateful that she was able to take Mary with her as her personal servant and thought it might not have been proper, she often consulted Mary with wedding planning. She'd also became quite close to the Queen who so was much more of the mother figure she'd had always wanted, and Jessamine greatly appreciated her help with the planning. Together they had found the perfect gown for the occasion and as she stood there, looking at herself in the mirror, Jessamine's heart was fluttering. For weeks it seemed she had been living a dream, planning the wedding to the man that she loved more than anything, and now the reality of it truly hit her.

She felt tears in her eyes before Mary chided her, in fear that she would ruin her makeup. Jessamine smiled then, looking back at herself again as she touched over the opal necklace that had started everything and matched her engagement ring so perfectly. Her hair was mostly drawn back from her face with only a few stray curls falling loose, the rest cascading down her back and adorned with little white jasmine flowers. A moment later, her very soon to be sister-in-law, Violet, came bursting in to tell her that it was nearly time. Jessamine had also grown fond of the young princess, still feeling she owed the girl a great deal. Without her help, she might not have had the courage to confront Giuseppe again… And then where would she be? She leaned down carefully to let Voilet help her lower her sheer veil over her face, and then the princess handed her her bouquet of white peonies, gardenias, and jasmine.

Jessamine followed her down to the hall that she would soon enter, where the prince Giuseppe waited for her. Violet would walk down the aisle first and then she would follow. But Jessamine froze suddenly, a bout of nervousness washing over her. She took a deep, shaky breath, her heart beat drowning out of the music of the wedding procession. "Is everything alright, My lady?" Mary whispered softly. Jessamine thew her an anxious smile. "Just nerves…" Mary smiled back at that. "There's no need to be nervous. This is the day you've been waiting for…" She whispered softly, patting her hand. Jessamine nodded and then at her cue, she stepped out into the hall. She glanced over the large crowd before her eyes fell on the Prince standing across from her at the alter. Then moment she looked into those green eyes, all her anxiety disappeared and she walked slowly to meet him, smiling brightly. Mary trailed behind her, holding her train as she walked. Mary had been right… This was the day she'd been waiting for, when she'd finally be married to the love of her life.

[Ashen]

Giuseppe was standing at the altar, an anxious ball. He had been here a while, opting to get here early. The venue was absolutely beautiful; one of the castle's own halls had been decorated, and the place looked absolutely stunning. The blues and silvers that represented Ibeacia's flag were strewn around. Decorations surrounded the room. Servants must have spent hours, Giuseppe figured, stringing woven flowers around the beautiful windows in the hall. They matched the flowers in Jessamine's bouquet, apparently, but Giuseppe had not yet seen it. He kept glancing towards the double doors, praying she would save him from this anxiety.

Giuseppe himself was dressed in his absolute best. He was wearing the outfit of Ibeacian princes on their wedding day: the deep blue of his tailcoat stood out from the puffy white undershirt. His trim was a sparkling silver, and it danced over his collar in a repeating emblem of his kingdom's flag. His boots were a size too small and he hated his cuffs. His mother had insisted three--three--servants work on his hair, and it currently sat neatly on his head, combed back in a way that all had assured him looked quite handsome, but the prince was still sure he looked ridiculous. The only thing he was wearing that he was comfortable in were his trousers, a sharp black. They were standard enough, and not typically part of the outfit, but his grandfather had deemed the matching silver trousers an offense against him. Giuseppe was presently thankful for the man.

Finally, the music began to play. Giuseppe's head snapped up to look at the entrance of the room. Jessamine was coming, she was finally coming. The prince gasped at the sight of her. She was stunning. She and his mother had chosen the dress, and while Giuseppe had his doubts about his mother's fashion sense, they all dissipated at the sight of his bride. He watched her as she walked beside him. Her smile must have matched his own. All of his worries were gone then. This was the woman he loved, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. This was the woman who deserved the wear the ring fit for a princess of Ibeacia, and someday, a crown for a queen. This was the woman Prince Giuseppe loved with all his heart.

Soon the room was filled with people. The castle staff and Duke Northlonde's servants had all been invited to enjoy the festivities. Jessamine's family and Giuseppe's family were seated in the front of the hall, watching their children reach this great milestone. Behind them were other royals who came to see the celebrations and congratulate Ibeacia on its royal wedding. Finally, in the back and standing outside by the windows, were the countless townsfolk come to see their prince get married.

The place was absolutely packed, but that didn't matter to Giuseppe. He didn't mind that Duchess Northlonde was watching him, judging him, hoping he would never harm her daughter. He didn't mind that Princess Violet was making funny faces at him, waiting for him to turn her way. He didn't even mind that all these royals and nobles, some of whom he hated, some of whom had tried to earn Jessamine's place in the past, were seated right in front of him. All that mattered to him in that moment was his bride, and their happy future together. "I love you."

The End