soon.
“What do I wear today?” I asked, eyeing her silk green gown and really hoping she didn’t recommend something from her closet.
“Now that is something that I will gladly help you with.” Mom stood and went to the choices I had out on my bed. I didn’t want anything too fancy, but also not too casual.
She glanced at the items on my bed and then shook her head. “Those won’t do, but I have an idea and I’ll be right back. Jordan’s gone ahead of us, so why don’t you use the bathroom and begin on your hair. Something simple and keep your curls. Be your natural beautiful self.”
Before I could object, she was out my door and headed outside. Deciding she couldn’t be nearly as bad at dressing me than as Jordan was, I did as my mom said and started on my hair. Using a curling iron, I made my curls even bigger. Then, I braided two sections of hair, one on each side of my head, before pulling them back and tucking each plait under my crown, giving the appearance it was half-up and down.
My mom returned just as I was touching up a few of the curls, and she was holding a garment bag. “Oh, honey. You’re perfect. Now, let’s see what you think of the dress.” She shoved me into my room, excitement rolling off of her in waves, which made me more nervous even though I trusted her.
She hung the bag from the back of my door and unzipped it slowly, revealing an icy blue dress that almost exactly matched my eyes. It was fitted with two-inch straps at the shoulders. There was absolutely nothing flashy about it, yet the fabric was luxurious and far from casual.
“Where did you find this?” I asked in awe.
“I had it made just for you.” She beamed from ear-to-ear.
“How did you know? Or when did you do this?”
She laughed. “Just now. I saw what you were considering, and I knew what it was missing. Your color choices here were too dark or the fitting wasn’t right. You needed a little something of everything you had laid out. I went to Carletta and asked for a rush. She magicked this right up and sent her well wishes.”
I didn’t know who this Carletta lady was, but I needed to meet her. The dress was absolutely stunning, and I was shedding my pajamas before I even knew what I was doing. My mom helped me step into the dress and zipped me up. When she did, tears pricked at her eyes.
“I hope you know how proud you’ve made us. Not just today, but everything you’ve done, the young woman you’ve become. Your dad and I are so honored to be your parents.”
Hugging her close, I whispered, “I love you, Mom. Thank you for everything.”
“There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for you. Now, let’s get to the council chambers. The process is quick and painless. Assuming you already feel a connection to Ryland, it should be relatively the same, just amplified. Though, how much depends on how close the two of you get, but you can work that out on your own. Or remember, I’m here for whatever questions you might have.”
She hugged me once more, then took my hand as I followed her outside.
My heart was bursting with love and joy. Getting ready with my mom had been everything I needed, and I was ready to bond with Ryland more so than even the night before.
Dad was already on the porch and stood when he saw us. His eyes lit up with pride, and I went straight into his arms as soon as he stepped off the porch. He didn’t say anything to me but held me tight, which spoke more to me than words could.
As the day went on, I began to feel like this was more of a wedding than Ryland had let on, but I didn’t care anymore. Everything within me knew what we were doing was the right step forward. Somehow, it would all work out the way it was supposed to.
When I pulled back from my dad, I took his arm. My mom took the same position on his opposite side, then we ported to the front of town hall. Not many people were out, which I was thankful for, but when we entered, I became overwhelmingly nervous out of nowhere.
“Where is Jordan?” I asked.
“She should already be with Ryland and the council,”