know, while hearing the sound of drums and other musical instruments coming from outside.
Why didn’t I Google this before we came?
The doors were opened and I was met by a room that was being opened at the same time. Standing in it was a group of women that mirrored the group I was standing with, other than the first one was wearing a white wedding dress with a robe on top of it just like the one I was wearing. I immediately knew she was my brother’s bride. I wished I could see her face, but it was completely covered just like the rest of the women.
Weirdly, it made me feel exposed for some reason.
From our side, and as the music got louder, another door was opened, revealing a huge number of men. In front of them was my brother, dressed in one of those white thawb all of the guys were wearing, along with the white and red thing over his head.
I bit my lip not to laugh because he looked so funny, and the thought ‘the things we do for love’ came once more into my head. When his eyes met mine, I mouthed, ‘What on earth are you wearing?’ and he mouthed back, ‘Shut up!’ trying to stifle his own laughs. I guess he had caved to their traditions, but he was the groom, so he should; I was merely the soon-to-be-sister-in-law. No big deal.
My eyes drifted to the man standing beside him. My breath was caught in my throat when I realized he was the green-eyed prince. He was even more handsome than yesterday, if that was possible. So very handsome, it hurt. A smile was decorating his face as he gazed at me with so many things I wasn’t able to read, emotions that I had a strong feeling were directed at me.
For a moment or two, and as I looked at him, I think I forgot what he was. But it wasn’t long before I remembered exactly what he represented, and looked away.
The wedding started as we were standing there with a team of male dancers that were wearing thawb as well, only in gray and a bit different from the rest of the men. They were really good at what they did, and their voices were nice as they sang together while they moved around in a fascinating way, even if I couldn’t understand what they were saying.
Whenever my eyes caught the green-eyed prince I found his on me. He’d smile and I’d look away, but not long after I’d look again, and find him with the same smile and warm look.
When the dancers retreated, I watched as Joseph went to where Janna was standing and stood beside her. She hooked her arm with his when he offered it, and I smiled as I saw the adoration in my brother’s eyes as he looked at her hidden form.
When my eyes went back to glance at him on their own, he wasn’t there. I found him standing right beside me, offering me his arm just like Joseph had done with his bride. I stared at it for a few moments before I hooked my arm with his, a strange feeling consuming me–a feeling I couldn’t put my finger on.
I thought that maybe it was fear. I had feared his kind most of my life, so it was only believable that I’d feel fear being so close to one of them.
He directed me to walk to the other side, opposite from where the men had come, and from there we entered a bigger hall. It was obvious that it was where we would sit since it was full of fancy tables with fancy chairs around them. Two nice sets of chairs dominated a higher area in the corner. They looked more like thrones rather than just fancy chairs, and I thought for sure that they were to be where the king and queen would sit.
My thoughts were proved wrong right away when the prince directed me, as well as Joseph and Janna to them. We turned to face everyone after we stood by the thrones, and the women stood by the tables, whereas the men had stayed behind by the huge door we’d come from.
Music with drums and other instruments filled the place around us as we stood there, arms still linked and smiles filling Joseph’s and the prince’s faces, as well as mine. If Janna was smiling too I couldn’t see it, but I