Chapter 340: What mattered
The two days that came after were a bit of a blur.
Everyone scurried around to get things done and ready on time for the wedding.
Arabella needed constant reminders and call backs into reality in order to keep her feet on the ground.
The young woman looked out of breath and busy at any time anyone would lay eyes on her. The red around her cheeks remained stubborn, refusing to subside no matter what she did to quell its ardor.
"Are you sure?" she squeaked.
"Yes! Yes! I am positive! Everything is ready or on its way to be. Now, please stand still!" Ada tugged at the threads of Arabella’s corset as they faced a large mirror that stood taller than them.
"What about the fairies? Have they arrived yet? I explicitly asked that they be told to come earlier than the rest of the guests," she spoke fast and kept turning her head around to glimpse Ada.
"We will receive word of their arrival as soon as they do, just as you’ve requested it," Ada had a little smile hanging at the corner of her mouth.
Watching Arabella squirm seemed to both amuse and exasperate her.
"Oh, please, Ada! Don’t look at me like that," her frown was devastating, "You’ll understand what it feels like on your wedding day,"
"I am not looking at you in any sort of... Way that I shouldn’t. I...," her friend tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably, "I really am sorry," a series of giggles followed as Ada tightened the corset further around Arabella’s waist, "You just look so adorable panicking about every little thing. That is all,"
"Well, that is quite cruel of you," she pouted while picking at a tiny piece of fabric from her under-gown.
"Come now," Ada’s tone softened, "I know that everything will be fine and dandy. Tonight, will be the most beautiful of your life. I think I can make that promise,"
"I... Hope for nothing more than that to be true," her gemstones then snapped upwards, connecting with Ada’s on the mirror, "Do you believe we are rushing this relationship?"
Ada’s face fell a little, "Why? Are you having... Second thoughts?" the reluctance in her voice was evident.
"Absolutely none." Arabella shook her head profusely, "But Silas asked me this question two days ago and I was just wondering what an outside perspective on the matter would be,"
"It is so hard to find someone that understands you and cherishes you just as much as you do them," the warm smile on Ada returned, "Under normal circumstances I’d be afraid but, in your case, I think... You are just perfect for each other," a little tear grew at the corner of her eyes, earning them additional shine.
"Is it something you’ve experienced?" the young woman tilted her head curiously, "Did you meet someone like that?"
It was time for Ada’s cheeks to burn. She broke eye contact and threw in an awkward chuckle, "No, not yet, unfortunately," her fingers kept needlessly tinkering with the corset threads which were already tied together.
"Well, I hope that happens sooner rather than later," Arabella on the other hand, for the first time in the past two days, turned calm.
"I wouldn’t care if it didn’t happen, to be honest. I-"
A light knock cut Ada’s sentence in the middle.
"Yes?"
Estrid slipped inside before curtsying, "Someone is here to see you, my Lady,"
Arabella’s chest clenched upon itself at the formality of Estrid but tried to move past it.
"Did the fairies arrive?"
"No, it is someone else. Master Silas wishes to keep the surprise until you lay eyes on them," Estrid made another subtle bow.
"Does she have to go now?" Ada chimed in, "We are in the middle of a fitting session,"
"I am sorry, Ada, but I think I’d better go meet whoever it is. Especially if they came for me," she had an apologetic look on her, "May we continue later?" her hands were up under her chin, clasped together, perfectly reflective of her pleading tone, "Please, don’t be upset,"
"Of course, I am not upset," Ada waved her hands as though it’d give her words more weight, "We will continue later, yes!"
Estrid and Ada kept a close eye on Arabella as they walked through the hallways. She wasn’t allowed to peek at the wedding hall before it was time.
In fact, the young woman was allowed to see none of the decorations or sites after the last touches were performed.
Everything was meant to be a surprise.
Silas too was being kept at bay. As ridiculous as he thought the maids were being, he saw no harm in their shenanigans and thus respected their wishes.
Arabella was guided through a strictly determined path of the gardens and then on towards the property limits.
The young woman had a clear idea as to who came to visit, but her heart still pounded its cage with no rest.
It even ached her stomach to stand at such a thin edge before laying eyes on them.
But sure enough, and as anticipated, Remus stood ready, eyes threatening to leap out of their sockets.
The boy barely caught a glimpse of her that he launched forward, ignoring all warnings or advice and ran her way.
As per his habit, he grinded to halt right before collision only to then, very carefully, wrap his little arms around her middle.
Silas had been right, judging by the tears that escaped her eyes, Arabella did get attached to Remus very quickly. Perhaps a tad too quickly for her own good, but in that moment, it mattered very little to her.
All she cared about was soothing his broken sobs that he wiped against her dress.
"I wanted to come back!" he sniffled, "I wanted to come see you as soon as they told me you were alive, but father wouldn’t... He wouldn’t let me," the wailing turned louder as he went on.
"It’s alright," she too cried, but did her best to stay composed, "It is alright, Remus. You are here now and that is all that matters to me,"