The Prince's Indentured Bride

the phone call

"It is a Saturday… so, what… Oh! My god! Which fool has decided today's wedding date?" Miranda mirrored an unnecessary horror look of the serving lady who had brought the Vodka, which I wasn't allowed to even take a whiff of.

"Well, I didn't know the other name of Gabriel was fool." I chirped in, only to witness a triple horror exclaiming their faces, including Joey's.

"Forgive me. I made a grave mistake Your Highness!" Miranda said and rushedly bowed down with her hands on her thighs.

"Goodness. I will never get used to it. Did anyone see Gabriel around the vicinity? I don't think so. So, forget and move on. And explain this Saturday situation to me."

"Your grace is immeasurable dear Queen." I laughed at her oddity. She must try living in India.

"Don't you know about–Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best of all," Joey started to sing in a melody which was new to me, joined in chorus by our never ever silent Miranda, "Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday for no luck at all."

I laughed again, maybe I am drunk without alcohol.

"I don't need any luck to make this marriage a success." I added a wink to my declaration for an attractive effect.

"Whoo!"

"Don't do that again. Your eye makeup will be ruined. We won't have time to fix it." Miranda complained; she must've been a magistrate in her previous life for being such a consistent mood killer.

I scowled at her, "I told you not to ruin your makeup!"

I bit my lip trying to control my sudden tear. Why are my eyes watery? Must be some son of a b***h from the pollution bin.

Although deep inside I knew it was because of the sudden realisation that as a younger version of myself I had my dream wedding planned… Although it was quite a scary concept of the animal farm version, there was still a dressing room and I was in a white frock waiting for Lucas to give me my first kiss..

Lucas; the name is still having an emotion in my brain. The false positive of my life whom I thought was a soulmate.

But Lyle's death changed everything. My crush and teeny tiny one-sided love had long faded off when I was still in third grade. And eventually he had become my best friend for life, yet we are apart now where I am fed up with his attitude of not seeing my face ever.

Coming to the aisle part, my haystack road still had enough stiffness for Daddy and me to wear matching shoes and then he would pass my hand to Lucas's.

Never had I ever imagined I would spend that in reality with a bunch of strangers and not a single soul who knows me for me.

I had tried having a talk with Kriag to shake off my nervousness but it seems like he is trying to cut me loose for the day.

"Hello. This is M speaking, the manager of Mr Kriag. Please leave a message if urgent."

It almost sounded like voicemail, only that in India voicemails through call weren't a thing yet.

"Umm hi M. Tell him that my feet are cold."

"Will do Mam. Anything else?" The voice sounded oddly familiar but I couldn't place an exact face or name to it.

My brain must be in a somersault competition for the summer, if that is even a thing.

"Nothing."

"If you don't mind, can I say something?"

“Surprise me lady.”

“The voice of your head is always louder than your heart but the heart knows the best for you as it is your lifeline, just like a river. So, trust it and let it define your path.”

The statement was so eerie. Like, who even gives such advises to literal strangers.

The lady really did astonish me. It felt more like a warm-up-your-nerves-call rather than the actually comfort talk I was supposed to have with my… Kriag.

I still don’t know what to term our relationship. Maybe tryst partners?

“Thanks, I guess.” I replied, although it felt Hella freaky, but it felt like an unclaimed reassurance I wanted to get from any living being that they understand me… or are in the same floating boat as mine.

That was my special phone call chance which I lost against time management issues with my lover. “You look amazing! And attractive, and sexy… tailor, and model kissed!”

I laughed, loosening my nerves over how dramatically Sean entered inside by banging the door open with a kick of his boots and started showering me compliments even before looking at what I was wearing.

No twists of wits; I was already in my butterfly wedding dress ready to flutter.

“Sean why would you bring all these washroom summoning drinks to my room?”

“Looks like you needed some help to calm down and alcohol is for funerals.” I didn’t see his logic but at the moment any distraction was welcome because my head felt like exploding.

“And I didn’t want a beautiful girl to have a low sugar situation when the groom is about to kiss her!”

“You surely are considerate.” I replied, knowing what the kiss would be like–peck on the cheeks given to two days old toddlers–and eyed the milkshakes section in the tray of many few drinks he had arranged.

“How about some coffee boost?” He asked, pointing to the brew bottle.

“No, and don’t you think my hair needs to be braided, not left open?” I needed a third set of eyes for evaluation, “Those are just bridely jitters darling.” Miranda spoke strongly, staring at the drinks tray like her life depended on it.

Maybe it did.

Because she was so busy in decorating a self-absorbed and elegant beauty; which is me, since morning that had spared her no time to give a glance at her stomach.