Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 372: To Wear A Bridal Veil

Chapter 372: To Wear A Bridal Veil

Fred is finding it hard to be with me; a Princess... Should he grit his teeth and follow me just because he loves me? I want him to be happy and not uncomfortable.

Talia’s eyes clouded as her heart sank. She leaned on his chest and she heard the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was loud and clear and she could sense he was calm.

"Iris?" Arthur didn’t hear her speak for some time and realised she should be sulking.

I really shouldn’t have talked about this today! Or ever! She doesn’t need to know this. She was so happy the entire morning, but I have ruined her good mood by bringing up something insignificant. I’m stupid!

Arthur chided himself and made her look at him holding her chin. He placed a kiss on her lips seeing her eyes clouded.

"Don’t think anything weird, Iris. It would break my heart," he hugged her close. Talia could now hear his heart beat racing.

Is he anxious?

"Almost every day, I would think how comfortable being with you is. I really don’t mind everything else. I mean it. Sure, I find those carriage rides and that big formal ceremony in the Cathedral where I had to follow a million rules a bit... excessive. We couldn’t even hold hands and when I desperately wanted you by my side, I had to stand alone...You know me, right? I didn’t learn dancing because there were so many rules and etiquettes to follow. And there were people standing in the sun waiting by the pavement just to take a glimpse of me...I think they came for you. But still, it was weird to see that much people gathered cheering for me.

But Iris, I learnt dancing willingly for you, and got pretty good at it imagining how I can dance with you if I learn it. I’ll learn to follow those useless and cumbersome rules for spending a lot more time with you too."

Arthur spoke from his heart.

Talia felt her mind clearing up hearing his explanation. He is someone who wants to follow his own path always and he doesn’t like fitting into a box. And he is not very fond of being the center of attention except during work.

She herself needed some time to adjust to the constant attention around her after accepting the role of the Princess Royal. Although Arthur is pretty famous in his field, he never had people following him around taking pictures of him all the time or hundreds gathering around to take a glimpse of him. But once he is with her, he’ll be exposed to that kind of public life.

Of course he’ll need time to adjust.

He says he’d learn to accept it all. He says he’d be happy doing it and it is not a bother. She should trust him, right?

"But when it gets overwhelming for you, you can stop trying. Tell me when you can’t handle it, okay? Promise me." Talia looked at Arthur in the eye and by now she felt light.

"I won’t back out that easily. But if I can’t handle it, I will tell you." Arthur kissed her forehead and lifted her in his arms. He was relieved she became more relaxed.

"Where are you taking me?" Talia shrieked.

"To the bed, of course!" Arthur smirked with a twinkle in his eye and walked to the bed and placed her on the bed gently.

"Fred, it is still evening and I am tired. There is a cocktail party we have to attend. We just have two hours to get ready. Don’t-" Talia started to blabber as she was scared this guy would start playing her like a violin.

"What are you thinking?" Arthur bopped her nose with a chuckle. "I wanted to have a little rest before the next party. Just close your eyes for a bit and rest."

Talia glared at him for doing misleading things. "Why did you look at me weirdly then?" she mumbled as she looked at Arthur’s handsome face lying in front of her. He was closing his eyes and was breathing evenly as if he was asleep already.

Talia tried to close her eyes, but she couldn’t help but remember the words Arthur spoke before.

"Fred, you really don’t like riding in a carriage?" she asked.

"There is a reason people upgraded to cars, you know? Why should we- Do you like carriage ride?" Arthur asked widening his eyes. He knew she loved riding horses and he’s seen her riding in carriages a couple times in Rosandale.

"I do..." Talia closed her eyes. She loved the feeling of getting dragged by horses on the road. The sound of their hoofs on the road and the slight swaying sensation; she loved it all.

"Guess we can’t ride the carriage after we leave the Church on our wedding day..." Talia’s voice went low as she drifted to sleep. She was so tired and in his embrace, she naturally felt relaxed and drifted to sleep.

"Our wedding day?" Arthur was intrigued. He thought she didn’t have plans for their wedding day, but it seems like she does.

Ah, how could she not? If she planned as far as the number of our children, she’d have plans for the wedding too.

"What else have you planned for our wedding?" he asked gently fixing the stray hair falling on her forehead.

"I’ll wear a white dress with a very long train and a beautiful veil as I walk through the red carpeted aisle. My grandpa will be walking me and-"

"Wait, is ’veil’ the thing that is used to cover the face?" Arthur interjected her. "You can’t wear it!"

Did she forget during our first wedding that veil was one of the enemies that prevented her from looking at me? Why would she need to wear it anyways?

"No, veil is important..." Talia’s lips curved to a smile imagining her walking through the aisle. As she walks through the long aisle as a pleasant music is played, Fred would be standing at the end with a smile in his face eagerly. He would like to see her face, but since she is covering her face with the veil, he’d be disappointed a bit. But then as they reach the end of the aisle, her grandpa would uncover the veil and with a smile would place a kiss in her cheek. She’d turn to look at Fred and seeing her face, his eyes will get clouded. He would want to kiss her then, but minding the rules, he’d hold back.

Well, he’ll try to hold back. But when her grandfather places her hand over his, Fred won’t be able to hold back anymore. He’ll bow and in her ear he’ll whisper...

"You’re not a v*rgin to wear a veil!"

Eh?

Talia who was immersed in her pleasant dreams felt like a bucket of cold water getting poured on her as she heard that deep baritone voice she loves whispering in her ear, and she opened her eyes. The man she was dreaming to get married with was scrolling in his phone, probably learning the history of bridal veils.

"And whose fault is that I became unsuitable to wear a veil by your standards?"

"Huh?" Arthur looked at her and seeing her very angry face knew he said something unnecessary again. "It was both of us...no, my fault. It is entirely my fault. I apologise," seeing her getting angrier, he changed his tune.

"Which century do you belong to say this stupid thing, Fred?" Talia shouted. She really was mad he disturbed her dreams like this. He disturbed her sleep too.

"Freddy dear..." Talia grinned ear to ear as she had an idea.

"Wha- what?" Arthur was really scared of her now.

"I can become a v*rgin once again, you know. If I stop sleeping with you for a year, I’ll revert back to being a v*rgin and then on our wedding day I will meet your standards for wearing a veil. Isn’t that great?" she smiled and she could see his face going pale.

"A year? But that’s not how it works. You cannot revert back. Once you sleep with someone you’re no longer a-"

"No, Fred. You know nothing. Them’s the rules these days, Fred. It’s science! Have you ever seen a bride without a veil? Do you think all of them waited till their wedding night? This is how they become worthy of the veil. So let’s start following the rules form today onwards," Talia said without losing the smile on her face and turned to the other side showing her back to him.

"Iris... You’re not serious, are you? You are lying, right?"

Arthur scratched her back gently.

"No. I like to wear a veil and I will do everything I need to do for that." Talia spoke in a stern voice, but she wanted to laugh out loud. Arthur really seemed to have believed this lie of hers too.

Talia could feel him scrolling his phone probably to find out if what she said is true or not.

"Iris, you can wear a veil even if you’re not a v*rgin. After all I’m the only guy you’ve been ever with and so it means you’re technically a pure woman. Also..."

Arthur tried to find other reasons to make her change her mind and Talia tried hard to hold back her laughter.

"I’ll think about it." Talia acted indecisive.

It is so fun teasing Fred!

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