TEGAN'S P.O.V
I didn't know what to expect. I am not sure how Imagen was still alive, Lydia cut her so deep. There was so much blood loss, too much blood loss actually. Her being alive was a miracle. I hadn't left her bedside in 3 days. The wedding was set to happen in 2 days. I didn't want to continue on while she lied in bed in this comatose state, this all happened because of me. But I had a duty to uphold. A soft tap on my shoulder took me out of my thoughts.
"Ma'am, Queen Lilyanna requested your presence to finalize everything for the wedding." The new handmaiden that was assigned temporarily had said.
"Thank you, Josie. I will be there shortly."
She nodded as she shut the door behind her. I looked back at the fragile girl, her curly brown hair cascading around her face. A scar on her neck where it had been sliced, her wolf not even able to heal the scaring. I reached up, moving the piece of hair that had fallen in her face.
"The Queen has requested my presence. I will be back shortly, I promise. Then I can finish the book we started. You'll love the ending; I am sure of it."
I was not sure she could even hear me, but I didn't want to sit there in silence, I wanted her to know I was there. My way of doing it was through my love of literature. We were currently reading a beautifully known piece to many, a children's book one would call it, but I see it as more of a morality lesson rather than a fairy tale. The book's name is Beauty and the Beast. It was one of my favorites because it gave me hope. I was reading her the version written by a French novelist, by the name of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. I think what attracts me to it the most is the deeper meaning. I see it as one must look deeper than surface appearances. Which I always had hope that my future mate would do for myself. To look deeper than my surface flaws, to look past my own personal curse. Don't get me wrong, being deaf is what makes me who I am. But everyone else sees me as they would the man in the book, a cursed unwanted nobody.
The storyline now had another meaning for me. It reminded me of Ezra and I. Obviously, our story is way different, so only some characteristics of the book remind me of us. I just hope for a happy ending like in the book. But in the end, it was a fairytale book, morality or not. Ezra was no beast, well not in the same sense the book portrays. However, he does have a beast within and then his stand-off personality along with his hot and cold ways reminded me of the beast in the story, plus Ezra was cursed, just not for the same reasoning as in the book. Whereas I was more like Belle, only instead of perfect, I came with my own curse. However, I was a book-loving woman who was taken by some-what force but ended up loving the beast anyway, no matter his flaws.
Love, that was a strong word. Did I already love him in the short amount of time I have been here? I have been here for almost two weeks, and in that time frame we have spent little to no time together. Nor have we been in the same room alone since the first night. How could I say I loved a man I didn't even know? But there it was, this flame burning in my chest, this overpowering feeling I just knew was love. There was something inside of me, a thought or maybe just a feeling that told me it was real. One I couldn't shake.
I put the bookmark inside of the book and placed it at Imagen's bedside.
"I will return shortly." I said as I left the room to meet with the Queen regent.
I entered the office she had dedicated to wedding planning. I felt bad that she was doing all the planning for what was supposed to be Ezra and I's big day, but she didn't seem to mind.
"Ahh Tegan, perfect timing, come, sit." She said, gesturing to the seat next to her.
"We needed to go over some final entries for the wedding as well as do the fitting for the gown." She said as I looked at all the scattered papers along the table.
We sat talking for the better part of the hour discussing what I liked and didn't. Truth be told, she had a better eye than I ever would for any of this. We settled for the elegance of gold, cream, maroon and white. I could handle that. The flowers she chose were as beautiful as expected. Then there was the cake. It was beyond any cake I have ever seen. Very big and very pretty. Then finally, the wedding gown.
"It's absolutely beautiful." I said as I twirled before the mirror.
I thought that the black silk dress was the prettiest thing I owned. I was sadly mistaken. This gown was a masterpiece. The lace which also held the shiny diamonds that were beaded below the bosom which flowed into a tulle ball gown. It was breathtaking.
"A gown suited for a queen. It is just missing one thing." She said, smiling next to me as she placed a diamond tiara on my head.
"Now that is beautiful." Lilyanna said, as the tailor started taking in the dress to make it form fit to my body by the wedding day.
Once we were done, I headed straight to the infirmary. When I entered the hallway, the scent that I had come to miss hit me hard. I opened the door to see Ezra sitting in the chair I vacated only an hour prior. In his hand was the book I was reading to Imagen. He took a deep breath inward as he looked up, his golden eyes shining brightly.
"You like to read?"
He hadn't asked many questions about me since that night, nor had I him. We were strangers in every sense.
"I love it."
"I see." He said as he placed the book on the bedside table as he stood. "I wanted to check in." He said as he started walking toward the door to leave already.
"You're already leaving? But you have just gotten here." I said, which made me feel needy.
"And now I must go."
"Any updates?" I asked, hoping to get him to stay a little longer.
"We located the witch."
"And?"
"And we are handling it, nothing to worry about." I doubt he wanted me to know much from his stand-off replies. "I must get back." He said as he began to walk past me.
I stepped in his way, the black in his eyes surfacing, making me fear I had messed up. Instead, he leaned in, took another deep breath inward, then walked out.