The Forgotten Princess Rose-Chapter 232

"Isn’t this too much?" Rose asked, sitting still as she was told to do by her mother and sister. "It is to be simple."

"Rose, you should know by now that simple does not go too well with this family for big ceremonies like this. Where does time go? It was just yesterday that I was sitting in the palace with the future queen and now we are preparing you to be a princess. Again," Anna added.

"It is not about becoming a princess. She will be his wife and Zayne, her husband. You must also leave tomorrow. I had wished for time to slow down but it is moving fast. Hold still," Madeline said as she fixed Rose’s hair.

Rose also wished to know why time was going so fast. The wedding planning had felt so slow but the day for the small wedding had come fast. It was nearing time for her relationship with Zayne to take the next step and then she had to say goodbye to her family.

"Your things are all packed and sent to be placed on the ship. I made sure to look over it all and some of your wedding gifts have been placed on the ship so you have something to distract yourself with on the long ride to your new home," said Madeline.

Rose grew nervous each time someone mentioned her new home. She wasn’t scared to leave with Zayne and start over somewhere else, but the thought of having to say goodbye was hard.

How was she to look her family in the eye and step on the ship without wanting to go back to them?

"The dress," Charlotte said, bending down to fix what looked wrong in her eyes.

When soldiers came knocking at her doors Charlotte thought her time in the world had come to an end until she was taken to the Ambrose’s home and saw the young woman she had wanted to dress. It had not only come as a surprise to learn that Rose was the missing daughter all along but that she was marrying the prince of a foreign land.

It was the most gossiped about along with the king’s death, the new queen, and Rose’s past.

"Thank you, Charlotte," Rose said as Charlotte had been most helpful.

Considering she was marrying the man who made the kingdom fall there weren’t many who were fond of Rose. Strangely, her father and mother were not judged. Instead, Rose was seen as the one who brought trouble to the family and kingdom as though she called Zayne’s army here.

She knew they were just looking for someone to blame for why the kingdom fell so fast.

"No, thank you. I am still trying to believe that I am dressing as a woman who will marry a foreign prince. Regardless of what others are saying about this marriage, I already have many customers coming to get their dresses done. They want to outshine you but I will not do it," Charlotte shared.

"I do not mind if you did. I don’t care to compete over dresses. Soon my wedding will be forgotten-"

"Nonsense!" Anna and Charlotte exclaimed.

"Don’t mind all the talk by those angry the king died. Amongst the ladies, you are talked about in a good manner. Your love for Zayne has become a love story shared all over the town. A feared general captivated by a helpless woman," Charlotte repeated what she heard.

"Helpless?" Rose questioned. She was the one with the plan to set the storage room on fire. Could she be described as helpless? "I think they should come up with a better description."

"The young women are sharing that the rest of the kingdom was spared because of you. Your wedding will be talked about for ages. That is why you must look perfect," Anna said, helping Charlotte where she could.

"I think she looks wonderful," Janice said, watching from the back as Rose was prepared for the wedding.

Rose tried to turn to look at Janice. It had been a good surprise from Zayne to bring Janice to her. "You and Charlotte both did well with the dress and I have seen the others you made for me. I do not think I must look perfect since the town will not get a glimpse of me. I am getting married here and when the wedding is over, I will not step foot outside."

Anna snickered as she thought of the reason why.

Madeline looked at Anna. "What do you know?"

"It is the soldiers. They have been teasing Zayne about his wedding night and honestly mother, it is not much of a secret for some of us. I have long overheard the maids talking and my curiosity led me to figure out what awaits us," Anna explained.

Anna didn’t know all that was to come but she had a good idea and for that, she was worried for Rose. Her sister was smaller than Zayne and after how he easily pulled the man from the court, what if he were to crush Rose?

’Should I talk with him?’ Anna wondered. Zayne scared her but this was about her sister.

"I do not want you going anywhere near the soldiers and we will have a long talk about what you have found out," said Madeline.

Rose started to stand up as being crowded only added to her nerves. "I am ready to go. You have already worked hard to make me pretty and there is nothing left to do. Thank you but we must start moving. You make up half my guests and if you are here then the seats are empty."

Rose got a glimpse of the chairs put out for the wedding and from what she saw, there were more on Zayne’s side because of the soldiers while she had a little row. She didn’t need rows filled with people she didn’t know but Rose wanted to see her family already seated to show her side.

Victor put down the book he had occupied himself with since in the words of the women there was nothing a man could do now other than to wait and he had waited enough. "It is my time to step in. If all of you are here, who will keep the soldiers from knocking over the decorations?"

"Victor," Madeline gasped, heading toward the door. "Don’t say such a thing. A lot of work was done to have those decorations ready in two days."

Rose mouthed to Victor, "Thank you."

She loved them all dearly but she needed a break from each one of them trying to fix something to make her look perfect. Rose thought she was already beautiful and just wanted them to enjoy the wedding as guests.

Victor waited for the women to leave the room. "If they were stressing you out, you only needed to speak up a little more."

"I could not after they have helped me so much. The wedding wouldn’t look as it does now if not for them. I wouldn’t know where to start. I am a little nervous," Rose confessed. "Not about being his wife, I just feel nervous and I don’t know why."

"I’ve felt that way. As long as you don’t feel like running away, you will be fine. Well, I can help you sneak away from here," Victor half-jokingly offered. "I think you are nervous about how many will be watching you. Just focus on Zayne and never tell him that I have said this."

Rose laughed as she knew Zayne would never let Victor hear the end of this. She reached for Victor’s hand she had to hold. "Your secret is safe with me."