The feeling that she was going to collapse, was something she had to push aside for the day. Everything was a mess and the mess would only get worse, but at least she had arranged what needed to be arranged today. The solemniser would be ready once the sun had set. She had washed the blood off and had gotten herself some new clothing. The castle had, luckily, provided her with some. Less… her style, but it would work for the occasion. The amount of women in this world that had an obsession with hiding their knees was insane.

The solemniser had asked some questions, but had agreed to her demand once she had proven who she was. The news of the Duke’s death had not traveled far yet, which was exactly why they needed to get this arranged before then. They had a new Duchess and a new Duke. Lawfully wed and all. She felt her stomach turn at the idea. Not because she hated the idea of being wed to Kaz, but because they weren’t ready for it. Then again - would they ever be? Sigh. Didn’t matter. They had to. In her hands, she held the ring she would have to give him tonight and the ring that would be around her own finger soon. They felt heavy. As if her whole life was chained to those two rings.

The sun had started to go down by the time she reached Kaz’ front door. She could feel the beating of her heart through her entire body as she opened the door, walking through the hall, though she stopped before she reached the living room. Yesterday, she had planned to do this all alone. Now, they were going to get married.

Deep breath in.  

---

Softly brushing her hands over the lace dress, as if it had gotten any dirt on it, didn’t quite help the nerves she was feeling at the moment. Marriage. Twenty-four hours ago, she wouldn’t even have thought of it. Now, she was about to seal the deal. The rings were held in her hand as she bit her lip, staying quiet in the hallway for a bit, trying to calm down the beating of her heart. It would help neither of them if she was going to panic. Time and time they had proven to be loyal to each other more than anything. There was no one else she could possibly ask to be her Duke.

With a slight smile she had set herself in the door opening, as she tended to do when she was too nervous to enter the room. She pulled her empty hand through her hair, another thing she kept doing when feeling uncomfortable. “Hey,” she softly greeted the vampire, putting a smile on her face. “White suits you,” she admitted. She could absolutely get used to the view she had right now.  

---

“You should,” she spoke, as Kaz joked that he never wore it because it suited him. A soft chuckle as she pulled her hand through her hair again. How she wished she could have stared at a book at this time. Or perhaps not. She found herself staring at him as she let out a sigh. Perhaps this wasn’t that bad of an idea.

Blue met brown as their eyes met again, causing the corners of her mouth to move up in a smile. “Thanks.” She had always worked hard to look good. Appearance had been very important in her line of business, after all. But, when Kaz told her she looked good, it always brought a blush to her cheeks and she couldn’t help but smile. It actually meant something. And for a second, she forgot her nerves. Until he asked his next question. She nodded and held her hand out in front of her, opening the fist and revealing the two rings. It suddenly all felt very real. “Everything is arranged,” she confirmed.  

---

“Last chance to step back,” she told him softly. It was weird how they had found their way to this. She didn’t want to get married right now. It scared her and she didn’t quite know how to handle it. She wasn’t the kind of person to put her complete trust in someone. She had in Kaz, a long time ago. She just hadn’t admitted it to herself yet. Now she’d have a ring to be reminded of it. Perhaps it was good, for they both wanted to be together and would have a physical reminder of what they were all doing it for. Or perhaps that reminder would be the end of them. She softly shook her head. She just needed to trust that he spoke truth. That all was fine.

---

He didn’t murder three people for nothing. Three people had to die so they would marry. What a sad thought. He wasn’t stepping back, however, so she smiled. “Then we should probably get going,” she told him softly. “I’ll have to warn you that… He might not be what you’re used to.” If Kaz had ever attended a wedding, which she doubted, he would have had a different experience than what they were about to experience. But, that was fine. It was nothing bad. Probably quite the opposite. She had a feeling he would enjoy the casual experience more than what normally went on. Without thinking it over, she took his hand and threw him a smile, before she made her way to the door.

---

He wasn’t used to any of this. She chuckled. “This will all be a whole new world to you,” she told him in a slight smile. Not just this. There would be more social events where she hoped he’d dress like he did today, because the white actually did fit him.

It hadn’t been a long walk, but the sun had gone down when they reached the man. He was dressed in an old-looking robe. He clearly hadn’t shaved in a while, but he looked… clean. That was all she cared about. Four torches lit up the place, standing in a straight line behind the man. ‘Welcome, miss Lenier and…?’ He looked over at Kaz, sending him a friendly smile. Allison softly bit her lip as she looked at Kaz. Gods, what were they getting themselves into.

---

‘Kaspian Rietveldt.’ Allison’s eyes shot to the man as she frowned. “And you asked me if my real name was even Allison!” she spoke, before thinking it through. Kaspian she knew. But his surname was a fake? That was news to her. The brunette pulled her free hand through her hair and shook her head. “Couldn’t you tell me that before we were about to get married?” she whispered, hopefully soft enough for the man in front of them not to hear it. She decided to take a deep breath in and smile again.

“Thanks for arranging this so shortly,” she thanked the man, bowing slightly. After all, he had gone out of his way to get this done the same day. Something he wouldn’t do most of the times, but he shook his head as if it were nothing. ‘Anything for our new Duchess,’ he spoke, before looking at Kaz… Kaspian again. ‘And our new Duke.’

---

The man stepped towards them, taking the rings from Allison. Allison squeezed Kaz’ hand slightly, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. None of them were ready for this, yet she knew she wanted to be here with only him. No one else would ever be able to take his place. Even though it felt like she barely knew him, he was also the person she knew best. Kaspian Rietveldt. Managed to surprise her even at their fucking wedding.

‘Let us start, then,’ the man spoke calmly and Allison nodded slowly. ‘Raise your hands, please,’ he told the couple, so Allison led Kaz’ hand to where it needed to be, in front of the man. He took out an old piece of cloth. It looked like it had been used a hundred times already, so here she was, hoping he had washed it at least a hundred and one times. ‘We’re gathered in the lights of our God,’ he spoke. God, huh? ‘To seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity.’ Eternity. The girl could feel her heartbeat rise as the words were spoken.

---