Yes, I was right. I walked inside and saw Jasmin surrounded by her squad who were giggling around the glowing bride and saying how gorgeous she looked in the bridal dress of red and golden embroidered gown, with similar heavy jewelry as yesterday adorning her hands, neck, ears, and forehead. Jasmin looked every bit of royalty she was about to become. “Emma!” She squealed when she saw me and turned from the full-length mirror to wrap her hands around me.
“Hey, you.” I greeted with a smile. Her happiness was infectious. When she stepped back, I gave her a slight bow. “Your Royal Highness.”
Jasmin blushed prettily. “Not you too, Emma.” She said clutching the heaven red gown in her hands. “These females have had a field day ever since they’ve arrived. And just so you know . . .” She turned to face the other six women. “I would marry Aryan even if he was a dirt poor thief like Aladdin.”
“Jas, don’t you know that even Aladdin turns into a prince later on,” Miranda said.
I looked at the watch and back at Jasmin. “You should head out. Time to go if you don’t want to keep your prince waiting.” I said teasingly.
“Oh yeah, the valet just called saying the car was ready out front,” Jasmin said and took one last look in the mirror. Wetting her lips and taking a deep breath, she said. “Let’s go!”
“I’ll get ready and be right behind you,” I said, rushing to the door.
“Wait.” Jasmin stopped me. “What are you going to wear?”
“I bought a dress the other day for the wedding,” I inform her. “It’s blue.”
“Would you mind wearing the violet sari from the photo shoot yesterday?” She asked. “Along with the same jewelry set, you looked stunning.”
I don’t know about me but the sari was beautiful. “I don’t have it with me. I passed it back to Layla.”
Jasmin grinned. “You’ll find it in your room.”
I shook my head with a small smile. “Well if it makes you happy, I’ll wear it. But I’m going to need some help. I have no experience wearing that.”
“I’ll help.” Miranda jumped up. “I’ve studied fashion so I know how to wear all kinds of clothing.”
“Great!” I said, pulling open the door. And we leave the room together going to my temporary abode.
“Come soon, both of you,” Jasmin called. “I won’t get married without seeing you there.”
Miranda and I rush to the elevator since we were running late already. She was a chatting little thing which was good because I wasn’t in much of a mood to make conversation. She told me all about herself and her family’s history to her schooling and friendship with Jasmin. She also told me about the family history of her dog, Rudolf. All in the span of reaching the room. I asked her to wait for a few minutes as I freshened up. The sari was folded neatly on my bed with the jewelry boxes resting next to it. Miranda helped me wear it and draped it around me securely as I finished doing my makeup.
My phone was on the bedside table featuring a war between calls and texts both fighting the battle to reach me first. It was Jo asking about the bride. I informed him she was on the way then grabbed my bag and flew out the door with Miranda.
The orange lights that laced the palace were switched on basking the whole area in a golden glow. There was a sweet floral scent in the air from the marigolds which were decorated all over. The guests were talking to each other and a buzz of laughter drifted around. Miranda and I walked forward where she joined her friends and I sat down next to Jo. He was all suited up for the occasion. I raise an eyebrow in appreciation. Sarah was beside him and I smiled at her too. She’ll know everything in a couple of hours anyway. I looked at the stage to see Aryan seated and waiting for his bride. He was dressed in a cream art banarasi silk, mandarin neck, Indo western sherwani that was decked with zari embroidery, pocket square, and fancy buttons lining the middle with a light green art silk bottom. The turban on his head completed the royal look.
I frowned after a minute. Jasmin was supposed to be here by now.
“Where’s Jasmin?” I ask Jo quietly.
He looks over my shoulder. “Right there.”
I turn and see the bride slowly making her way to the stage. Jake was by her side. He wasn’t in a suit like Jo but had chosen to dress in a stylish Rajasthani outfit as he had during the photo shoot. Oh, please have mercy on my tender heart. He had donned an Indo western black and gold velvet attire, with the black dominating the front with gold buttons and a mandarin collar and golden floral design covering the long sleeves.
Jake looked dashing as he held Jasmin’s hand and walked her up the steps leading to the stage and gave away his sister to her groom.
Chapter Nine
Jake stood behind Jasmin as Aryan’s parents stood behind him as customs demanded. The priest started chanting the sacred holy words in the Sanskrit language. He uttered words that were believed to have religious and spiritual powers binding the young couple in matrimony. Aryan’s mother, the Queen, comes forth at the priest’s direction and draped two individual red cloth over both Aryan and Jasmin’s shoulders and tied them in a knot signifying their eternal bond. After a few more chants, the priest says something to Jake and he bends down taking Jasmin’s hand and placed it in Aryan’s outstretched one, as he takes the lifetime responsibility of the woman he loved. The priest enlightens us that this particular ritual is the unification of the two souls. God, this wedding was making me emotional, I sniff.
The couple stands after a few minutes and starts to encircle the small fire, saying a holy vow with each round. After they did this seven times, Jake as her eldest family member placed puffed rice in Jasmin’s hand and she and Aryan poured it into the fire together. I share a look with Jo who looked teary-eyed. “My little sister’s all grown up.” He said sentimentally.
I had to clear my own eyes by blinking several times. However many weddings I arranged, this part of it, the part where two people are tied together by their love for each other, it always made me weepy. The purity of this relation, the innocence of loving someone so selflessly, so unconditionally made me long to love someone this way. And to be loved in return. It made me painfully aware of the fact that I was yet to discover this magical and extraordinary feeling. My eyes involuntarily move to Jake and found his eyes already on me, gazing at me with an unreadable expression.
Maybe it was the atmosphere around me or the ceremony taking place in front of me or even the music drifting all around or maybe it was just the man who couldn’t take his eyes off me, made me realize that I had unintentionally but undoubtedly fallen in love with Jake Vandervaal. Maybe a part of me had always known that. I lower my eyes back towards Jasmin and Aryan. I couldn’t let Jake see what I felt about him. Not until Clarissa was out of his life for good.
The Queen passed Aryan a small box of red powder called Sindoor, which he applied to the middle hair parting on Jasmin’s forehead, symbolizing the married status of the girl. Soon after they were asked to stand up and touch the royal parents and Jakes’s feet as custom to gain their blessings. The priest then announced them, man and wife. The wedding was completed.
Later for the reception, all the guests headed indoors to the main hall of the palace and began the icebreaking game where the bride squad aka the bridesmaids had hidden the groom’s shoes and have to demand money or gifts to get them back for the rest of the night. Negotiations were in full swing between the bridesmaids and the groomsmen when Jo found me. He handed me some documents to pass to Jake since he couldn’t find him and needed to urgently rush to the hotel because someone was having a drunken fit and wanted to see the owner. Because Jake had gone AWOL, Jo would go and sort out the matter himself. “I’d wait for Jake, but the guy is making a scene. You don’t mind, do you?” He shoved the papers at me.