We rush downstairs to a room just outside of the throne room after all of us check ourselves in the mirror one last time and meet our escorts. Kai isn't there of course as per tradition, he won't see me today until I'm walking down the aisle, and he's also greeting guests. Many are political since this is also my enthronement, but some are not like Émile. Torin is Kai's best man and will also be walking me down the aisle. Cress will be walking with Thorne, who is jokingly sore he wasn't chosen as best man, but I understand why Kai chose Torin, Winter walking with Jacin, Scarlet with Wolf, and Iko with Kinney, who was chosen by Kai as a groomsmen under my suggestion.

We find our escorts and I hear Thorne joke that, "The ladies are late, as usual," and Cress reply that, "'The Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early,' and that goes for her princesses too," a line from an old movie known as The Princess Diaries, and a laugh from Thorne. Torin looks at me and begins to bow but stops himself. I laugh. This has become the joke between us. He hands me my bouquet of flowers and offers his arm, I link arms with him and line up last. The wedding march starts and the others walk forward and my nerves come back in full swing. All those cameras I could mess up in front of. Torin gives me a reassuring look as he feels me tense but it doesn't make me feel better. Winter and Jacin are the only ones in front of us now, and I start to freeze so I take a deep breath. When I open my eyes all I see is Kai. My Kai, my beautiful, beaming Kai, and my nerves melt away.

Suddenly I realize we've made it to the end of the aisle and then Torin leads me up the steps and I feel him, in a surprising show of affection, kiss me on the top of my head, and whisper, "You look beautiful, and you'll do amazing, don't worry."

Kai takes my hand and looks at me and whispers, "you look stunning," then nods at the Prime Minister of the European Federation and unexpectedly turns to the audience, his voice booming across the crowd. "Before we begin I'd like to take a second and honor all the people that can't be with us today. There are too many to name, but I know that they know who they are as they look down on us from the stars." He turns back to the Prime Minister who begins. The wedding is first. We exchange vows but all I know and care about is the tenderness and love Kai is looking at me with, the rest is me on autopilot.

All of the sudden it's over and the Prime Minister says, "you may kiss the bride," and Kai takes me, lifts the veil, and kisses me intensely but still regally and whispers, "I love you."

"I love you too," I say. We reluctantly break apart as it's time for the enthronement. The Prime Minister steps off stage and Kai lets go of my hands and faces the crowd and begins to speak.

"Ever since the beginning of monarchies in Asia the tradition has been that if someone married into the bloodline they are royalty too. As Emperor, Cinder, my wife, is now empress should she choose to accept." He turns back to me. "Cinder, do you accept role as empress to rule faithfully, truthfully, and honestly by my side as long as we both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then as Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth I do pronounce you Empress Cinder of the Eastern Commonwealth. You may ascend your throne." I turn towards the throne and for once, thank goodness, gracefully ascend the steps leading to it and sit. Applause that seems to come from the entire Earthen Union surrounds me and the group seems to tremble with it. The smile cannot be wiped from my face as the national anthem begins to play. I stand and turn to the flag along with everyone else.