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"You're recovering very well, in fact, I think you can get off bed rest now, Miss Alcott." the doctor smiled, packing up his tools.

"Don't you think she should perhaps rest a few days longer doctor?" George asked, looking somewhat panicked.

"Relax. He's said I'm alright, and besides, its been a month, how much longer do you wish to keep me bedridden?"

"As long as it takes for you to recover." he shot back, resting a protective hand on my shoulder.

"She should be fully recovered within the next month or so." the doctor said, pausing at the door, "Contact me, should your health change."

"Wait! It could change? Drastically? Would it hurt her? Is she in danger? What do we-"

"George." I cut him off, before turning to the doctor, "You may take your leave. Thank you for your service."

The doctor nodded, before exiting the room, leaving George and I alone. He still looked antsy, despite the doctor's good news. He caught my gaze, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

"You know, I think it would be best to wait for a few more days." he stated.

"No. No way. There's absolutely no way you can keep me in bed a day longer."

"You're still weak, I can do anything I want with you." He smirked, knowing his words had a subliminal meaning.

"Why must you talk like that?" I sighed as heat rose to my face.

"You love it." He cooed.

"I don't." I retorted, pushing myself out of bed for the first time in a month.

It felt wonderful to stand on my own. For my feet to touch the floor, cold to the touch due to the cool morning air. George was instantly at my side, grabbing hold of one of my arms for support.

"Would you relax? It's not as though I'm crippled." I pushed him away.

"No. You were only shot." he threw back, voice riddled with sarcasm.

"It's been a month." I responded, cautiously stepping forwards.

"You're impossible." he rolled his eyes, following closely behind as I stepped into the hallway.

"You love it." I retorted.

"I do." I paused as he said this, turning around to face him.

I then surprised us both, by pulling him into a kiss. After all, he'd done it twice to me, so why shouldn't I to him? George was shocked at first, but soon melted into it. This was the first time in a year since we had kissed, and the passion showed. After a long while, I cut the kiss short. Geroge's eyes were wide as he panted for air, and I smiled.

"I'll be fine." I assured him, before turning back down the hallway, leaving him standing there, mouth agape.

It was nice walking down the familiar hallways I hadn't seen in so long, and though so much had changed between the people living there, the castle seemed the same. I made my way through the halls, at last arriving in the ballroom. George had insisted that Samuel and Trinity use it for their wedding, and after much convincing, they did. Not only that, but George had given the servants time off to prepare for the wedding itself. Preparation was underway, as the wedding was to be held that afternoon, and though I asked numerous times, I hadn't been allowed to help until the doctor said so.

The ballroom was not so extravagant as it had been for the King's wedding, but it was decorated quite beautifully, mostly with flowers picked from the garden by Anthony. Tables had been set up, and the large doors opened to reveal the garden, a path leading through it to the location where the actual ceremony would take place. Everyone was bustling about, adding final touches before the wedding as guests slowly trickled in. Suddenly, Samuel rounded the corner, looking extremely nervous.

"Rosalie!" he smiled when he saw me.

"Hi Samuel." I returned his smile, my gaze settling on his tye, knotted beyond repair.

"Anthony said he could do it. What he didn't say was that he'd never done it before." Samuel laughed nervously, "I don't know where I'll be able to find another."

"Leave that to me." George said from behind me, gesturing that Samuel follow him.

I gave Samuel a reassuring smile as he walked down the hall, drawing in a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Oh, I nearly forgot! Trinity is getting ready in her room, in case you wished to see her." Samuel shouted down the hall to me, before disappearing around a corner.

I hastily made my way to Trinity's room, anxious to see her before the ceremony. At last, I made my way to her room, and was shocked to see her a nervous wreck, pacing back and forth. I'd never seen Trinity act that way before.

"What's going on?" I asked Fran and Alice, who were attempting to console their friend.

"What's going on is that I fear I've made a mistake!" Trinity cried.

"What do you mean?" I said pensively.

"What if one day Samuel wakes up to find that he's married the wrong person? What if he leaves me?" she wailed.

"Trinity, you know him, love him. You know he'd never do anything of the sort." I assured her.

"Rose, my own mother didn't love me! How could anyone else?" she said, surprising me.

I'd never heard anything about Trinity's past. I'd always assumed she had nothing to tell. Just a normal, happy family. But apparently, I'd been wrong.

"Trinity," I began, choosing my words carefully, "I don't know what happened between you and your mother. But she must've been crazy not to see the wonderful person her daughter was. Just crazy. But Samuel, he's a sensible man. And though he can be foolish at times too, he is nevertheless too sensible to make such an error. He knows what a kind, smart, and amazing person he is so lucky to have met, and he won't let that person go."

"You really think so?" she stopped pacing, thinking for a moment.

"Trinity, you know him better than I. Ask yourself; would Samuel do such a thing?"

"No. He wouldn't." she nodded, taking in a deep breath, "Ok. Ok, I'm ready."

"Of course you're not! Your hair's a mess!" Fran swatted her shoulder, picking up a brush from the table and getting to work.

"You look lovely." I smiled, after Fran and Alice had finished.

"And you're wearing the same dress you've been wearing all week. You need to get ready." Trinity laughed, pushing me to the closet.

"There isn't enough time!" I argued as they selected a silk, crimson dress from the closet.

"You can't rush beauty, ma chaise." Fran said as they began to dress me.

"Did you just call me a chair?" I laughed.

"What? No, chaise is dear." Fran replied, looking sure of herself.

"Whatever you say, ma chaise." I joked, as they tied up the back of the dress, before getting started on my hair.

They quickly wove my hair into a braid, before pining it up into a bun, and whirling me around to view their handiwork.

"She needs lip tint. And perfume." Alice stated.

"Is that your subtle way of telling me I smell?" I chuckled, as she spritzed me with a scented perfume, and Fran dabbed my lips with a cherry lip tint.

"Perhaps." she laughed, backing away and nodding, at last satisfied with my appearance.

Suddenly, a sharp rap at the door drew our attention, as a voice called out.

"Trinity!" a man's voice called.

"Come in father!" she shouted, and the door opened to reveal a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to Trinity.

"Ah, you must be Rosalie Alcott." he gave me a warm smile, shaking my hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you as well."

"You look simply ravishing, my darling girl." he said to his daughter, as tears brimmed in his eyes, "Are you ready?"

"I am." Trinity smiled.

"Then let us go." he extended his arm, and Trinity took it, and the five of us exited the room.

Alice, Fran, and I quickly made our way to the gardens. It would take a moment for Trinity to walk down the aisle, as she was speaking with her family inside the ballroom for a moment first. Alice and Fran broke off, taking seats with who I could only assume to be their families. I looked around for a free seat, and found George, waving me over, an empty seat beside his own, near the back. He was dressed in common clothes, blending in with those around them, likely so as to not draw attention away from the bride and groom. And it worked. Without his royal attire, he was nearly unrecognizable to the townsfolk. I quickly made my way over to him, seating myself.

"You look stunning in that dress." he fawned, his eyes slowly lowering to my lips, "That was very bold of you earlier..."

"What?" I acted oblivious.

"You know exactly what." he leaned in, and his lips met mine.

We kissed for only a brief moment, before I pulled away abruptly, looking around to make sure no one had seen us.

"Embarrassed darling?" he droned.

"As if." I scoffed.

"Hmm," he licked his lips, "You taste good."

My face was instantly consumed by an intense blush, as I struggled to form a sentence. This amused George to no end, and he laughed at my extremely flustered state.

"You're unbearable." I scoffed.

"No dear, the problems is that you fluster so easily. I simply can't help myself." he shrugged.

Suddenly, the sound of the piano silenced the entire crowd, as members of Trinity's family slowly filed down the aisle, before the bride herself at last appeared, linking arms with her father, who couldn't help the tears that cascaded down his face. Samuel's mouth fell open upon seeing her, and he couldn't help but stare, as she came to a stop in front of him. I was filled with a sense of pure joy, as I watched them exchange their vows. A feeling of homeliness washed over me then. This was where I belonged. This was home.

°•. ✿ .•°