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The truth was that God almost never heard Eileen's prayers.
But if He were still to hear even one, she hoped it would be today's.
On this special day she believed that this time He would definitely turn His attention to her.
After the conclusion of the vows, a flower child approached them and brought a tray with a ring box.
Cesare took the small red velvet box.
In the end, she had never received an engagement ring, but it didn't matter.
Even if Cesare gave her only a wedding ring, she would be happy.
With a fluttering heart Eileen waited for him to put it on her finger.
When the red velvet box opened, Eileen didn't believe her eyes.
Inside lay a ring she was seeing for the first time, but it seemed achingly familiar.
It was a platinum ring crowned with a large diamond and a shining emerald.
Even on the band itself one could notice the finest patterns inlaid with tiny diamonds.
The stones sparkled dazzlingly in the rays of the bright sun.
An excessively luxurious ring, the price of which frightened even at the thought of it, but Eileen was struck by another fact.
*‘How...’*
It was the ring that little Eileen had secretly drawn in her diary.
The childish clumsiness of the design had now turned into an exquisite work of art thanks to fine jewelry work.
How could Cesare know about the ring she’d drawn in childhood in her diary?
It was impossible for him to have read her diary.
Cesare had visited the brick house only a few times, and had gone up to the second floor only once.
Of course, possibly, little Eileen had shown him the drawing, but she remembered too well every minute spent with the prince.
It was physically impossible and made no sense, but for some reason it didn't seem strange.
The feeling of lightness, as if floating in the clouds, dulled her sense of reality.
Cesare, holding the ring, dropped to one knee and looked at Eileen.
She held out her trembling hand to him.
His long eyes, full of scarlet fire, softly curved, forming a chord.
He took her hand and slowly put on the ring.
The firm metal slid over her finger deep inside, until finally it stopped at the base of the ring finger.
The perfectly fitted ring tightly clasped the finger.
The ring sparkled through the lace gloves covering her hands.
Eileen with happiness overflowing her heart looked at it.
Then she took the box from the flower child and took out the ring for Cesare.
His ring was simple, with a small diamond, much more modest than hers.
The clean design perfectly suited him.
While Eileen was examining the ring, Cesare straightened and removed the glove from his left hand.
He held out his hand to her.
It would seem, only to put on a ring, but why did her trembling not cease?
Eileen even took a deep breath before taking his hand.
His hand was beautiful.
Masculine, large, with clear veins, but at the same time with long and straight fingers.
Unconsciously having stroked his hand, she cautiously put on the ring.
Because of the trembling her movements were slow and uncertain.
Although this, must have been, irritating, Cesare patiently waited, not uttering a word.
Finally, she brought the ring to the end.
Eileen, looking at the sparkling rings on his and her hand, plunged into blissful happiness.
Cesare too admired the pair of rings now decorating the newlyweds’ hands.
His red eyes slowly slid to Eileen.
She shyly smiled at him in response.
"..."
Looking at her smile, like a blossoming bud, Cesare took a deep breath.
The aroma of lilies filling his lungs blurred his mind.
He swallowed a crooked smirk, watching how Eileen blossomed in a smile.
*The first and last chance.*
He knew that he would never gain ideal happiness.
The path he’d chosen was aimed not at Eileen's happiness, but at her survival.
And even if this made her unhappy, nothing could be done.
But this didn't mean he didn't wish her happiness.
He’d always most of all liked seeing her smiling.
Cesare could no longer restrain himself.
He pulled her by the waist, hugged her.
Having squeezed into the hug his little, and now already wife, he with one hand firmly held her by the back, and with the other roughly pulled her to himself for a kiss.
"Ah!.."
Eileen cried out, sharply leaning back.
Her eyes wide open from surprise rounded like a rabbit's.
She convulsively clutched at his uniform, in her distracted gaze fright was read.
Seeing how she clung to him like a drowning man to a straw, Cesare smirked and, not taking his gaze away, continued the kiss.
It was not a kiss of vow, but something too long, crude, closer to lust.
Despite the presence of the high priest and many guests, Cesare paid them no attention.
After everything he’d experienced, he didn't give a damn about others' looks.
He just plunged into her mouth as if he wanted to swallow her.
Sweet, sharp delight paralyzed the nerves.
Excitement and euphoria shot up, lighting his scarlet eyes with a dangerous fire.
If he could, he would have torn her to pieces and swallowed her.
Then no one could have caused her harm.
Only he alone could make her unhappy.
But Cesare habitually suppressed the impulse.
Instead he poured out the raging desire in a hot kiss.
He insistently caressed her palate with his tongue, and gradually the embarrassed Eileen also relaxed.
Her golden-green eyes reflecting only him drove him mad.
Or, maybe, he’d already gone mad.
Suppressing a chuckle, he locked her little soft tongue in his mouth and bit it.
Having left a mark on her, he again and again confirmed that this was a world in which Eileen exists, and that he is beside her.
Everything for Eileen's sake.
Cesare was ready for anything for Eileen's sake.
It should have been just a ritual kiss of newlyweds.
But the kiss of the Grand Duke and Duchess Erzet was so frank and passionate that all the guests reddened.
The wet kiss ended only when the bride was already barely standing on her feet.
The Grand Duke Erzet together with his wife covered in a bright blush said goodbye to the guests and briefly retired to the mansion.
They needed to take photos for newspapers to show the people of the Empire.
After the photo session the bride was to prepare for the first wedding night, and the groom—to treat the guests with food and wine, communicating with them.
The servants of the Grand Ducal mansion nimbly directed the still stunned guests to the banquet hall.
Fresh flowers decorating the place of the ceremony were gathered into elegant bouquets and distributed to the guests, filling the hall with aromas.
The stunned guests gradually came to themselves and soon began to hum like a swarm of bees, discussing the historic event.
Only selected few were invited to the Grand Duke Erzet's wedding—foreign monarchs, top aristocracy, and those in whose veins noble blood flowed.
All of them were used to luxury.
But even they couldn't hide surprise, having arrived at the ceremony.
The place decorated in the garden of the mansion was a real kingdom of flowers.
Expensive flowers, especially lilies, were used unrestrainedly.
But at the same time everything looked exquisite and elegant—such a wedding would have cost a fortune.
Guests, sitting among exquisite decorations, waited for the heroes of the celebration, whispering about the main heroine of the day—Eileen Elod.
She was just a young lady from a baronial house deprived of money, power, and glory.
And now Grand Duke Erzet, a member of the imperial family, had chosen her as his spouse.
At first everyone decided she was an incredible beauty.
But rumors of her unearthly beauty quickly died down.
Those who’d seen her face spread completely other words.
No one before had encountered such a country bumpkin.