The next two weeks flashed by in a blur. I visited the Shadow Group every Monday, giving tidbits of information I might've have scrounged up from visiting Charlie or Sophia, still visiting them even after that dreadful day at Charlie's. Even though his ice eyes still haunted me once in a while, I learned that if I was going to help the Shadow Group I would have to suck it up and get through it.

Speaking of the Shadow Group, not a day went by that I regretted ever doubting them. Surprisingly the group had made me the happiest I'd been in England, and ever since my second meeting with them and I had gotten to tell everyone about the spy I'd beem a respected member of the group, earning the trust of almost all the members and boosting my happiness signifanctly.

Not to say we didn't have some close calls over the past fourteen days; there were a few times soldiers questioned us in the street and one time where soldiers burst into the conference room and found us reading an American newspaper. Lucky for us Fiona got us out of the situation by lying that we were simply picking out sewing patterns to order, and after some flirting and smooth talking the soldiers let us off the hook, specifically after he asked Lila where she lived.

(It was quite funny really, she told him the location of her grandmothers house in America and he didn't notice). Despite the humor of the situation, the soldiers proved that everything was risky, and we had to skip a meeting.

But the feeling of pride when an impressed Fiona thanked me for my hard work was worth it, making me desperate to prove myself once again. And I never felt useless now, instead I felt powerful; I was finally making a difference to help America. And by doing this I'd become more and more resourceful. Never before had I learned how to convincingly lie, light a fire without matches, sew disguises and smuggle supplies to the post office using the train of a dress.

But the most important skill I had learned was the importance of being extremely careful. There were times when visiting Charlie that even after our kisses and sweet-talking he would get in one of his moods and accuse me of things I never did, one of them being a spy.

When this happened I simply just nodded and got him a cigar until he calmed down, thinking of how Charlie and my father had more in common than I thought. But when it came to my mother it was a little harder; she had a intuition that only mother had, so the excuses I made up had to be very detailed and planned out, so that she wouldn't get suspicious.

And to top everything off, the tension between the British and the colonies was rising rapidly.

Everyday the streets of England grew more and more dangerous, and everyday more slaves were recruited and more rebels were killed, most of them done by my own fiance. Whenever this happened I reminded myself of Virginia and why I was sucking up in the first place; to to one day end slavery, to help what at first was a rag-tag team be tied with the great British force, and thanks to help from spies everywhere the huge battle was on the horizon.

And I knew I should be excited that the colonies were finally pulling through, but instead I was upset for one reason only; my wedding.

Even though I'd come to terms with Charlie and his terrible self, and had learned to at make the burden of being his fiance less hard to bear, the thought of being tied down in that horrifying manor made my heart twist.

Charlie had been calling in replacements for him because he wanted us to get married before he would go on duty, and now every time we got together he wanted to go over wedding plans until he got into one of his moods, where he pushed me away and drowned himself in cigars... Sometimes when I was forced to watch the slaves cook I searched his eyes, hoping to see a glint of maybe genuine love in them, something that make me believe that marrying him wouldn't be as terrible as I thought.

But no, the coldness was still there, and not even a thousand empty words and lip push-ups could fix it. And now the date of the wedding was drawing nearer and nearer, and every time I thought about it it made my insides twist. But that was the only wedding I was dreading; because now as I stood in Sophia's dressing room in a bridesmaids dress I held back tears.

Today was the day I'd been trying to avoid since that faithful night in my bedroom, where everything seemed so simple, where my dreams of returning to Virginia seemed miles away, and I craved those few blissful moments when I was unaware of my brother's engagement to a woman I disapproved of.

I glanced at that same woman, watching her twirl around the mirror, her long, lace white wedding dress flowing all around her. Her hair was in a gorgeous bun, face powdered to perfection, and train so long it took five servants to carry it. I internally shook my head, wondering once more what Joseph saw in her. Yes she was pretty and yes she was rich but... besides that, what did she have? What did she have that made my brother crave her attention? What did she have that I so desperately wanted?

Suddenly Sophia squealed, the sound echoing in my ears far after it was over. "I look beautiful!" She cried, and I swore I saw a tear slide down from her perfect eyes. I turned away, trying to hide my own tears. I wanted to cling onto Joseph as long as I could; he was one of the only people I could really talk too, and he was... my brother.

I desperately wished for the days in Virginia where we could talk through the night and joke around without a care in the world. And as I looked at Sophia's friends fawn over her, I thought that maybe I needed to grow up, maybe I needed to accept that I wasn't a kid anymore, but a grown woman.

Maybe I needed to accept that those days were over.

But when I tried to forget all I could see was Joseph swinging Josie and me around in the summertime with his strong arms, and all I could hear was Josie's shrieks of joy as we played hide and seek, and that feeling of longing overcame me so hard that my tears burst through. "Rose, are you alright?" Sophia asked, and I let the tears pour down. "Oh Sophia I'm so happy for you!" I cried, hiding my sadness. Sophia ran over and handed me a handkerchief, her eyes wide with gratitude.

"Oh Rose you're too sweet!" Sophia said. "But stop crying; I can't have my Maid of Honor crying, can I?" She asked  in a sharp tone. "No you can't," I said, and I stopped my tears real quick, pulling myself together and cursing myself for letting my emotions get the best of me. It was time to put on my fake face, just like I'd been doing for Charlie and every other event that I hated.

Sophia then nodded curtly and snapped her fingers, and another servant came over to overlook my dress for the billionth time. It was a powder blue, and puffed out like an upside cupcake wrapper. All of the bridesmaids were fawning around Sophia, Lila among them. I stole a glance at her; we'd come to terms that it was best we didn't talk at all around Sophia, but it still sent a small tingle of hurt down my back to see my best friend ignoring me.

"Oh you planned the wedding just right Sophia." Lila said, holding her lilac bouquet. Judy and Henerita nodded in unison, like Sophia's little minions. And it was so funny that I had to hold in a laugh; Henerita and Judy were all married and many years older than Sophia, yet they sucked up to her and flirted with men like they were five years younger. And I guess I did too, but we both had different reasons, mine I wouldn't like to share in public.

Finally, after every bridesmaid's dress was tightened so hard it choked them and every single hair was curled and firmly in it's bun shape Sophia handed out glasses of champagne, which we raised in toast of her. As Maid of Honor it was my job to give the toast, and I watched as the other girls looked at me expectedly, some of their gazes full of jealously that I was chosen to be Maid of Honor and not them.

I raised my glass, a proud expression on my face. "To Sophia, may she have a long and happy marriage, and that she always remember how many blessings she has." I said before taking a long drink of my glass, meaning every word I spoke; especially the part about remembering how many blessings she has.

After the toast the bridesmaids excitedly gathered together, me behind Sophia, before we filed out of the room in perfect unison, just like Sophia demanded we do so. As we walked I watched Sophia clutch her lilacs with her dainty hands and with every hair in place and skin gleaming, and I wondered if she was regretting her decision to marry my brother. She seemed like she was excited, and loved him, but what I feared is that she'd soon find it wasn't fun having a lower-class husband.

And I wondered if King George was embarrassed or ashamed that his daughter was marrying a lower class man, cause it sure took Joseph a long time to convince him too. I pictured my brother coming home deflated and disappointed after a long day of trying to convince the royal family to let him marry Sophia, and his expression when he told me King George had finally said yes. It was an expression of pure radiance, an expression of beautiful hope, a glassy faraway look of love I would never understand.

And despite my skeptical about Sophia and grudge towards the wedding, I truly hoped that Sophia really did love Joseph, because I knew how much he really loved her. From the moment he had met her he'd loved her; from the second he came home to this very day. Every time Joseph said her name his eyes always lit up with a glow I've never experienced before, and a smile that seemed so angelic and innocent it took me back to our childhood in Virginia.

Joseph loved her with his entire heart, and I hope with all my heart that Sophia loves him, because it would break Joseph's heart if she didn't. I snapped out of my thoughts as the group grew to a halt at the huge golden stairs, giggling as they hid behind the giant curtain set up.

They were hushed by servants as the chatter of the audience died down, indicating the wedding was starting soon. Curious I peeked behind the curtain and saw Mother in a chair in the front room, trying to get a view of Joseph, and a bored Father beside her, looking like he'd rather be at the bar.

The sight of my Father sitting beside my Mother like nothing had happened between them, like he didn't know that thoughts of helping my Mother escape him hadn't been occupying my brain for days, like hitting his own wife was normal, made my stomach twist with something evil, something I didn't want to prod out of fear of losing control.

I decided not to focus on my Father for now. He could be dealt with later, but now it was time to focus on the wedding. I could feel the bridesmaids straighten up as the servants told them it was time to start, and I did one last quick search of the room before I joined.

The King and Queen of England sat at the front, and I noticed Charlie sitting in the front room as well. Before I could dwell on how he was taking in every detail of the wedding and whispering to the planner beside him a a hush came over the crowd as the organ began to play, and Sophia stepped to the side to let the bridesmaids go.

The servants, (which I felt sympathetic for; dealing with a bridezilla like Sophia was no easy task,) pushed us out and soon we were all moving along, the bridesmaids pairing up with Joseph's groomsmen, until that left me.

I looked out before going and saw Charlie rise from his chair and was in his place to take me down the aisle, even though he wasn't a groomsmen. Then with one last deep breath I walked down to Eddie and grabbed onto his arm and glided down the aisle before parting with him and lining up with the other bridesmaids.

We stood there in a row, smiling and holding our flowers while the groomsmen held their hands while the ring barrier, (Sophia's spoiled cousin) and the flower girl (her other spoiled cousin) walked down the aisle, the flower girl throwing petals in specific directions so that they littered the aisle perfectly, exactly like Sophia had told her.

After they had taken their places the organ switched it's song to the traditional bridal ballad, and that's when everyone stood, watching as King George led Sophia down the aisle. It really was quite a sight, watching the either beloved or hated king walk down the aisle with his daughter to my brother, once a lower-class Virginian man. But despite the weirdness no one could deny Sophia was stunning underneath the chandelier lighting, eyes shining brighter than a halo, and I caught a glimpse of Joseph's awed face, one full of so much love he looked like he was about to cry.

After what seemed like years but was really minutes Sophia got to the steps of the makeshift alter on the other side of the room, and Joseph and her grabbed hands and stared into one another's eyes, both shining with what I hoped was a deep love. The wedding then began, and I sat quietly with the other bridesmaids, bored as the ceremony went on and on, until it was time for me to give my Maid of Honor speech.

I walked up to the front of the room and stood next to Joseph and Sophia, hands trembling, gazing out at the crowd. I spotted a few people from the Shadow Group, specifically Janice because of her relation to the King, and a handful of others, but the biggest shock was Fiona by the door, covered in a widow's mourning attire. I almost gasped but held it in, and before anyone could see what I was looking at I began reciting the speech I'd carefully planned out since I'd found out I was Sophia's Maid of Honor.

"When I first came to England, I was excited and elated. The world was new and full of possibility and I was even closer to my beloved King. But I never expected I would become as close as I am now to him; no, I never expected the wonderful  bond I now have with the royal family. But I am oh so glad I have it, so proud to say that I consider Sophia family, even more so she is marrying my brother. And I wish the two good luck and a marriage that will last forever." I said before returning to my seat with the other bridesmaids.

There it was. Simple, easy, and a lie for most of the part. I did want Sophia and Joseph to have a good marriage, but the part about being excited and elated was a total lie. I didn't mention the fear I felt as I watched my parents force us on a boat, or the sadness at waving goodbye to Josie, or the craven and shame of leaving because we were scared.

No one wanted to know about those things.

For the rest of the ceremony I watched it without shedding a tear, but sniffles were heard through the crowd throughout the entire service, and as the two went through what seemed like a hundred promises and rituals more tears were shed, some even from the King and Queen themselves, especially when the two lovers said their vows.

Joseph went first, and he straightened his tie, gazing at Sophia with love. "Sophia, I will promise to be the best husband you could ever dream of. Though I might not be the mightiest out of the British army, or the handsomest out of every suitor you've laid eyes on, I will be the kindest and the most loving of them all." Joseph said, and Mother burst into tears.

"Joseph, I will be a loyal and wonderful wife to you, to the end of time," was Sophia's simple response and I felt myself grow slightly annoyed that Joseph came up with something so deep and that she could only think of that. But that was Sophia; simple and a spoiled brat. Realizing that I was sulking I pushed down my jealousy and tried to look happy for Joseph for the rest of the service.

Finally the last promise and prayer was over, and the priest began the last part of the service, and the most important part. "Joseph Hernando Indenza, do you take Princess Sophia as your loving wife till death do you part?" He asked.  Joseph looked proudly in Sophia's eyes. "I do," he called, loud and clear as a bell. The priest moved onto Sophia. "Princess Sophia of England, do you take Joseph Hernando Indenza to be your loving husband to death do you part?" He asked again.

"I do," Sophia said, a little softer and shyer, but there all the same. "Any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said, and when silence followed, he grinned at the lovers and said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife!"  Cheers echoed through the ballroom and  I felt myself clapping along, but I  was holding back tears. No matter how much I tried to be happy for them it was hard to see your best friend, let alone brother, fall so deeply into someone else that you're mostly forgotten.

And I knew from the moment the new couple embraced in an intense kiss that I had lost Joseph forever.