{Harmony POV} 

What is fear? We all experience it, yet if I were to ask someone what it was, would they have a definite answer for me? As I sit on the steps of the palace watching people pass by, I have realized that fear is different for us all. For a mother, it's being afraid of her child scraping his knee on the gravel road. Fear makes her run after her child in speed; only fear could give her. For the teenage boy who is about to talk to a girl, fear makes him freeze in place as if he is a stone statue. And finally for the dying 21-year-old king, fear pushes him to do the things the king before him was too timid to do. I joined a rebellion that would turn the tides of this war. 

There was no telling how long I sat on these steps, but I honestly did not want to know. I wanted to feel as if, for once in my life; time was irrelevant to me. I wanted to feel the sun warm up my skin and smell the freshly baked bread from the town's bakery one last time. Knowing it is your final day made all the colors in the sky more vibrant, the clouds seemed like newly spun cotton. I heard the doors open behind me. 

"Mind explaining yourself to me your Highness?" The deep cynical tone let me know Sir Colway speaking

"Well, right now I am relaxing before my wedding tonight, what would you like me to explain to you?" I asked, knowing what he meant but playing stupid. 

"The wedding? And what about the ceremony right after that you requested? Do you really think that uneducated swine could lead a country better than I could? 

"Please do not call my fiance uneducated swine. You can always teach someone how to read or even military strategy, but a person could never obtain the light that Cyra has within her," I pushed passed Sir Colway on my way inside. "Now come on Sir Colway I must get ready for my wedding." 

Servants flew through the halls trying to transform the vast kingdom into something suitable for a wedding. Lavish golden curtains replaced with glimmering white ones, all the vases in the castle were filled with only the most eye-catching and bright flowers Majiey had to offer. Even the floor was more radiant than usual with an added sparkle. I smiled at all the maids and butlers that I passed. I could still remember the angry looks on their faces when I announced the event to them and how soon they had to plan it. 

All this felt so unreal to me. As if this was all some fever dream that I would awaken from. I would wake up healthy and not about to get married, but alas, I would not awaken. Harmony Anwell was dying, and he was about to be married to a girl with a hidden strength that would save them all. I knew Cyra's power from the moment I met her. I loved her, but not romantic love. Maybe if I had more time on this earth than the love I have for the bright grey eyes beauty would flourish into something beyond what I feel, but for now, her friend is all I seek. Her great need to put others in front of herself and fight for what is right strike me in a way no one ever had. 

You will die tonight, my beloved son, join me in the palm of death. My mother's voice filled my head as if she was sitting in front of me. Would I see her? Embrace her? Even saying simple words to her would bring me peace. I guess I would soon find the answer to those questions. 

I ventured to Cyra's room and gently knocked on the white-painted door. I could hear the maids running around her room and Cyra's sweet voice apologizing for not standing straight enough. I opened the door, and the sea of maids parted enough for me to see Cyra, my mouth dropped. Her gown was a beautiful mixture of silky blue and radiant purple swirled together in a dazzling swirl; she had blue see-through sleeves that had white pearls around her wrist. The neckline on the dress hung around her chest and was lined with purple and white flowers with pearls scattered down the dress that met with a dazzling flower belt that gave the slightly puffed dress a loving shape to it. There was a long slit along the bottom right side of her dress that was almost hidden among elegant tulle. Soon the maids noticed my presence and they all stood to attention, once quickly following the other. Cyra's stormy grey eyes looked up at me through the mirror. 

"Oh, Harmony! I didn't hear you come in," She scratched the back of her head and cleared her throat, ever since the garden Cyra had an air of awkwardness around her. Maybe a wedding like this was not standard where she was from. 

"Yes, I have been told I am a very quiet person. You look breathtaking, my dear," All the maids looked at each other with pride. Cyra smiled and bowed her head in thanks, she opened her mouth to say something, but Leillan stepped into the room. She seemed out of breath as if she had been running, and her red hair was a jumbled mess. 

"You're getting married? And when were you going to inform me about it? After you were made queen?" her tone was sharp and angry.

"Leillan it happened last night. I haven't even had time to understand it myself fully. Plus you have seemed to keep many things from me lately," Cyra's voice was smooth yet seemed to have a passive undertone to it. This fight seemed to be one that I shouldn't be involved with, so I said my goodbyes to the two girls before leaving. 

"Why would you marry him?" was the last words from Leillan I heard. I did not take offense to these words since I felt the pain in her voice; I could hear Leillan's heart being broken as the woman she loved married someone else. I knew from the moment I saw the way Leillan looked at Cyra that she was ferociously in love with her. I wanted to reassure her that this was just a temporary marriage but now did not seem to be the time to do so. I headed back to my room since the sun was almost entirely in the sky, which meant I was behind schedule. I was to marry Cyra at noon, and I had yet to even change out of my sleeping clothes. 

I must have stared at the multi-colored floral-patterned suit that was laid on my bed for ten minutes. This would be the outfit I died in. I ran my hand over the fabric; my upper lip quivered a bit as my fingers felt the silky material. I lifted the shirt to my nose only to be welcomed to the sweet smell of cotton. I felt my body begin to shake. The realization was hitting me. I would die tonight. I took deep short breaths as I buried my face into the collar of the shirt. 

Join me, son. I will be here to embrace you.

For once, my mother's voice was not one that brought me comfort. Her voice just brought me to tears. 

"I do not want to die," I wept into my suit. 

I felt hands grab onto me, and I jumped up. Was it the hands of death coming to catch me sooner than expected? No, thankfully it was just a very concerned and doe-eyed Cyra. Her long raven hair now tied up in an elegant bun lead back by a crown of braids. She officially looked like a queen. She was just missing her throne. 

"Harmony," The way she whispered my name as if I was a small animal that would scare easy made me force a smile on my face.

"Cyra," I raised my eyebrow at her "you should be getting ready to be getting married to a dying man," I teased. 

"Should be getting ready to marry a girl who can't read," Cyra joked back. She let out a breathy laugh that sparked a light through the room. "I thought you might want some company. Come on. I'll help you get ready." She stood up and offered her hand to me. I took her hand in an instant. They were oddly rough, but they were evidence of the hard labor she had to do all her life. "So, you going to get changed or are you going to marry me in that," she gestured to my sleepwear. I jokingly rolled my eyes, grabbed my suit, and walked to my walk room to change. The fabric felt pillowy against my skin when it slipped over me. The smell of cotton began to overwhelm me. I gripped onto the dark stone counter and stared at my reflection.

Lay peacefully my son, no more pain or worry will touch you.
I focused all my attention on my neon eyes that seemed to glow brightly against my dark skin.

"Harmony?" Cyra called with a light knock on the door. "The guards said it was time for us to get in our places," I could hear the worry and childlike nerves in her voice. I could even picture her picking her nails bed, what she always did when she was nervous.

Harmony, my sweet.

"Harmony?" She called again. I opened the door to see Cyra, and the guards circled my door. I smiled down at her, offering her my arm.

"Shall we go? My beautiful bride," I kept my tone light and happy. She had so much weight laying upon her shoulders; my worry might be the pull that unravels her. Cyra face bubbled up into her famous smile that was always slightly pulled to the left. 

"We shall my dashing groom," Cyra looped her arm around mine, and I pulled her out of the room with the guards guiding us to the ballroom where we would wed. Waiting outside the doors waited Cyra's mother and our brilliant leader Timay. She wore a simple silver dress that was tied around the waist with a gold ribbon; Majiey royal colors. She had a broad smile with her eyes full of nothing but joy and support for her daughter. I had no doubt in my mind that there was nothing in this world Timay would not do for Cyra. 

"Oh my, don't you both look amazing! Okay so both the groom and the bride must be lead down the aisle by the families so come Cyra," Timay said, reaching out for Cyra to take her hand. I went to let go of her, but Cyra drew me closer to her. 

"Harmony is my family. He must go down with us," I looked down at her to see her already looking up at me. "Let me lead you down the aisle," she laced fingers with her mother ad brought her to stand beside us. I chuckled a bit. This was untraditional, but I had a good guess that nothing after I walked through those doors, would be traditional anymore. Cyra's act had me holding back tears. I thought I had lost all my family. I believed I was a loner, but I could not have been more wrong. The feeling of not being alone was like a hazy veil being removed. I could see so much clearer now. It also made leaving so much harder. 

The wide doors opened, and I, along with my new family, began to walk down the flower-covered aisle. Hundreds of heads seemed to turn to us in perfect sync as a soft violin melody filled the sweet air. The room was filled with brightly lit crystal chandeliers that made the place more luminous than I had ever seen it. At the end of the aisle sat a golden arc covered in yellow roses. A man dressed in all gold and had braided back hair in the shape of a halo stood under it holding a silver rope. I looked down at Cyra to see she held her head high to hide her nerves, but I saw the redness rise in her cheeks. 

"Focus on the roses Cyra, those are our roses," the roses we sat under to share secrets and to comfort each other in a way only our friendship would allow. Cyra gripped her mother's hand tighter and bit her lip. We finally made it down the aisle with the eyes of everyone in the kingdom watching us. Many who could not fit in the ballroom crowded around the windows to see our union. 

"What a wonderful day for a wedding, I am sure we can all agree to that," The man in gold said in a loud voice so everyone can hear. I let go of Cyra and walked to my end of the arc. Timay slowly walked off to find her seat near Cyra. Two maids came up and tied the ends of the silver rope to mine and Cyra's wrist. Wrapping them around us in the shape of a sideways eight, symbolizing we would be bound to each other for infinity. 

"This unexpected marriage took us all off guard, but that makes this connection only more dazzling" The golden man took both our hands and looked between us. "Two souls forged in the fires of war and rebellion. Love growing through the cracks of battle. You have been with one another through your weakest points so when you are at your strongest this spark will only grow into an unstoppable force," I zoned out his voice and looked over at Cyra who was looking at me. Cyra would be the one that would be unstoppable. She will be our gracious, kind, and strong queen. She knew how to command a room even if she had no intention to. With my powers and her golden heart, she would be the strongest queen this kingdom has seen in a long time. 

"Will you cradle each other's heart and soul through their hardest battles? Be the strong winds that push the sails on the rockiest waters? Most importantly love even when you feel as though you have nothing left in this life to give?" the rope was then lit up with a blue flame that felt oddly cool on my skin. I decided I would speak before Cyra.

"I offer mind, body, and soul to you Cyra Fawn Enaye. May you accept me with open arms and loving heart," I bowed my head to show it was her turn to go. She looked between me and the crown nervously.

"I-I offer mind, body, and soul to you Harmony Coy Anwell. May you accept me with open arms and loving heart," Her voice was shy at first but grew and became more passionate. People rose to their feet, but all Cyra and I could do were stare at each other as the blue flame lit up our face. This would be the last truly happy moment we would share. 

Maids came up and unwrapped the rope from us as the crowd chanted.

"Hail Queen Cyra" and "King and Queen Anwell" but still no matter how loud the crowd grew my mother made their shouts simple whispers when she spoke to me. 

Are you leaving the crown in good hands? Or will we all burn? 

{Hey guys! sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter was actually the hardest for me to write so far. I may delete it and start over so please tell me what you think! soooo anyways, do you believe Cyra will make a good queen?}