... A few weeks later...

"Ow! Iko!" Cinder protested.

"Sorry," Iko said, though she didn't sound sorry at all.

"What are you doing to my hair anyways?"

"Just a simple crown braid," Iko replied.

"Doesn't feel simple," Cinder mumbled.

Just then, Cress came out from the bathroom wearing a simple, milky-white dress with a full skirt just like all Cinder's bridesmaids would wear. It was a strapless dress that flowed down to her ankles and had crescent moons embroidered in sky-blue along the bottom. She also had a sky-blue sash tied around her waist.

"You look gorgeous, Cress!" Winter said. "That dress looks amazing on you."

"You too," Cress replied. "I love the personalization."

All the girls had the same white bridesmaid dresses but with personalized designs. Winter had a lavender sash and lavender snowflakes embroidered across the bottom. Scarlet had a red sash and had 'Alpha' embroidered in red across the bottom of her dress. Iko, who was the maid of honor, had the same dress with a dark blue sash to match her blue braids and a simple wire pattern along the bottom of her dress. All of them had their hair in a simple bun in the back of their heads.

"I think we can all agree that Cinder's is the prettiest," Iko announced.

"Definitely," Scarlet agreed along with Cress and Winter.

"Okay," Iko said. "Hair and makeup are done. Check yourself out, Cinder."

Cinder got up carefully and walked to the mirror. She gasped as she saw her reflection. The bride's dress was pure white and sleeveless. The bodice was plain, and the full skirt billowed around Cinder's feet. It was extra poofy with many layers; too many in Cinder's opinion. Similar to the bridesmaid dresses, she had a gold sash around her waist and various tools and mechanic supplies embroidered across the bottom of the dress. Her brown hair was done up in an intricate braid and then wrapped like a crown in the back of her head. Iko left a few curled strands of hair in the front to frame her face. The only makeup she had on was a little bit of blush, some lipstick, and the faintest shimmer of gold eyeliner. Cinder had protested, but Iko wanted that last part.

Iko came over and handed her a pair of white shoes that matched her dress. "We know you don't like heels, so we only did an inch."

"An inch! Iko, that is an inch too high!" Cinder exclaimed.

Iko just rolled her eyes. "It's just for the wedding." Cinder grumbled but begrudgingly put them on.

"Cinder, you look wonderful," Winter breathed.

"I'll go check on the guys," Scarlet announced. "They should be ready."

"Me too," Cress said. She followed Scarlet out the door and to Kai's room where the guys were getting ready.

---

Kai was pacing and about to run his fingers through his hair when Thorne stopped him. "Don't ruin your hair!" he shouted.

"Stars," Kai mumbled. "You're almost worse than the girls."

"You can't blame a guy for having good taste," he protested.

He heard a knock on the door and said, "Come in!" Scarlet and Cress entered both fully dressed in the clothes they would wear for the wedding.

"We just came to see how you were doing," Scarlet said. She looked them over.

They were all wearing black tuxedos and white shirts. Wolf was wearing a red bow tie, Thorne was wearing a sky-blue one, and Jacin should have been wearing a lavender one. Kai's suit was the simplest of them all, but somehow that made him stand out more. He had the Commonwealth's flag embroidered across his heart and was wearing a gold tie.

"You don't look too bad," Cress commented. She walked over the Thorne and smoothed a hair that was sticking up in the front of his head. Kai was sure that he wasn't imagining the pink that crept up his cheeks. She frowned when she saw Jacin. "Why are you not wearing your suit?"

"I'm going in this," Jacin said. He was still wearing his normal guard uniform.

"No. You are not. Winter wouldn't like that now, would she."

Thorne whistled. "Playing the Winter card. I like your style. Also, when'd you get so bossy?"

"Says you," Cress retorted. She proceeded to stuff Jacin into his suit somehow without wrinkling it.

"Kai," Scarlet said. "Are you ready?"

"I think?" Kai replied. He was really nervous and had almost ruined his hair seventeen times, according to Thorne. His palms were sweating, and he wasn't sure if he was allowed to wipe his hands on his pants, but for fear of being yelled at by Thorne, he refrained.

She rolled her eyes. "You have to be sure."

Kai thought of Cinder. Of the way her eyes lit up when she saw him. How she smiled and laughed at his jokes. The way she had held onto his hand like he was her lifeline when she was afraid. The way she trusted him and loved him no matter what. He was doing this because he loved her. Because she was the only thing that made his heart beat the way it did when he saw her. She was his, and he was hers.

He squared his shoulders. "I'm ready."