The days flew by. If I wasn't at the castle preparing for my wedding, then I was at the compound training. Each time I'd show up at the castle I'd get a stern look from Jone from the new bruises. And each time Lucy would be by my side supporting the reasons for my training. It was currently a week from the wedding and the castle was on full alert as guests would start to arrive any day now.

"A Nivetarian ship is heading in," Nigel said, walking into the room where the ladies were gathered in another planning meeting.

My heart skipped a beat. This would be the first guest. Sure, Lucy, Ally, Aaron and the girls had arrived, but they were old friends. The Nivetarian ship would bring King Tathrow and Queen Layann. It would be my first royal guest. I took a deep breath and stood. "Is Nikolai near?" I asked. We had planned on greeting each guest together.

"Right here," he said, strolling into the room. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"No," I responded.

He laughed, walking over and taking my hand. "You will do fine. This time it is in your home that you meet them and you have the backing of a nation behind you," he said, leaning down and placing a kiss on my cheek.

The lines were being tossed down and secured as we approached the dock. We were just walking up to the ship when King Tathrow and Queen Layann disembarked. "King Tathrow, Queen Layann, we are honored to have you as our guests," I said, smiling at the couple.

King Tathrow bowed while Queen Layann curtsied. Nikolai and I responded with the same. "The honor is ours," King Tathrow said. "We thank you for the invitation."

"We intend for our wedding to be the beginning of something new for our nation and are glad you are a part of it. May I introduce you to Prince Nikolai?" I asked. I released Nikolai's hand and motioned to him. "King Tathrow, Queen Layann, this is my fiancée, Prince Nikolai," I said, then motioned at the royal couple in front of us. "And Prince Nikolai these our my new friends, King Tathrow and Queen Layann," I said.

Nikolai stepped forward and extended his hand to King Tathrow. "It is an honor to meet you. I look forward to spending time with you as we celebrate not only the union between Sam and I, but the union between our nations," he said.

My heart fluttered at his comment. In a week, he and I would be joined together. I was getting married.

"It seems our young queen is still grasping that she is to be married in a week," Queen Layann smiled at me.

Nikolai laughed, nodding his head and taking my hand. "Yes, I often have to calm her down as she realizes what is about to happen," he said smiling down at me.

"I never once imagined marriage as a child. This is all new to me. Then throw in the fact it's not just a wedding, but a royal one and you may understand my moments of awe," I said. The two men laughed while Queen Layann smiled.

Footsteps from behind turned our attention back to the boat. My smile grew as I saw the two men approaching. "Lord Geving, Morr-El, I am so glad you could make it as well," I said.

"It's an honor to be invited, especially after all I have done," Lord Geving bowed before me.

"It's an honor to have you and to know that you are working on reconciliation with your family," I said, reaching out and taking his hand. "Family is something that is overlooked much too often," I encouraged. I felt a presence beside me and titled my head to see Nikolai once again at my side. "Lord Geving, Morr-El, may I introduce you to Prince Nikolai," I said, releasing Lord Geving's hand.

After introductions we headed back for the castle. Nikolai and I in one carriage while King Tathrow, Queen Layann, Lord Geving, and Morr-El rode in the one behind. "You didn't tell me he was so handsome," Nikolai smirked.

"It's the curse I am left with, all the men around me are handsome," I responded, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Can we just stay in here?" I asked as we pulled into the courtyard.

Nikolai chuckled as he kissed the top of my head. "I wish. However, we must do our job and be welcoming to those who have come from afar to celebrate with us," he said gently pushing me up. Taking a final deep breath, I nodded that I was ready to exit the carriage and continue with the greeting of guests.

That moment in the carriage was one of the final moments of peace. King Tathrow's arrival was the opening of the flood gates. It seemed as though the guest did not stop arriving after his ship docked. A few more guests came by ships, but the majority of them arrived in carriages from around Auroja and Eskalay. The Moshadian royalty had been invited, but had declined, which was expected with the tension between our countries being greater than that between Auroja and Nievetara.

It was now the night before my wedding. The sound of laughter, music, and conversation floated up the castle wall to my position overlooking it from the battlement. The majority of guests had joined in a pre-wedding celebration in the courtyard. It was more the style of celebration one would find in a small village, as it was put on by Lucy, Ally, Diana, Morgan, and Chloe. The slight creak of wood brought my head to the left. I smiled slightly as I saw Chloe walking towards me. Once she was beside me, I turned my attention back to the celebration below.

"Why are you hiding up here? This is your celebration," she said. When I didn't respond, I felt her arm slip through mine. "It's okay to be nervous," she said. I froze for a second as her words struck true. The past few days I had been struggling and until she said those five simple words I could not figure out why. "Sam, a bride before her wedding, always goes through a stage of nerves. I did," she said. I turned to her in shock. She laughed and nodded. "Yes, I was nervous. I love Erik and knew that it was meant to be, but I was still nervous. You, my dear little sister, have not been preparing for marriage like most young women. Then to top it off your wedding is slightly larger than most," she said. We fell into a short silence.

"Do you think I'm ready?" I asked quietly.

Chloe nodded as she smiled. She released my arm and brushed my hair from my face. She then took my hands in hers. "I know you're ready. You have grown so much in these past four years. You have bloomed into a woman that our parents would be so proud of, because I know I am," she said, leaning forward and kissing my cheek then pulling me into a warm embrace. We stood for another few minutes in silence before she took a step back. "Come down when you're ready," she said before slipping down the stairs.

I sighed, leaning on my elbows watching the people below. Nikolai was dancing with Scarlett, while Alakay and Sparrow spun close by. A smile crossed my face as I saw Isabella and Morr-El in deep conversation. Once again the creak of wood brought my attention to the stairs.

"Chloe pointed you out. I don't think anyone else could have found you," Aaron said, walking to my left while Morgan stood on my right.

"Well, beside her brothers and Erik. They all know where you are," Morgan said.

"Yeah, not much gets by them," I said, my eyes wondering to each of my brothers below. Morgan slipped her arm through mine as Chloe had done while Aaron dropped his around my shoulders. "Are we sure this isn't all a dream?" I asked.

Aaron chuckled while Morgan grinned. "Nope, not a dream. Our little tomboy has grown up, become a Dragon, discovered her place as queen, and soon will be the first of our trio to be wed," Morgan said.

"And we all thought you'd be the first at the altar," Aaron said glancing over at Morgan. "You were the only one who ever had eyes for anyone," he said.

Morgan grinned, shaking her head. "I think our little Sammy here has had eyes for a few boys before, she's just unwilling to share," she said. Aaron raised an eyebrow while I gasped. "Chloe and I had many conversations while you were in Nivetara," she said.

"And I thought my conversations with my sister were private," I said, shaking my head.

"They are, I'm your sister too," she said leaning her head on my shoulder.

"That's not fair! I want to know!" Aaron said, taking his arm from my shoulder and crossing them in front of his chest.

Laughing I shoved his shoulder. "You aren't my sister! There are things that stay between sisters and sisters only," I said.

The three of us stayed on the battlement for another twenty minutes before joining the celebration below.

The celebration lasted well into the night. I could hardly stand on my feet as we made our way back to the compound. I said a quick goodnight and went to head for my room, but my arm was grabbed. "I have no party left in me!" I cried.

Alakay chuckled, still holding my arm. "You don't need any party left in you, just the ability to climb," he said, guiding me to the tower.

Without much thought I scrambled up to my spot and a grin broke across my face as I saw the blankets and pillows covering the platform. "Sleeping here tonight?" I asked. I sighed in content as I fell into the center of the blankets. My brothers quickly found spots around me.

"I can't believe our little brother is getting married tomorrow!" Alakay grinned, throwing an arm around my shoulder. Grinning, I shoved him off.

"Our little brother isn't so little anymore," Shepherd said, bringing laughter from everyone.

"You know it's crazy to think that it's been nearly four years since you walked into the compound," Louis said smiling over at me.

"I was so mad that Orion chose our group for you," Benedict said, bringing everyone's attention to him. "That's right, I didn't like you at first. I thought you'd be this spoiled little brat that thought they were all that just because they got a place in the Dragon's," he said.

"And you were right!" Alakay said, groaning as a pillow smacked him in the face, knocking him to his back.

"And that lasted all of a day and a half. You've changed all of us for the good. You pulled us closer than we already were," Benedict said, laughing as I blushed.

"You all have done more for me then I can ever say," I said, smiling at my brothers. "You became my family when I lost everything. You believed in me and pushed me even when everyone around, including myself, doubted that I could do it," I said. Tears started rolling down my cheeks as the memories flooded my mind. "You guys are one of the best things that has ever happened to me."

"And you to us," Alakay said, pulling me to his side. "Now, you need your beauty rest. You got a prince to marry tomorrow," he said kissing the top of my head, before shoving me over.

The birds chirping nearby brought my eyes fluttering open. Sighing, I pulled my blanket closer and listened to the birds. When I gave in and woke, the day would start and I wasn't sure I was quite ready for that. Glancing around I saw my brothers all still sleeping. This would be our final time sleeping on the tower. Tonight I would be a married woman. Married. A word that I never thought would describe me. Soon the rest woke and without words we all moved to the edge of the tower and sat, watching the sun rise over the city.

"Get your butts down here! You have forty minutes to run the obstacle course with two blindfolded and one with his right arm behind his back!" Erik called from the ground below.

"It's her wedding day! Can't you give us a break?" Alakay cried.

"Three blindfolded!" Erik responded.

Laughing, we all quickly scrambled off the tower and to the starting line. It only took us one time to complete the course and we were headed for breakfast. The quiet that we had on the tower was gone the second we walked through the doors.

After breakfast my brothers escorted me to the castle. "We'll see you soon," Benedict said. Then each took a turn pulling me into a hug and placing a kiss on the top of my head. I stood outside what would soon be Nikolai and I's chambers and watched my brothers walk away. Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked through the doors knowing that all my friends would be waiting on the other side to prepare me for tonight.