Page 37 of Royally Drawn (Resplendent Royals #3)

The Wedding Party

INGRID

L ooking down a massive church aisle, I thought about the sheer scale of everything we did. The size of the cathedral was only part of it. The real fear was over the commitment of a lifetime Cici and Isak were about to make before a cathedral of people and millions at home.

“Don’t get stage fright.”

I turned to see Keir behind me. Smiling, I said, “I am not. I am just… taking it all in.”

“I am in awe of how cool they both are. It’s so much pressure, right?”

“Right,” I agreed.

Keir was the best man. He, Duncan, a Swedish prince, and a few uni friends rounded out the unusual bridal party. Scandinavians usually averted the big wedding party. Cici believed the more, the merrier.

“You’re not in the proper position,” Edina said in passing, annoyed.

“I think you are always in the perfect position,” Keir whispered.

I slapped him on the arm. I said in French, “ We’re in a church !”

“Rid-Rid!”

I felt a leg grab my dress, then a howling child trying to climb up it. The children called me Rid-Rid because saying Ingrid was hard. I’d fallen in love with the moniker, and now I was Aunt Rid-Rid. The day they stopped calling me that would be the saddest day in history.

I picked up the four-year-old sobbing into my skirts. It was Karolina, the second of my nieces. Her much taller sister, Linnea, stormed over. Her six-year-old face showed rage. They rowed like professional wrestlers at times—much like I assumed Alex and Asti had as young girls. Linnea usually tortured Karolina, who had recently learned to throw her weight around. Linnea looked so like her father and had gotten his height. Karolina was more compact and an easy target. However, she would let her older sister have it when provoked to the edge.

“She stole my barrette!” Linnea said in French. “And I want it back!”

“I didn’t steal it,” Karolina sobbed. “I lost it.”

“It is the same thing!”

“Linnea Karolina, lower your voice immediately!” Rick called from behind us.

She ignored her pleading father. The child attendants plagued this rehearsal. I worried we Neandians may never get invited back. Then, something extraordinary happened.

Keir bent down and said in French, “What’s your name?”

“Linny,” she said, surprised. “And you are?”

“I’m Keir, a friend of your auntie’s. Why don’t you find your Papa and look for the barrette?”

“Because I tried!”

“What if Kari helped you?” I asked. “And you asked Papa to help you?”

“He wouldn’t.”

“I bet he would,” Keir said in English. “And I bet he’s good at finding stuff. Dads are good like that.”

“Okay,” she relented. “Be quick, Kari!”

The girls left.

“Rid-Rid?” Keir chuckled .

“My favourite name. I love them to bits.”

“With that sort of commanding presence and backtalk, she’s going to be a hell of a monarch,” Keir snickered.

“She’s so clever. It makes it worse.”

“It’s okay. Clever, snarky women make the best leaders. Better yet, if they are also fearless.”

I blushed.

“They’re cute, Ingrid. I can tell they adore you—not that I am surprised. Aunts are wonderful to have.”

“You’re good with kids, you know that?” I asked. “I fully expected Linnea to lose it on you. I think you surprised her by speaking in French.”

“I tried. I saw Rick drowning.”

“He’s good with them. But it’s a bit much when he has them all at once. And Alexandra was a total wreck this morning.”

“Oh, that’s no good,” Keir said. “Why?”

“Her back and hips are done-zo. I listened to the two of them arguing, which ended with her shouting at him that he better book a vasectomy.”

Keir snickered as the priest approached, followed by Edina and Cici.

“Places, everyone!” He called out in English, the only language our little town of Babel understood.

“That means you need to move,” Edina said, angered that I was still talking to Keir.

It occurred to me she thought she had some claim to him. I knew they had some history, but I was amused that she was bothered by me.

I squeezed his hand. “I’ll be right back here.”

I wanted to stoke the flames and get under her skin just for the hell of it.

I stood next to Duncan, who said. “Are you hot as balls right now?”

I cocked my head, confused.

“I’m sweating to death in here. It’s miserably hot. They won’t turn the AC on until tomorrow. To them, it is not warm enough.”

“I’m okay, but I’m not in a suit,” I said. Then, I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Is Edina always a gigantic bitch, or does she just hate me?”

“Uh, she was trying to get laid, and you totally cockblocked her. So, it’s just you. And the more he fawns over you, the worse it gets.”

I snickered.

“You like stirring the shit, don’t you?”

“A little.”

“Well, I, for one, am happy to cause chaos, so I welcome you to our circus.”

It was nice to feel included. I took Duncan’s arm and waited for the queue. We headed out to the recessional. This was hour three of our very long practice. So, we were supposed to join arms after the Is were dotted and the Ts were crossed.

Slowly, we walked down, following Cecilia and Isak out and pretending to bow to the sitting monarchs. It took forever .

“Here we go, bowing to our parents. Annoying as hell,” Duncan sighed.

“And bowing to sisters,” I groaned. “Could be worse.”

“Having to bow to a sibling sounds ridiculous. No, thanks!”

Making it back to the back of the cathedral, I watched Edina getting altogether too handsy with Keir. I was less angry and more intrigued. I knew he wanted me—not Edina—and wasn’t threatened by her desperation. It didn’t stop me from walking up and wrapping my arms around him. He draped an arm around my waist and looked down at me.

“You alright?” Keir asked.

“Barely holding on. My poor feet! How are you, Edina?”

She gave me a look that could kill. “I’m fine. I have good feet.”

“I can tell,” I said. “Big, strong, solid feet.”

She was about to say something when Cici and Leah approached.

“We’re headed back to change, then to drink. Who wants to get shit-faced?” Leah asked.

I had a feeling debauchery was on the horizon.