Page 68 of Must Love Lavender and Little Lies
I smiled warmly at her.
Once we were all loaded in, the wagon set off toward Granik’s farm. It was a warm spring day, a perfect Greening day, and my wedding day. I closed my eyes and felt the sun on me as we made our way down the lane.
“Let’s sing a song,” Rosalyn said. “Tansy, you always know the best songs.”
“You mean she knows the best tavern songs?” Emmalyn said wryly.
“Well, yes. But…” Rosalyn said with a laugh.
Tansy grinned, then launched into a song called ‘Miss Maple’s Wedding Night’, the others joining in. It was a bawdysong about a shy elven schoolteacher and her giant lover who taught her more than one lesson in carnal affairs that night.
I felt my cheeks burning as the pair struggled with their obvious size differences in every way imaginable, surprised when even Portia chimed in. Everyone was laughing as the carriage turned down the lane to Granik’s farm.
As we rode forward, I could smell the scent of the food cooking on the breeze, the wedding reception preparations already underway. And then, I smelled flowers. The strong scent of wildflowers wafted across the farm, melding with the sweet scents of lavender, wild onions, lemon balm, and sweet basil that grew there. We made our way to the flower-covered pavilion, clearly Winifred’s work. Everyone was there. Every seat in the pavilion was filled, the crowd spilling out of the covered space.
Everyone turned to greet us.
Primrose made her way across the lawn to help me down.
“You look stunning,” she told me, offering me her hand. “Come along, my dear friend. He’s waiting.”
I stepped from the cart, Zelda joining me to adjust the train of my dress while Rosalyn straightened my flower crown. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, then opened them once more, gripped my bouquet tightly, and nodded to Primrose.
“We’ll meet you there,” Tansy told me, then she and the others made their way to the pavilion to take their seats.
Primrose walked alongside me, Zelda following behind us.
“They say that weddings in the morning are lucky,” Primrose told me. “The morning is a time of growth and awakening. The same for the Greening and spring. You have every advantage of luck with you. That, and you are marrying someone who loves you more than the moon and stars altogether.”
“Thank you, Primrose,” I said, feeling a comforting wave wash over me. I knew it was her magic at work, but I didn’tmind. There was nothing better than the comfort of a friend—besides marrying one.
Primrose snapped her fingers, and a pink spark floated across the field.
A moment later, a harp began playing the bride’s march.
Primrose walked me to the edge of the audience.
I took her hand and squeezed it.
She nodded to me, then stepped back.
The harp trilled loudly, announcing my arrival.
The audience stood.
And then, as if everything cleared away, I saw Granik. He was fussing with his sweet little purple bow tie, looking as if he was about to tear it off, but then he spotted me and froze. His hand slowly lowered from his neck, and he gazed at me with such love that it brought tears to my eyes.
Walking slowly, I made my way down the aisle toward him. As I did so, a sparkle of green light spiraled around me, and the flowers on my gown began to change. Buds opened, light shimmered, and what was once made of silk and lace suddenly came to life. The long train behind me bloomed, the flowers on my neckline opening and smelling wonderfully sweet. Petals drifted behind me. When I finally reached Granik, the spell came to fulfillment, and the butterflies that had been woven into the design of my gown lifted off on sparkling wings, floating around me in shades of pink, yellow, blue, white, orange, and violet…all of them drifting around me as if to bless my union.
The crowd gasped.
I took Granik’s hand then stepped forward, meeting his golden eyes.
I had seen Granik dressed up for important events, and he’d always looked dashing in his attire, but today… He was wearing a perfectly tailored suit that was snug in all the right places, his long black hair neatly braided from the temples and adornedwith silver beads. He’d shaved, even though I preferred him with a little shadow. His lavender bow, matching the dresses worn by his female family members, was adorable.
“You’re so beautiful,” he mouthed to me.
“You too,” I replied, making him chuckle.
