Killing Your Sweet Breath - Chapter 45
Chapter 23.1
The ceremony at the temple was unlike any other.
The couple-to-be was required to dress entirely in neutral colors, and even the bride wasn’t allowed to wear any extravagant adornments.
Corsets were banned for “distorting” the natural human body God had created, and ballgown dresses were forbidden for being too lavish.
Jean Paul, the boutique owner and designer, was disappointed by these rules, but as the best designer in the capital, he still crafted the perfect dress for Winter.
“White suits you wonderfully.”
Sianna smiled warmly as she helped Winter get ready. She had grown quite close with Winter over the past few months.
As Sianna said, Winter looked beautiful in the white dress.
Jean Paul had carefully chosen lace that revealed Winter’s pale skin and discreetly covered her numerous scars.
Since necklaces were also forbidden, he wrapped lace around her neck, and it elegantly extended down to her shoulders and arms.
The lace blended into a soft, flowing silhouette that followed the natural curves of her toned body. The fabric shimmered like pearls as it cascaded to the floor.
The hem of the dress was short in the front, revealing her white shoes as she walked, while a graceful train followed behind her, capturing the very essence of what the temple revered. Paired with the white veil on her head, she looked almost sacred.
“The people will think a saint has descended if they see you.”
“I have to agree. Though, it’s a shame the god I serve isn’t Niella, but Trizia, the god of death.”
“You might incur the temple’s wrath if you say something like that in there.”
Sianna warned, her tone serious, even as her hands continued to work.
Though Winter spoke in a joking manner, Sianna couldn’t laugh it off.
Winter would soon face God’s trial, alongside Van Helgram.
When Sianna asked Sheeran if Winter had made any special preparations, he shook his head. And when they asked Winter herself whether she was ready to take this next step, she would laugh it off, leaving both Sheeran and Sianna feeling increasingly anxious.
“Sianna, why do you look so worried?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“If I end up burning at the altar, make sure you run. Sheeran might already have an escape plan.”
Winter smiled as she spoke, but Sianna found it impossible to return the smile.
She let out a small sigh, careful not to let Winter hear it. Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by a voice saying, “It’s time.”
The wedding was about to begin.
Sianna lifted the train of Winter’s dress to keep it from dragging across the floor as they slowly made their way to the front of the temple’s chapel.
Van and Winter met at the entrance of the perfectly symmetrical chapel, a symbol of God’s perfection. They stood together, both fully prepared.
Van wore a white ceremonial suit, something he hadn’t donned since his days as a prince.
The irony was not lost on her; these clothes suggested that no sins could be committed within the sacred walls of the temple.
“You look stunning, Winter.”
A priest waiting at the door handed Winter a single white rose, meant to serve as her bouquet. A delicate fragrance wafted from the rosebud, as it still hadn’t bloomed.
Van’s suit was also adorned with a white rose boutonniere.
Winter smiled softly, reflecting on the symbolism of the white rose.
Faith, love, purity—all those things.
This flower was completely unfit for the person she had become. And yet, it was a role she would have to play from now on.
In the serene white temple, a place that falsely embodied peace, she would go through the motions of a wedding ceremony, pretending to love Van Helgram, and presenting herself as a bride proud of her soul’s purity before God.
‘How disgustingly hypocritical.’
A small laugh escaped her.
As the priest stepped back, Van extended his hand. Without breaking eye contact, Winter placed her hand in his.
For a fleeting moment, Van was overwhelmed by a strange sense of satisfaction, mixed with a premonition.
The woman standing before him would surely drag him down to hell.
Together, they would be drenched in their enemies’ blood, staining the pure white roses red.
With a deep rumble, the chapel doors creaked open, and the two of them stepped forward, toward the image of God.
* * *
“I hereby announce the start of the wedding ceremony between Van Helgram and Winter Frost in the presence of Niella.”
With the priest’s proclamation, the guests made the sign of the cross. It was a sacred gesture, signifying that everyone present would witness this union before God.
Weddings held at the temple were notoriously tedious. From start to finish, the only one permitted to speak was the priest, as only he had the authority to lead such solemn ceremonies in God’s presence.
As a result, only those closest to the bride and groom were invited to this dull ceremony.
About twenty guests filled the pews, typically reserved for worshipers. Aside from the emperor and empress consort seated in the front row, most of the faces were strangers to Winter.
Some of those present were likely people from Helgram, attending as Winter’s family.
Family Winter didn’t even know.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the priest’s long, grand prayer explaining the union of the two before God came to an end.
Turning solemnly towards them, he shouted, “Glory! Blessings! Eternity! To these two young souls who seek to serve God!”
Winter waited patiently for the next part of the ceremony, recalling the instructions Sheeran had given her about the temple’s wedding rites.
Following the priest’s guidance, they ascended two steps toward the altar, where a large chalice-shaped sculpture sat. From a distance, it looked like a mere ornament, but up close, one could see it was filled with holy water.