Happy Ending

Two weeks have passed.

Today almost the entire population of the city spilled out into the streets.

They walked leisurely to the front yard of the royal palace. For what else, if not to fulfill their curiosity about the princess's wedding party.

Although they could not congratulate her in person, at least they hoped to see the royal couple from afar.

The cortege carrying the bride and groom finally appeared.

Princess Nicole and Prince George were smiling happily, waving their hands to the right and left alternately. The crowd must have been organized by the guards. So that the bridal procession could pass smoothly and stay on track.

The couple and the royal family had just arrived, after the wedding ceremony in the church. The crowd that had filled the churchyard earlier that morning was no less large than the current crowd.

People were shouting at each other, vying to call out to Princess Nicole while waving their hands towards the carriage carrying the couple. Hoping to get the attention of His Highness.

The procession finally ended when the carriage carrying them reached the palace grounds. It stopped to unload its passengers.

The crowd outside was still waiting. Until finally Princess Nicole and Prince George opened the door on the second floor balcony. The roar of people's voices echoed throughout the courtyard of the royal palace. How enthusiastically they returned the waving hands and happy smiles of the bride and groom from up there.

Thirty minutes passed. The couple left from up there. They began their banquet with the guests in the center of the palace.

The empress was seen hugging her daughter very tightly. In fact, she had already hugged her several times.

"I am so happy, Nicole."

"You've said it a thousand times, Mother."

"Really?"

"Hmm! It's true, Mother!"

Princess Nicole leaned back, releasing the hug slowly.

"I'm going to meet the guests, Mother. We'll talk later."

"Hmm! Alright! Go meet them!"

In her gorgeous white wedding dress, Princess Nicole was dazzling. Her body movements looked graceful, approaching one guest after another in the center to greet them. Prince George, too, was busy greeting his other guests.

Princess Nicole stopped her steps in front of her two best friends from school. The two girls took turns hugging her, as an expression of the happiness they felt. They also had a little chat there.

And the conversation was interrupted, when someone gently tapped Princess Nicole's left shoulder from behind. She then turned her head and how surprised she was, knowing who had tapped her on the shoulder. Without much thought, Nicole's daughter immediately hugged the handsome man.

"You came? Really... are you really home?"

"Hmm! Congratulations, sister! I'm happy for your marriage."

The two ended the hug, continuing their conversation.

"You're not going back into exile are you?"

"No Nicole! Even my father picked me up there. He told me that you were getting married."

"Really? So when did you arrive in town?"

"Two days ago. Father asked me to spend the night at the inn."

"What?"

"Yes! So that my return would be a surprise for you and mother."

It was then that the empress caught sight of her son there. Instead of calling his name from afar, the queen strode over to her son.

"Edmund! Is that you?"

"Mother!", the two then embraced so tightly.

"You're home, son."

"Yes, Mother! I'm already here."

"Please don't leave again, Edmund!"

"I will make amends, Mother. I don't want you to disappoint me again."

"Promise me Edmund!"

"Sure Mom!", he nodded reassuringly.

***

Finally, happiness is in everyone's hearts.

It has been one month today since the royal family's grand wedding. Prince Edmund had returned to the palace a much better man. He had managed to restore His Majesty and the Queen's trust in him. Making His Majesty retract his words to hand over the throne to his younger brother.

This afternoon Nivea, with her bulging belly, was sitting on one of the chairs in the Edelweiss garden. Waiting for Matias to return with her water bottle that was left behind in the carriage. The afternoon clouds that shaded her looked so shady, their beauty soothing to the soul.

Birds flew around with their noisy chirping and butterflies of various colors danced freely to the flowers. And the stalks of the trees around them were swaying gently in the breeze.

Nivea turned her head in the direction Matias had come from, the man was smiling. In his hand was a glass water bottle.

"Here, have a drink!"

"Hmm! Thank you Matias!", Nivea accepted the glass bottle. Meanwhile, Matias had sat down beside her.

"Do you remember? That night.", she continued after downing the contents of her water bottle.

"Hmm! You were waiting for me here. Ah, where were you sitting that time?", her eyes roamed the entire garden. "There it is! Over there! On the chair that child was sitting on."

"That's right. I... wasn't just waiting for you."

"You also proposed to me. Isn't that right?"

"Hmm!", Nivea sighed and stroked her bulging belly.

"I... want to tell you about something.", she continued.

"What is it?"

"Do... you believe in reincarnation?"

"Being reborn. Hmm... About that... I'm not sure. Does your story have anything to do with it?"

"Hmm! I... won't force you to believe it. But, you know Matias... we... are the reincarnation of two people who lived hundreds of years ago."

"How do you know that?"

"My grandfather. My late grandfather told me that."

"Really? You... met him in your sleep?"

"Hmm! You're right! At that time... grandfather came several times in my dreams. The first piece of the dream I didn't understand the meaning of. But... somehow the dream ended up continuing. I was... the reincarnation of a girl who worked as a royal maid. Back then... I died by killing myself. And I... did that because I loved someone too much who never loved me."

"Then?"

"My mother used to be a sharp-mouthed old woman. Her heart broke when I died, and she cursed the man I loved."

Matias frowned, "Curse? What kind of curse?"

"She said... someday in the next life, that man will be madly in love with her daughter."

"So you're saying that the man will die by suicide if... the girl doesn't love him back?"

"Exactly! Grandpa showed me a painting. There, I can see your face clearly."

"Face...? Whose face did you say?"

"Your face! You... are the reincarnation of that man."

"What? That's pretty hard to believe, Nivea. But, did you propose to me after having all those dreams? Did you... propose to me because you simply didn't want to be the cause of my death?"

"You're right! I was... indeed afraid of you dying. But, the real reason is... Do you want to know?"

"Hmm! Tell me, why are you afraid of me dying?"

"Because... I've fallen in love with you. And... I don't want to live in this world without being able to see you again. I sincerely love you, Matias! Not because of all those dreams. Believe me!"

Matias nodded, "I believe you, Nivea. Because I... can always feel your sincerity. Thank you for being reborn in this life with me."

And Nivea could only answer that sentence with a smile that radiated from her deepest heart.