Chapter 222 - The Beginning( 2 )

Shi Ai was helped into the glass coach by the coachman. Yang Mei handed her a bouquet and Shi Ai could not help but giggle at the sight. She had proposed to Ah Hai with an apple cut in the shape of a flower and not her bouquet had these colors. They were ivory roses with red tips, beautifully tied together with a sparkling silver ribbon. Once the train of the veil was set into the coach, the door closed and the coach went forward. Yang Mei and Meng Ran who were brides maids were then helped into another horse drawn carriage simpler than the beautiful coach but still resonating of the past beauty...

Shi Ai's first glimpse of the place she was to be married at made her breath catch. It was a veritable castle!A real live castle. And it was beautifully decorated. As the coach turned over the paved pathway she glimpsed the flowers entwined with twinkling fairy lights highlighting her way. This place looked like it had been picked straight out of a fairy tale book. 

The coach soon stopped at the entrance and the coachman helped her step out. The moment she stepped out, a shower of flower petals was thrown over her and all the Long kids shouted out from an upper floor balcony,"Welcome to the family, Aunt Ai!"

Genuine laughter escaped her as Shi Ai lifted her veil and waved to the kids. This laughter of hers would one grace Ah Hai's table she did not know as it was caught on camera. Shi Ai clutched her bouquet hard as she walked into the castle slowly..All the other guests were already seated inside and even Yang Mei and Meng Ran had come to stand in front of the big ornate closed door while Shi Ai had been laughing with the kids. Soon the music would begin and everyone would walk out one by one.

Elder Shi walked to Shi Ai slowly and patted her gloved hands. "Shi Ai, Thank you for giving me this honor..I do not have the right to give you away but this old man cannot thank you enough for your big heart.Bless you child!"

Shi Ai could see the bigtears glittering in his eyes and placing her other hand on his, she said,"Grandfather!You have every right and now no more crying or my make up will be ruined. But can I make a request?"

Elder Shi would have agreed to any request that Shi Ai made but his eyes almost rounded at that before he laughed out loud startling the others.Shi Ai had requested,"Let's race down the aisle as fast as we can. I can hardly wait.."

Ignoring the curious look of others, Elder Shi whispered,"Don't you worry granddaughter!I can still run a marathon. I will definitely run fast!"

Shi Ai looked at the walking stick in Elder Shi's hands and was about to point out that it was enough if he just walked but at that time the faint music could be heard through the doors as they slowly opened..

Shi Ai's heart started to beat faster and she dare not look up. She was curious about how her Ah Hai was dressed but she dared not look up. What if she was mesmerized by his looks and fell face first?But she wanted to see him and also wanted to see his face when he first looked at her.

Meng Ran had already walked in followed by Yang Mei. Shi Ai gripped her grandfather's elbow hard and soon the bridal music was set to play...

She looked up when she felt his gaze on her and her breath caught in her throat when she saw him.. She could see the same reaction in his eyes as the world faded and the two lover's eyes met each other.

Shi Ai looked at Ah Hai forgetting that she wanted to walk faster. He was dressed in his white ceremonial uniform and there were a number of medals and awards stuck to his c.h.e.s.t. He even had an old fashioned long sword strapped to his waist. But what changed his appearance the most was that his hair had been cut short. They were now a soft and wavy cut changing his look of a bad boy to a respected general. The music had almost come to an end when Elder Shi had to mutter,"I thought we were going to run there. But you aren't even moving.Do you want to run away and not marry him??I am sure that your husband will murder everyone if you escape but I will help you run if you want. I can pretend to get a heart attack."

This brought Shi Ai back to the present immediately lest her grandfather really start to pretend and she continued to walk down the aisle.

Finally as if an eternity had come to an end, Shi Ai reached her life's deatination-Her Ah Hai..Elder Shi tenderly placed Shi Ai's hand in Ah Hai extended palm before walking away to sit in his place in the first row.

Ah Hai held her hand tenderly and bringing it to his lips placed a tender reassuring kiss on the inside of her palm.Then the two walked up the final few steps to the stage,hand in hand.

Knox,who had been chosen the emcee and officiating officer for the wedding, then announced,"Please welcome the most beautiful bride and her groom, everyone." In reply, he received a thunderous applause.

He then continued,"The bride and groom have written their own set of vows to say to each other. But before we proceed with the ceremony, we need to get one ritual out of the way. So dear everyone present here, if anyone here has any objections to this wedding or have a burning d.e.s.i.r.e to give up your life, please step forward now or hold your peace forever.."

This made him a receiver of Ah Hai's side glare causing him to hurry up..