The couple’s favorite spot was a stream close to Nickolas’ home. It was placid, and no one really knew about it. The colors were fabulous, especially in the days of autumn they spent together. Celeste smiled, and knew everything would be well.

Now, she sat with her fiancée at the roots of an old oak tree near a bank of the lazy river. She watched as the tinted leaves fell all around her. One fell near her hand, and she picked it up and twirled its stem between her fingers. Celeste had her head against Nickolas’ chest.

They had been planning their wedding for well over a week now, and everything seemed so perfect. The spectacular gown was being made especially for the Princess by one of the best seamstresses in the land. Celeste was very grateful, and was paying the woman a pretty penny for it. The guests were being invited, including King Dorough, and Alexander.

And with all these good feelings coming into play, Nickolas was the only one with a heavy heart. Sure, he was happy to marry Celeste. She had been a dream come true. Just like Patricia. And that was a problem. This reminded him of his first wedding. Patricia was supposed to be his bride. What a fabulous bride she would’ve made.

Patricia had been a gorgeous woman. She had mid-length strawberry blond hair, that Nickolas spent most of his time putting his fingers through. She had a quiet tone, but an angel’s singing voice. She was always humming a tune. Patricia was shy; hardly ever meeting anyone’s eyes with her own green ones. Nickolas loved her to death.

Nickolas’ heart throbbed just thinking about her. He missed her badly. No one, not even Celeste, could compare to her. Nickolas knew that from the day of her funeral. He knew it as he looked over her pale face as they put her away forever.

Celeste noticed how his breathing had become very jagged, and she looked up at his face. It was now had lost its color, and he was staring deeply at something like he was concentrating on it.

“Are you okay?” she asked, noticing he didn’t look very good.

Nickolas looked down at her with wide eyes, and smiled uneasily. He kissed her forehead quickly and said, “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look like you’re fine.”

“I’m just thinking about something, that’s all. Nothing to worry about, Love,” he assured her.

She nodded, gave him one last look and then returned to looking at the river. She didn’t like the essence of the atmosphere now. It was too tense. She did what she knew best to loosen up the air: she poked him in the stomach and made him laugh.

“Do not start with me today, Celeste dear,” Nickolas warned her with a playful smirk on his face.

She poked him again and grinned wickedly. “Start what?”

Nickolas started tickling her sides and she laughed like a maniac. She squirmed out of his arms, and quickly rose to her feet, as fast as she could in the long dress she wore that day. Nickolas was on her tail and she immediately began running away from him, giggling madly. He was faster than she knew. He caught her in his big arms and pulled her closer to him. He planted a kiss on her cheek and put his chin on her shoulder.

“Can I ask you a personal question, Nick?” she asked after a long period of silence.

“What, Love?”

“Do you ever miss Patricia?”

Nickolas took a sharp breath. He had never really talked to her about Patricia. But this was very sudden, and kind of scary, especially because he was just thinking about her. Nickolas sighed and replied, “At times, yes.”

“I heard about her. She seemed so wonderful, Nickolas. She was quite the songbird, I heard,” Celeste said. She didn’t say any more, and waited for him to respond.

“She was. I loved her very much. She would have made a magnificent bride.”

Celeste bit her lip and nodded slightly. She tightened her grip on his arms, and looked back up at Nickolas. She finally said, "I will never be her.”

Nickolas loosened his grip on her and looked at her confused. “What?”

Celeste stated, “I will never be like Patricia. I want you to know that. She was far more extraordinary than I will ever be.”

“Love,” Nickolas started, “I would never compare you two. You both are different, and I love you both because of that. I loved her because she was quiet and shy. I love you because, well, I need someone to keep me on my toes. And believe me, Darling,” Nickolas said, putting a sweet kiss on her lips, “I’ve never had to work this hard for any woman in my life.”

Celeste grinned like a Cheshire cat, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Nickolas smiled and kissed her again. “We should go back home.”

Celeste pouted a little, “I don’t know if I can face seeing Father tonight. He is really becoming very irritable about us.”

“You don’t have to face him if you don’t want to. You can come and stay with us. My dad is growing rather fond of you and your pranks. He is still wiping the tears from his eyes with the ink tea gag,” Nickolas informed her.

“I’ll have to see him eventually. He will be upset, I know it.”

“Let him be. He can’t stop the inevitable,” Nickolas said. He helped Celeste up on his horse, and then mounted himself. He grabbed Celeste’s arms and put them around his waist. He smiled at how her fingers dug into his shirt for security. She put her cheek on his back as they rode off back to the castle.