"Zan.." Amara replied, surprised to see him. "What brings you here?"

He tucked a lock of her straight brown locks behind her ear. "I had to see you."

"Zan... this is so wrong..." Amara started.

"I know and I hate it! But what else can we do?"

Amara felt like crying. "I don't know what else to do. I hate keeping this a secret. I want to shout it out to the world that I love you so..."

"So do I. But I don't know if there will ever be a time when we'll be able to do that. We have to keep things secretive."

Amara nodded. "Even from Vilandra and Rath?"

Zan nodded solemnly. "Yes."

Amara sighed, letting Zan embrace her in his strong arms. She felt a lone teardrop fall, dripping down onto her cheek. She hated this.

Zan looked up, his expression pained. "Please don't cry, Mara."

"I can't help it..." Amara whispered. "It's just too much to take. If I can't have you, what's the point? We'll both be cheating... once... once we are married..." She could hardly choke it out. "to other people. Maybe you should just forget about me and be happy with Ava. She's very beautiful."

Zan hugged her tighter, not intending to let go anytime soon. "No, Mara! Ava is nice, yes, but she's not you. You're the only one I love, and if things don't work out here... we'll be together somehow, somewhere, I promise."

Amara nodded pitifully, trying hard to believe Zan. "I... I love you, Zan."

Zan's lips touched hers in a kiss, as he whispered, "I love you too Amara."

***

Amara sighed as she brushed her hair. She looked over at Ava wistfully, wishing she was in her position.

Vilandra walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mara? You've been brooding for so long now. What is the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just... weddings always make me teary-eyed." Amara lied.

"Okay." Vilandra replied, not buying it.

"I would like to thank you two for being my bridesmaids." Ava called out. "It means so much to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure it does." Amara muttered under her breath.

"What, Amara?" Ava asked.

Amara plastered a smile on her face and tried to look happy. "Oh, I said I'm happy to do it."

"Well, thanks. I don't know that many people here and it makes me happy to think that I have some friends to count on." Ava continued.

If only that were true, Amara thought to herself. She wasn't Ava's friend. She was her soon-to-be husband's desire! But arranged marriages were like that.

"Well, I guess it's time." Ava said, standing up. "Wish me luck." She said as she walked out into the hallway.

"Come on, Mara." Vilandra smiled, linking arms with her best friend. Amara followed, dreading the moment where she would walk down the aisle as a bridesmaid and have to face Zan.

Beautiful music played out in the church, as hundreds of friends and family of the royal family looked on anxiously. Vilandra began her walk with Rath by her side, her head held high and a big smile on her face. Amara went after her, trying her best not to cry. There stood Zan, trying to look proud. He looked even more handsome that usual. But she saw it in his eyes -- the love he had for her. She tried to send a message to him with her eyes, because she was miserable.

Amara listened to the priest read the wedding vows, soft whimpers escaping from her throat. Nobody would have suspected that she was whimpering because she was in love with Zan, no. They would all think that she was a big sap when it came to weddings. It was torture listening to these worthless vows that Zan did not really mean, to Ava, anyway. It made her feel bad for Ava, because she didn't deserve this. She deserved a man who loved her, truly. Not a man who was in love with another.

But the part where real tears began to flow was when the priest began to ask Zan if he would cherish Ava, through good and bad. Hearing him say 'I do' was the last straw -- she couldn't take it anymore. Clutching her bouquet of flowers, she ran out of the church hall as fast as she could. "I'm sorry." She said softly as she ran.