Wedding Bells

[Zhenya]

The warmth of Emily’s greeting was met in kind. “Of course I would not miss it, my dear,” she said. “You look beautiful, a jewel from the sky.” The happiness was infectious, and Zhenya blossomed in its bask. Her smile only deepened as Emily bent to speak with Auri. In Zhenya’s line of work, she did not often mix the precious treasure of family with her business acquaintances, but Emily was more than that, and it was a token of Zhenya’s genuine friendship. She brushed a hand over her daughter’s hair, encouraging her forward enough to find her own voice.

The girl blinked wide eyes, awed by the attention, but also pleased by it. “My name is Auri,” she said, glancing up at Zhenya before looking back intently, and adding to Emily, “Are you a real princess?”