“I can’t believe you’re getting married today. My best friend is getting married,” Everly exclaims, plaiting another part of my hair, and pulling it up into the bun she has made up. I stare at myself in the mirror, barely recognising my own reflection. I’m no longer the young girl that left Onaya. The one who was innocent and didn’t know a thing of the world. I’m no longer that lonely girl, and I know I will never be alone again.

“It will happen for you one day. A guy is going to come into your life and knock you off your feet,” I say, knowing I’m right.

“That will–” Everly’s voice drifts off as the sea god’s desperate voice over takes hers in my mind.

“The king knows where you are going; he knows everything. You must hurry! You must get my crowns, and return them to me with the king’s soul.” I gasp, falling off the chair as he leaves my mind.

“Cassy,” Everly picks me up, giving me a concerned look.

“The sea god says the king knows what we are doing. How is that possible?" I ask her, and she shakes her head.

“I have no idea, but don’t let him ruin this special day for you. Forget what he said, and move past it,” she tells me, and there is a knock at the door. I stand up as Everly opens it slightly.

“We need to speak to Cassandra. Alone,” Ryland insists. Everly looks back at me for confirmation, and I nod my assent.

“I will go check to make sure everything is ready," Everly says, widening the door, so she can walk out. Ryland comes in, holding a long red dress. Everly’s eyes stay on the dress, just as mine do, until she grins widely at me and shuts the door.

“It’s beautiful,” I breathe out as I step closer. Ryland hooks the dress on the back of the door. It’s tight at the top, with red crystals all on the sides, and they go down the dress as it flows out. It’s a dress meant for a queen.

“Laura stole this from the castle when we left, and she told me to give it you a few months ago. She said she wore this dress at her wedding, and my mother wore it at hers. It’s one of the only family traditions I want to keep. Would you please wear it today?” he asks me, the vulnerability in his voice makes me wrap my arms around him.

“It would be my honour to wear it. We will keep it to give to our children as well," I say, and he lifts my head with his hand.

“When did I get so lucky to have you? To be marrying you today?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“No, I’m the lucky one. I’m so, so lucky to have fallen into the sea and to have gotten rescued by pirates,” I chuckle, and he kisses me. I moan as he picks me up, pushing me against the wall by the door as I hold onto him, and he deepens the kiss. I move away from his lips, trailing my lips down his neck, feeling his pulse beating against my lips.

“Cassandra, we have a wedding to get to,” he groans, and a bang at the door makes us jump part.

“I’m back, but I don’t want to see any naked bits. Is it safe to come in?” Everly shouts, and Ryland laughs low as I step away.

“It’s safe to come in. I was just leaving,” he replies and steps around me, opening the door and letting Everly in.

“I’m going to clean up for the wedding. See you in a short while,” Ryland tells me tenderly, and walks out the door. Everly shuts it, her hands going to the dress and lifting it off the back of the door.

“This is an amazing dress, look at all those crystals. The fabric, and well, everything. It must have cost a small fortune,”

“It’s Ryland and Hunter’s family tradition. The royals wear this dress when they get married,”

“It is fitting for a queen. I guess I might have a dress one day,” Everly says, but her voice is full of fear instead of hope or longing. She still doesn’t want the crown, and I don’t know if I can blame her. I go to say something, trying to think of anything to make it easier for her. She cuts me off with a harsh shake of her head.

“I know my future, and I accept it. It doesn’t mean I’m not fearful of it. Now give me a reason to smile, and let’s get you married,” she asserts. I laugh, pulling my clothes off until I’m in only my underwear. Everly helps me step into the dress and then does the laces up on the back. It takes a while, and when it’s finally done, I step over to the mirror.

“You look like a queen,” Everly comments, and she isn’t wrong. The red dress makes me look less like someone I recognise and more like a royal, which I’m not. Well, I guess I will be, temporarily, when I marry Ryland and Hunter, because they are princes. Honestly, although the dress is stunning, I miss my normal clothes. They are more comfortable and feel like home. I hear the distant noise of sweet sounding music, and Everly grabs my hand.

“It’s time. I hope for nothing more than a beautiful future for you. A free one,” she says, kissing my cheek before opening the door for me. I have to wipe away a few tears before I can respond.

“I want the same for you. Thank you for being here. I wish it was my father walking me down the aisle, but I doubt he would have,” I say, looking at the door and pulling the handle to open it. The music gets louder, and I realise someone is playing a guitar.

“He would have. Your father would have done anything for you, even if he didn’t always show it. In the dungeons, he told me that putting his child first is the best thing you can ever do. He loved you wholeheartedly. He might not be here in person, but I would bet his soul is watching today, just like your mother’s,” Everly says, and hooks her arm into mine.

“I hope they are, too,” is all I can say as I walk out the room and towards the stairs. I walk up first, coming out onto the deck. Someone has lit dozens of little candles, and they are lined all over the floor. There are lanterns hanging from ropes that lead to the middle of the ship, where my pirates are all standing waiting for me. Tyrion stands in the middle of them a little further back. I can’t take my eyes off them to appreciate the decorations, because they all look so perfect to me. My bond with them flares to life, taking over as I feel how much they love and desire me. I know they would do anything for me right now. I walk over to them, wiping more tears away as I get to the middle of them. They hold hands with each other, and I slide my hands into Ryland’s and Chaz’s hands, since they are next to me.

“No tears today, little bird,” Hunter murmurs, his dark eyes watching me from the other side of the circle.

“They are happy tears, I promise,” I whisper. Tyrion’s loud voice comes from behind us, and the music cuts off.

“We all gather here today to witness the marriage of Cassandra of Onaya and her chosen. The gods tells us life is eternal, that there is no end, even in death. When two souls are bonded, they become eternal together. There is no end for them either. We ask the gods for their blessing, for their strength, and for this marriage to be blessed in their light and love. If you have anything you wish to say, now is the time.”

I clear my throat, gaining all of their attention, even though I doubt I ever lost their attention for even a moment. “I read in a book once, that the meaning to life is love. Now when I read it, I remember thinking that was stupid and untrue. That there was no way that love could be everything in life. I was wrong. I will admit, when we first met, I didn’t think there was a chance in hell I would fall for any of you pirates,” I say, and they all chuckle.

“Did you decide that when you tried to jump off the moving ship, or when you hit Chaz over the head with the book?” Jacob asks, and I roll my eyes.

“Let me finish.” I chuckle when they nod their heads, almost in unison with each other. “But I did fall for you, one by one. When we were separated, and I knew I never wanted to be away from any of you again. Love is just a simple word. It doesn’t describe how we feel, how unimaginable it is to feel this way for another person. So, I can’t put into words how I feel for each one of you, but I know you can feel it. Like I can feel how much you each love me.” I stop, unable to go on more. Ryland kisses my cheek, while Chaz squeezes my hand. Every one of my pirates look close to breaking the circle and kissing me, telling me how they feel without words. Our bond tells me enough.

“The marriage of Cassandra and her chosen has begun,” Tyrion says, and walks into the circle, with Jacob and Hunter parting to let him in. Tyrion looks at me as he pulls a thin needle out of his pocket and a pot of black ink.

“We discussed the fact that we don’t have six rings, and Zack suggested a mark on all your ring fingers would be better? It’s a tradition in Sixa, but you have final say."

“You would do that for me?” I ask, glance around at them all.

“We are already marked as yours, this would just make you our legal wife. Yes, we all want this,”

“Can I have the same mark?” I ask.

“If you wish,” Tyrion says, and I pull my hand from Chaz's to hold it out.

“Just above the ring please,” I ask, and he nods, dipping the needle into the ink and drawing onto my finger. It hurts as he cuts, but I keep my eyes on each one of my pirates one after the other. When it’s done, I look down at the hexagon, and the tiny triangle mark in the middle.

“Six lines make the hexagon, one line for each of us, and you are our centre,” Ryland explains as he holds his hand out, and Tyrion starts cutting his finger.

“I love you all,” I say quietly, but I know they hear me. When Tyrion has marked all the guys, he smiles at us.

“Now you are married, congratulations,” he says, seconds before he’s pushed out of the way, and my six husbands pull me into an embrace.