Chapter 88 — The Morning of Four Weddings
The sun had barely risen over Udaipur's lake when the palace exploded into life.
Today was the day.
Not one wedding.
Not two.
Four weddings.
Four mandaps.
Four brides.
Four grooms.
And nineteen people who had survived shootings, hospitals, betrayals, jungles, and freezing trucks together.
Now they were about to witness something far more terrifying.
Indian weddings.
---
The Palace — 5:30 AM
The palace corridors were already filled with movement.
Makeup artists.
Hair stylists.
Designers.
Assistants carrying boxes of jewelry.
Someone shouting about missing bangles.
Someone else screaming about the wrong shade of lipstick.
Traditional music playing in the background.
And at the center of this chaos—
Four separate bridal rooms.
---
Bridal Room One — Care
Care sat in front of a massive mirror.
Her half-finished bridal lehenga spread around her like a red ocean.
And behind her—
JJ had taken command.
"NO."
JJ snapped at the makeup artist.
"The eyeliner is wrong."
The poor woman froze.
"But ma'am—"
JJ pointed at the mirror.
"This is a billionaire wedding. Fix it."
Honey leaned over Care's shoulder holding a camera.
"Oh my god Care you look insane."
Freya adjusted Care's dupatta.
Rakhi carefully fixed the flower strings in her hair.
Ella held up a tray of jewelry.
"Where are the bangles?"
Ash walked in carrying three boxes.
"I found them."
She opened the box.
Hundreds of red and gold bangles glittered.
Care stared at herself in the mirror.
Her bridal outfit was deep crimson red with intricate golden embroidery.
The lehenga was heavy.
Royal.
Ancient.
Exactly like a Rajasthani queen.
Her jewelry included:
• A large Kundan necklace
• A maang tikka resting on her forehead
• A delicate nose ring with chain connecting to her hair
• Gold bangles covering her arms
• Anklets with tiny bells
She looked breathtaking.
But Care whispered quietly—
"I can't breathe."
Ash squeezed her shoulder.
"That means it's working."
JJ nodded.
"Good."
---
Bridal Room Two — Lyra
Lyra's room was slightly calmer.
But only slightly.
Her lehenga was royal red with emerald green accents.
Elegant.
Powerful.
The embroidery looked like something from a museum.
Honey entered filming again.
"Alex is going to faint."
Lyra smirked slightly.
"Good."
Freya adjusted her veil.
"You look like you walked out of a Mughal painting."
Lyra looked at herself in the mirror.
Her expression softened.
"This feels unreal."
Ash stood beside her quietly.
"After everything…"
Lyra nodded.
"…we deserve unreal."
---
Bridal Room Three — Nova
Nova's room was the calmest.
Because Nova herself was calm.
Her lehenga was deep maroon with antique gold embroidery.
Minimal.
Sophisticated.
Just like her.
Rakhi placed a delicate necklace around her neck.
"You look like royalty."
Nova smiled softly.
"I feel like I'm going to a medical conference."
Ash rolled her eyes.
"You're getting married."
Nova adjusted her earrings.
"Same stress level."
Everyone laughed.
---
Bridal Room Four — Daisy
Daisy's room was chaos.
Because Daisy refused to sit still.
Her lehenga was peach with gold embroidery, chosen specifically to balance Joong's culture with Indian tradition.
Freya was trying to fix her dupatta.
"STOP MOVING."
"I'm nervous!"
Honey laughed.
"Joong is more nervous."
Daisy froze.
"Really?"
Ash nodded.
"Extremely."
Daisy immediately relaxed.
"Good."
---
The Final Touch
One by one the brides were fully ready.
The room went quiet.
Because when the four women stood together—
Even the makeup artists gasped.
They looked unreal.
Four different kinds of beauty.
Four different personalities.
Four women who had survived hell together.
Ash whispered quietly—
"You guys look like queens."
Care took Ash's hand.
"You're the reason we're here."
Ash blinked.
Trying not to cry.
---
Departure to the Wedding Venue
The brides left the palace early.
Because in Indian tradition—
The bride waits at the wedding venue.
And the groom arrives with the baraat.
The cars moved through Udaipur's narrow streets toward the massive royal venue.
A huge open complex near the lake.
Prepared specifically for four simultaneous weddings.
Four mandaps stood in a row under a massive decorated canopy.
Each one unique.
Each one glowing with flowers and lights.
---
Meanwhile — The Palace
Back at the palace—
Absolute disaster.
Because the grooms were not handling the morning well.
---
Groom Room — Cole
Cole stood in front of a mirror wearing a cream sherwani with red embroidery.
But Percy was yelling.
"WHY ARE YOU SO CALM?"
Cole shrugged.
"I've been shot at."
Aries adjusted Cole's turban.
"Still. This is worse."
Keifer fixed the sword attached to Cole's sherwani.
"Breathe."
Cole looked confused.
"I am breathing."
Percy stared.
"Barely."
---
Groom Room — Alex
Alex wore a royal ivory sherwani with gold patterns.
He looked composed.
But his fingers kept adjusting his cufflinks.
Cin noticed.
"You're nervous."
Alex replied calmly.
"No."
Percy pointed.
"You've adjusted those cuffs twelve times."
Alex sighed.
"Fine."
"Maybe a little."
---
Groom Room — Ben
Ben looked completely calm.
His gold sherwani perfectly fitted.
But Percy leaned close.
"You're hiding panic."
Ben replied coolly.
"I am a surgeon."
Percy grinned.
"You're about to marry Nova."
Ben paused.
"…fair point."
---
Groom Room — Joong
Joong was the most stressed.
His cream sherwani with peach accents matched Daisy's lehenga.
But he looked terrified.
Endrix laughed.
"You look like you're entering a battlefield."
Joong whispered—
"Indian weddings are terrifying."
Percy slapped his shoulder.
"You'll survive."
Joong whispered again—
"Maybe."
---
The Baraat Begins
Outside the palace—
The baraat was ready.
Decorated horses.
Traditional drummers.
Music blasting.
Fireworks already prepared.
Percy climbed onto a decorated horse.
"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE."
Keifer sighed.
"You're not even getting married."
"EXACTLY."
The grooms mounted their horses.
Music exploded.
The baraat began dancing through the streets of Udaipur.
Drums.
Fireworks.
Hundreds of lights.
Percy and Aries dancing like maniacs.
Even Alex started smiling.
Cole watched the chaos quietly.
Then Keifer leaned closer.
"You ready?"
Cole looked toward the distant wedding venue.
Where Care was waiting.
He nodded.
"Yeah."
---
The Brides Waiting
At the wedding venue—
The four brides sat inside a quiet bridal chamber.
Listening to the distant sound of the approaching baraat.
Drums.
Music.
Cheers.
Care's hands trembled slightly.
Ash squeezed them.
"They're coming."
Lyra smiled softly.
Nova looked calm.
Daisy whispered—
"This is really happening."
Outside—
The drums got louder.
The baraat had arrived.
And the four weddings were about to begin.