Chapter Seventy-two: Reunited at last

Celestia

"What happened to you?" I couldn't help but chuckle as I started to pull back, finally noticing that Alaric was covered in dirt.

"You scared the h*ll out of me." Alaric tightened his arms around me, preventing any form of escape. "That's what happened."

I peek over his shoulder to see Kimbra and the others shaking their heads with their clothes completely rumpled and dusty: meaning that my encasement into crystal had almost pushed Alaric over the edge.... maybe even over the edge.

I reached up to pat him on the head, his hair still as fluffy as it was when he was a child as I listened to his heartbeat slow down to a steady beat. Alaric's arms loosed a little as he calmed down which allowed me to sit up in his lap.

"Will you help me up?" I felt my lips curl into a smile as I looked at his handsome face.

"Of course!" Alaric bolted up and offered his hand to me that I happily used. Once my fingertips touched his palm, Alaric pulled me up off the ground and back into his arms.

"Oof!" I leaned back to see his usual smirk had returned to his face, the dark expression from earlier nowhere to be seen. "Really?" I responded with an eyebrow raise.

Alaric leaned down to kiss me, his tongue teasing my lips for them to open that I automatically obliged also eager to kiss him.

I lost myself into that kiss until I finally noticed someone coughing loudly. I turned to look with my face heating up and saw a few smirks and the shaking of heads from our audience that I had temporally forgotten about.

"Master Ilin!" I coughed, pushing Alaric's head that hunched over for another kiss and smoothed my skirt that had become wrinkled. "I'm sorry for showing you that."

"It seems that you are in good hands." Master Ilin seemed amused as he looked between me and Alaric. I covered my cheeks in an attempt to hide the blush that I knew was there as Master Ilin approached Alaric and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You better make sure that my Celestia is taken care of."

"Of course. This will never happen again."

I mentally cringed as I heard their exchange as I felt my heart squeeze a little and my lips curve upwards.

********

"Are you almost ready Miss Celestia?" Valerie asks as I gazed into the mirror, marveling at my unfamiliar appearance.

For the first time in both my lives, I was getting married. Alaric apparently made plans before the last battle of Demon King Radna for our wedding and managed to keep it secret until I was abruptly awakened this morning by Valerie with a squadron of maids behind her.

I had been scrubbed and polished until I glowed before Quinn came in with a dress that reminded me of an elven princess cosplay dress. Long sleeves that were delicately laced with small jewels with an embroidered flowing skirt that felt like silk against my legs.

The finishing touch was a corset which showed off my thin waist and tied everything together. The maids had left my hair in a half-updo with flowers within the braid while only lightly using makeup. A thick purple cape hung on my shoulders, Alaric's crest embroidered in gold with white fur along the trim.

"Miss Celestia?" Valerie says my name once more, startling me from staring myself down.

"Oh yes!" I could see myself blushing out of the corner of my eye in the mirror as I turned to look at her. "I'm ready!"

I followed Valerie out into the hallway, each step taking me closer to Alaric as my heart pounded and my legs started to shake from nervousness. We pause at the doors of the throne room as trumpets suddenly rang out which caused the doors to immediately open, light covering my sight for a moment.

I quickly closed my eyes for a moment before opening them to see a long purple carpet that ran down the center of the room to the two thrones that sat at the far wall. I froze as I noticed the number of people staring at me and felt as if my legs were suddenly glued to the floor.

"Tia."

I looked up to see Alaric smiling at me as he held out his hand and all of my fears disappeared. I couldn't help but smile as I started walking towards him, seeing the love that he had for me written all over his face.

In what seemed like forever, I finally reached him and took his hand as Alaric helped me up the steps to stand before the thrones. He turns to face the tray with a dazzling crown made of gold and diamonds taking it into his hands.

Alaric smiles as he stops me from bowing and gently places the crown on my head before taking my hand, leaving a kiss before standing besides me. I could see that many of the people there were surprised at this display though our friends simply rolled their eyes.

"I hereby declare that Celestia will now be my wife and rule as Empress of the world at my side." Authority could be heard in Alaric's confident voice as everyone bowed before us.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"

The chants continued as we walked hand-in-hand down the aisle as the door opened for us, starting a new chapter in our lives.

******

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Alaric asks, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder as I stood outside on the balcony.

"Of course!" I lightly tapped him my head as I leaned back. "It was amazing that you did so much for me."

"Nothing but the best." I could feel his chest vibrating from his quiet laughter.

After the ceremony, Alaric had arranged a grand party in the ballroom that was filled with flowers and candlelight. It had been so much fun yet at the same time overwhelming. My favorite part would probably be whenever we danced together,  once I danced with someone else for a song- Alaric would swoop in to dance with me once more, sneaking kisses.

"Did you have something to do with the fireworks?" I asked. Fireworks lit up the sky towards the end of the night and I saw the surprise on his face as they bloomed.

"No." Alaric rubbed his chin against my shoulder before sweeping me off my feet. "Neither did anyone else."

"I see..." I trailed off, a sudden thought occurring to me. "I might know who did it."

"Who?"

"My sister." I knew that Emily loved fireworks and that seemed like something she would do.

"A sister huh?" Alaric sets me down on the bed, toying with the ribbon of the silk nightgown that I had changed to earlier. "I guess that means she approves?"

"Yes." I giggled before reaching up to caress his face. "I never doubted she would."

"Well then my wife." Alaric slides up over me, his hands on either side of me. "I think that it is time for your wonderful husband to get his reward that he earned from working so hard."

"Oh really?" I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Very sure." He smirks before taking the end of the ribbon up with his teeth.

"I love you Alaric."

"I love you more Tia."

Hello everyone!!! Miss me? I bet you did! I know in my last announcement that I said this chapter would be in a few days (after Thanksgiving) but life happened so its a bit late.

So I do ask that you all forgive me.

However, after MUCH deliberation and fighting with myself- I have decided that this will be the last official chapter of 'How the Emperor Trapped a Witch'.

Now, now before you guys take out the pitchforks and torches: there will be a few extras posted at a later time but this is the end.

I know that you all must be disappointed and maybe a little shocked but I thought it was time to move on to another story that I've had in the back of my head but couldn't start writing for a while.

I really appreciate each & every single one of you for reading my story and loving it so much!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰

I had so much fun writing this and reading each of your comments- it really made me smile every time I opened them.😁

This is actually my 1st novel with so many chapters [77 including questions and extras (as of today)] and I'm really surprised that I actually managed to write so many! And that is thanks to so many people love this novel!!! 😘😘

I've also never had so many views and votes on any of my novels: a whopping 180k views and 8.21k votes!!🥳🥳🥳

My next novel is called 'The Demon King said to call him Papa' and I really hope to see all of you there!

Here is a short overview of the novel which will have it's 1st chapter posted sometime in the next 8 days.

🥰🥰Enjoy!🥰🥰

The Demon King said to call him Papa

Warning: There is abuse and extreme trauma in the beginning of this story.

"This is the first time I've seen a human as small as you."

I lightly flinched at the cold words as I stared at the ground; to afraid to look up at the intimidating man. I could tell that he was different from the other monsters that circled around me.

But I no longer cared about my life anymore. No one cared about me, no one will miss or even be sad about my death except for Five, but he was no longer here anymore..

"Human." The man speaks to me as I continued to stare at the ground. "Look up."

I bit my lip and shook my head, I wasn't allowed to look at any adult- if I did, I would be hit. Dull pain started to prick my chest as I waited to die, I couldn't even felt the cuts on my legs from those people who left me here anymore.

Suddenly, feet appeared in my sight and was joined by legs as the man kneeled down in front of me and curled a long white finger around my chin and gently lifted my head up.

I closed my eyes tightly as my body started to tremble and curl up in preparation for the beating that surely was coming. Moments pass but nothing happens.

I slowly open my eyes and met the vibrant purple eyes that stared into mine. I start to pull away as he reached up to brush my hair out of my face, flinching as he touched my skin and revealed the ugly burn that I had received two years ago.

"Who did this?" He asks as he gazed at the scar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A girl who was abused and mistreated all her life has transmigrated into another world; only to have the same thing happen again. She was later abandoned as a meat shield against demons and thought that her second life was going to end.

However, the powerful and indifferent Demon King meets her which changes her fate drastically.