16 VIERZEHN

"Cool your head first, Theodore, and we'll talk later," the former Noble Lord said as he stood up. "Then we'll leave first," Lady Madeleine said after following the former Noble Lord. The room was deafeningly silent at the time, and no one dared to speak.

Then we heard a knock on the door. "Would you like to rest on the loft, your Lordship? I can prepare tea if you would like," A servant asked. "Yes, please," he replied. We sat near the window in the tea room. In this area, I could see the full moon. We, like the moon, must go through various phases to be whole again.

I was the one who broke the silence. "What made you say that?" I asked, looking at him. "I'm sorry," he said, still not looking at me.

"Hey, you said we should forget about the formalities, right? Pardon me in advance, but how could you say that?" I do not want to be angry, but he should say something and tell me what I should do. He is not required to lie upright. "I am sorry if I lied; if I tell you the truth, you will not believe me..."

What kind of logic is that? "What led you to believe that? What truth?" He was initially hesitant. "Well, you see, I'm in a situation right now," He explained, perplexed.

"I'm full of what's now, Theodore; please enlighten me," he sighed. "It's been a tradition for the Lord's to be married after being inaugurated," you may ask. "What does this have to do with me?"

"And so, what's the deal with me?" I inquired. "My father wants me to have a secured future as soon as possible, he wants to pass the throne to me with no issues, and reign Ylury peacefully, if you can call it that."

"So he is making me independent in order for me to stand on my own, which is why he is setting me up with variants of Ladies from noble or royal families, which even I do not like." Is he making me feel unimportant? "Is he setting you up for marriage?" I hope I am not too late, even if I do not fit the description.

"Well, yes, but picking my wife is where I'm having trouble." Is there an issue? He is a Lord, albeit a Noble Lord; finding a wife should be simple. He is free to choose any woman he wants. "And what's the deal with that?"

"I believe I can't be the Lordship everyone desired; I lack courage; and even if I don't have love, I don't want to be with someone who doesn't understand me; at the very least, I want to be with someone who knows me, not just for what I am now, but for who I was." Was I surprised? Never mind. "So, are you going to be my fiancée?"

"Uhm, we-" He cut me off, "Do not worry, let us just pretend, it will only be a while, no need to stress out." I assumed I would have the opportunity. I suppose it was the opposite. I thought he realized how I felt; what is more, I did not stand out back then, and I will not stand out in the future. He had no idea how much I adored him all those years ago.

"Pardon me, my Lord, your tea," a servant said as he approached and placed our tea in front of us. Someone came into our view as we were sipping our tea. "My Lord, Lady Madeleine is looking for you; please follow me," reported the master-servant. We both abandoned our half-finished tea and followed the master-servant. We each took a step towards a hallway.

The walls were adorned with paintings and lanterns. Theodore's mother appeared after a few minutes of walking. "Here, Theodore," she said as she led us into the room. "I had the servants quickly prepare a solar for both of you; is it to your liking, Mei?" My gaze wandered across the room, blinded by the golds I saw. It was a large room with a king-sized bed in it. There were also paintings and curtains on the bed.

"Uhm? For both of us?" I asked, perplexed. "Yes, you are getting married soon, so there is no need to bother; it is better to make yourselves comfortable with each other as soon as possible, start by being together in a room." I looked around the room. I cannot imagine getting married to Theodore.

As I walked around it, the Lady spoke with Theodore. It has a walk-in closet full of clothes, including some for girls; I checked it out, and it was my size. Theodore's clothes were also waiting for him, freshly pressed and ready to wear. There were also various types of jewelry and watches to wear. Bags and various ensembles were provided.

They were still talking as I walked back. "What about Father? I know he'll be upset," Theodore said solemnly. "Don't worry about him; he'll understand; just relax, both of you," they said as they looked at me. I followed Theodore.

"I apologize, Lady Madeleine," I said, bowing. She raised my head, drew me in, and hugged me; I never felt the comfort of a Father or Mother; I was raised in an orphanage. As a result, I never met my parents. "Do not apologize, Mei," I said, nodding. She then let me go.

"Well, then, I'll take my leave," I said a few minutes after she had gone. "Theodore, if you're unhappy, just say so; you don't have to push yourself on me; I, too,..."

"You don't want to?" I asked, shaking my head. "Then what?" I asked, taking a deep breath.

"If you want to marry someone who understands and knows you, I want to marry someone who loves me, Theodore..." I looked at him, tears streaming down my cheeks. He stood there. "I apologize if that is your issue; I just do not want to be here doing my work with someone who barely knows me," I brushed off his face.

"Theodore, love is made for you to get to know each other better. Love is there, Theo, Love. It can help you to know more about your partner. As you get to know each other, trust forms, bonds deepen, and finally love stays. Marrying doesn't just mean you'll stop loving each other. It is an endless cycle of courtship. It helps you develop more." He held my hand while I held his face. "So, are you implying that our relationship is real? Is that it, Mei?"

I was taken aback. Theodore, you must spend the rest of your life with yourself, learning to love and accept yourself first. If we do not stop when our hearts collide, they will shatter us into millions of pieces, never to be formed again.

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