19. How love should be.
"I see."
"What do you see?"
"I see why your princess is in a dilemma. It is true that prince Barak in no way looks like your princess's type of man."
"Exactly. Thank you! You can be rather reasonable." she said and quickly added. "And I do not mean that as an insult."
"I know that."
"Look, your prince probably does not need to have another wife. He should refuse the proposal. He probably would not like her when he meets her."
Barak thought about her words for a second. If he was going to rate the princess based on the information he'd gotten from her, then the princess probably wasn't that bad. A bit spoiled as he had guessed, and naive too, but not bad.
"If her prince charming really loves her as you claim, why does he not go ask for her hand from her father?" A kind of weird silence followed his question, and he studied her, the way she blinked nervously.
"Well, she was not certain her father would approve. So they had planned to make it seem like the goddess had brought them together on the night of the lover's moon. She believed that her father would not disagree if it was a joining by the goddess herself."
"Why? So much pretense and lies?"
"Do not judge her!" she snapped. Green eyes blazing with so many emotions. Barak sincerely commended her love for her mistress.
"I am not judging her. I am just saying love is not supposed to have so much trickery and lies. Who is the man, a commoner?"
"Nay, he is a prince!"
"A prince? Which kingdom?"
"I cannot tell you that . And please do not ask further. But he is a prince."
"Well then, if he really is a prince, he should just ask for her hand!"
"You do not understand, he has reasons why he cannot."
"Does she know these reasons?"
"Nay, not really. But it doesn't even matter, it is too late now to go to the king with another proposal!"
"It is never too late!" he hissed and rose to his feet. Suddenly annoyed over something. What? He had no idea too.
"Oh you just don't understand, you d—"
"I know that If I were in his place and the woman I loved was about to be married off to a prince of another kingdom, I would fight to the death for her!" He didn't notice the girl jump in shock as he angrily slapped his palm on the side of the hearth.
"I would barge into her father's kingdom and request for her hand! That is what love is supposed to be like, Riah." He said, then he was suddenly in front of her again, looking deep into her eyes with so much seriousness.
"Riah, Love is bold, sure, brave! Never wavering. Love can fear, but it should also fight to conquer that fear honestly. Not by childish tricks. I'll be damned before I let my woman go without a chance at a proper fight for her! And I promise you, I will never lose such a fight. I never lose!"
Damn! He wanted to kiss her! His blood was boiling with desire, he wanted to hold her tight to his body and just show her a whole new world in his arms. To kiss her, every inch of her, tenderly, intimately, passionately! Oh curses! He had given her his word. And he was really a man of his word. How could he want anyone so badly! And only within hours after they'd met.
"You sound like you're talking from experience." she smiled, shyly. A little bit distressed too, by his words, he realized. He closed his eyes for a simple second, pushing back his desires as he sat himself down before her again.
"I watched my mother and father. And I'd give everything to have what my mother and father have." He simply states. He studied her for a moment, then he took a deep breath before speaking up again.
"Listen, I can say I understand your princess. But I do not think that man truly loves her."
"Oh please don't. You're just saying that because of your prince."
"I am not, Riah. I'm sincerely speaking to you right now. If he truly loved her, he'd do anything to keep her. And he'd do them right." He really was telling her what he really felt. Hell! He didn't want this marriage either. But it was his duty, and it was the princess's duty too. And her prince charming seemed fake and wrong.
She didn't say anything else. She just turned her face to the burning flames. Mindlessly watching as the flames danced before her. It almost seemed to Barak like she was really saddened by his words. She had such devotion to her princess. It was quite honorable.
"Rest, I'll send you back in the morning."
"What!" she instantly jumped up to her feet. "You said you'd let me go if I told you about the princess's message for prince Barak!"
"I never gave such a promise." He was on his feet too.
"Oh you cheating swine!" she hissed. And he glared at her with much warning. "Oh please! Don't look at me like that! You do not want me calling you names, and yet you do things like this! I can only call you what you are, which is a cheating swine!" she was out of her mind, this little woman.
But she wasn't done yet. "Well what should I have expected. And to think I was starting to believe that you were a rather reasonable person! You are really just a good-for-nothing barbarian! You and your disgusting dra—"
"Enough!" Her voice cut in her throat, as he had descended upon her with much vehemence, forcing her back to rest on the wall, and his hands were positioned on both sides of her head. A barricade to keep her in place.
"I have warned you! Enough! Damn! I have no idea how you have remained in the palace as a maid all this time without having this weapon of yours sewn shut!" Gosh he wanted to slap her! He wanted to slap her so hard across the face and force her to bend to his will and yet he also wished to cradle her and hold her tight!
Little witch... Little elven witch.