The Son of Hades - Born of Fire

Hailey Chapter 45

After their meal, Mackenzie took her by the edge of the lake, staring at Owen on a small boat holding onto a fishing rod in one hand and a long brown smoke pipe in the other. "That's Lyra's father," he told her. "He doesn't fish in the sea anymore so he comes here."

"Does he catch anything," Hailey asked.

"If he did, I never saw him," Mackenzie told her.

Owen saw him by the edge standing under the tree. He blew the puff of smoke out from his mouth as quickly as he could and he hid the smoke pipe under his seat. "Mackenzie," Owen shouted as he rowed toward him. He comes near the edge while Mackenzie pulled the boat out from the water. "Who is your friend?" Owen asked.

"This is Hailey, Princess of Alenore," Mackenzie said introducing her. "She wanted to see what Laveth had to offer."

"I love what I see," Hailey told him as she stared at Mackenzie.

"I'm sure you do," the old man replied. "He's quite pleasant to look at. Even the girls in the village hated him for being prettier than them. You look even prettier." Hailey laughed as the old man spoke.

"Could I borrow your boat for a moment," Mackenzie asked. "I wanted to show her around."

"I don't lend my boat to anyone but for this pretty Lady you may."

Owen went his way while Hailey sat inside the boat. Mackenzie pushes it out into the water and then he jumps inside. He began to row while Hailey stared at him. "I brought you here to look at the surroundings," he told her, "not my face."

"I like your face better. I like your scruff but it hides your face. You should have it shaved."

"I will, if you cut your hair shorter."

"I will, but first you must marry me."

"You can keep your hair long," he replied.

"I'm serious," the smile on Hailey's face widen.

"What about your people?" he asked. "Will they accept a commoner like me."

"My mother Anna was a commoner and my people accepted her. They will accept you as long as I do. My father will learn to accept my decision."

"I want everything with you Hails and I am glad that you accept me for me. But If you marry me, your world will only get crazier."

"I know," she confessed, "but I'd rather deal with your craziness than someone else's."

Mackenzie stops rowing and he stares at the water, he could see the bottom of the lake with tiny stones shining at the bottom. "This is the spot Lyra threw me off to drown when we were little. I couldn't swim but she didn't know. Her father came and saved my life."

Mackenzie jumps inside of the lake still fully clothed while Hailey looked on. He came back up from under, before leaning at the side of the boat. "Come, join me. The water will be warm around me."

"I'm not joining you until I've had an answer," Hailey told him. "I have a reputation to protect. I can't be seen alone with any man."

"Since when do you care about reputation?" he asked. "You've burnt that bridge when you ran away."

"I've always cared about my reputation, it's you who have sullied it."

"If you come down from the boat I vow to marry you, but only if you jump down now."

She then held onto his shoulders as he lifts her off the boat, and helped her into the water as gently as he could. "Do you mean it?" she asked.

"If there was anyone I'd be marrying it would be you."

She kisses him with a smile placed upon her face. Owen came back staring at them from afar. "Have you both gone mad," he shouted. "The water is freezing; you'll both freeze to death."

They both laughed at the old man as he stood by the edge of the lake. "Let's go back before Owen gets his own theory." He kisses her one last time before putting her back into the boat. He jumps in afterward and began to row toward the edge. As he came out from the boat along with Hailey, Owen felt his neck and found it heated. "Do you have a fever?" he asked.

"No," he replied. "We're both fine. I need you to do me a favour. I know you've married a few people in the village, Hailey and I wish to be wed."

"When?" Owen asked in excitement.

"Today would be better," she told them.

"I lost my license years ago when I almost killed Clifford for steeling the fish out from my net."

"Can you get another?" Hailey asked.

"I can, my daughter is Queen after all but she'll want to know my reasons."

"You can't tell her it's for me," said Mackenzie, "or she will never grant you permission. Tell her it's for a young couple who ran away from Myron. She won't bother to ask any more questions."

"I will get my license and I will marry you right here tonight."

Owen left to go to the village while Mackenzie pulls the boat out from the water and ties the rope around the tree. "We're really going to be husband and wife?" Mackenzie asked as he didn't believe the words.

"Yes," she said with a smile.