Isolde

Chapter 9 - Walking in the Maze

They reached the maze and Frelian began to talk "I wanted to ask you why you are still tending to Alouette."

Isolde was confused "I'm her lady, that's my job."

"I know, but I ensured my father assigned her two new ladies to make sure she had ample help."

"She still insists I stay with her at all times, after all I'm the only person she knows from Pretusia."

"I suppose that's true" Frelian accepted. "I just hoped I'd see you around the palace more, that you'd be allowed more free time. You deserve it."

Isolde blushed.

"I'm sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked

"No, no, not at all your highness." Isolde smiled trying to bring down her blushing "I actually had something I wanted to ask you. I wanted to ask it when we were on the ship but the moment never came up. May I ask it now, just one question I promise?"

"Of course you may."

Isolde took a deep breath "I wanted to ask you what you were doing in Pretusia. I no longer doubt that you're double crossing us as you've been so gracious but that's one thing I've never quite worked out."

Frelian laughed as if it was such an obvious answer "I was there for the party that was supposed to be happening the night after the attack. I was planning to offer Alouette my hand."

Isolde was shocked, that didn't make sense. It made sense that a foreign prince would attend a ball and attempt to woo a princess but the timings didn't add up. "It was an engagement party, to celebrate Alouette's impending union with Callan of Inovine. You intended to propose to her at her engagement party!" she quizzed

"It was originally supposed to be a ball where she could meet suitors, it was changed at the last minute when she accepted Callan' sudden proposal. By the time I found out, I was too far from Rilia to turn back so had to continue to Pretusia as planned. Rilia wanted to ally with Pretusia and a union with Alouette would ensure it."

Isolde still had more questions "Then why did you help us escape, if you knew Alouette was no longer available?"

"Lady Isolde you asked me if you could ask one question, that is two." he teased.

"Well you can ask me another then." she suggested.

Frelian accepted and began to answer her, his response was far more poetic than she'd imagined it would be.

"You. You're the reason I helped the princess escape. I was struck by your beauty and your wit in the armoury that night. I have only grown to love you more ever since, your bravery and determination, not to mention your ability to put up with the princess."

Isolde was speechless

"May I ask my question now?" he asked, looking into her eyes

She nodded, still unable to speak.

The prince now stopped walking and got down on one knee, taking her hands in his, "Lady Isolde I've wanted to ask you this since the moment I met you, as you wanted to ask me your question. But like you I couldn't find the right moment. So now I will ask you whilst it's just us, alone in this maze. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife.?"

"Ar, are you asking me to marry you?" Isolde stuttered a response

"I am. Lady Isolde will you marry me. Be my wife, my future queen?"

She stuttered again as she tried to talk. Frelian's look of joy began to crack, he thought she didn't want to marry him, that he'd imagined her feelings for him. He tried to listen to what she had to say, hoping to hear her say yes but dreading the alternative.