A Paradise Lost

Indecent Proposal

Queen Raya was not able to sleep that night. She couldn’t I take Bayani off her mind. She felt so desperate. She was already 30 years old, an age ripe enough for marriage. She summoned Bayani the next day.

“Good morning, my queen.”

“Good morning, Bayani. I’m glad to see you.”

“What can I do for you, my queen? “

“I don’t want to beat around the bush. You know that we’ve known each other ever since we were young. I love you with all my heart and soul.”

“I don’t understand your meaning, my queen.”

Queen Raya touched Bayani’s face with both of her hands. She looked straight to his eyes.

“Please look at me and tell me what you don’t see in me that you see in Moonlight. I don’t care about my dignity anymore. I love you ever since we were young. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Bayani, will you marry me?”

“Forgive me, my queen but I only love you as my sister. A marriage is a lifetime commitment. We should think of it very carefully before we decide to marry.”

“I’ve been thinking of it all my life. I always imagine us together as a happy family with our children playing around. Didn’t it ever cross your mind how our future would be like as one big happy family.”

Bayani was silent. He didn’t how to respond to Queen Raya. He didn’t want to marry her. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her without hurting her feelings. He didn’t want to give her false promises.

“Queen Raya, you are beautiful and the most intelligent and skillful woman I’ve ever known. I don’t know if there’s anyone in the world who is a better leader than you. It is an honor to be love by someone like you. However, I only love you as a sister. In as much as I love you but I cannot marry you. My heart already belongs to someone else. Someday, you will find the perfect husband that will love you in return and will take good care of you for the rest of you life in Yahweh’s perfect time.”

“But there’s no other man in this world who could ever complete me except you. Imagine this for a moment. If you will marry me, your status will be elevated. You will not just be the head of the army but you will become the next crowned king on this island. Think about the big opportunities that lie ahead of you. You may not love me now as your lover but eventually you will learn to love me as your wife. I swear to you that if you’ll marry me, I will be a faithful, loving, and submissive wife to you. You will never ever regret if you will choose me.”

“I’m sorry, my queen but I cannot love you more than a sister. I will pray to Yahweh day and night that you will find the perfect husband for you. You are an honorable woman. You deserve someone better than me. Please do not lower your standards by choosing someone like me. You can find someone better.”

“Am I that hard to love?”

“No. In fact, you are worthy to be love. You are the most powerful and the kindest person I’ve ever known.”

“Why don’t you give me a chance?”

“I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you as a warrior, not as your lover for life. I love you with all my heart. I would even take an arrow for you to save your life in exchange of my own life. I hope you will understand. I will always pray that you will find the right man for you.”

“If there’s nothing I can do to convince you to marry me, then I want you to leave!”

“Yes, I’ll go now, my queen. I am so sorry.”