Fate | Baldwin IV

proposal

The meeting was concluded at last. As the council chamber emptied, I lingered, my heart pounding in my chest. The murmurs of departing lords and nobles faded, leaving behind a thick silence as the crowd disappeared and their nervous anticipation was replaced by the haunting tension. The king remained at the head of the room where he always stood, the mask he wore concealing all but his eyes, making his expression unreadable. I had to speak to him—had to understand what had just happened in that fleeting moment of shock.

I hurried towards him, the echoes of my footsteps bouncing off the stone walls. "Your majesty," I called out, my voice tight with urgency. "May I have a word with you?"

Before he could respond, his mother stepped forward from where she was seated, her presence as imposing as ever. "You will have plenty of time to speak with him later," she snapped, her voice sharp and unyielding as she placed herself between us as if to shield him from me. "But now, if you'll excuse us, I must speak to my son first."

Baldwin didn't hesitate. "No, mother," he said, cutting her off as he stepped out from her. "You will excuse us. I will speak with her, in private."

The woman's brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing as she glanced between us. "But—" she began, her voice rising in frustration.

"Please," he repeated, his tone final.

For a moment, Agnes looked as if she might argue, but then she pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes cold. "Fine," she said curtly. She turned on her heel and swept out of the chamber, leaving me alone with him in the oppressive silence.

I turned to him once the doors closed, my heart racing. "Engagement?" I blurted out, my brows drawn together in confusion. "Your majesty, respectfully, what are you doing?"

"I'm marrying you," he said simply, taking a step closer to me. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you first. I meant to—before my mother came and dragged me inside, and then I couldn't..." His words stumbled over one another, and for the first time, I saw the king—this strong, resolute man—stammering so much.

I listened in silence, my emotions swirling in a storm of confusion and disbelief. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The man who had just declared me as his future queen hadn't even asked me first.

"I'm very sorry," he continued, a hint of guilt flickering in his eyes that were avoiding mine. "It shouldn't have been a surprise to you. I should have told you sooner, but I couldn't prepare things properly. It's my fault."

I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to comprehend what he was saying. "Since when have you been planning this?" I asked, my voice quieter now, almost hesitant.

"Not too long," he admitted, sighing deeply. "I had to make some arrangements first, and then I was going to ask you, I swear." He paused briefly, slightly lowering his head. "But truth be told, I didn't know if I could pull this off. I didn't want to give you false hope."

His words struck a chord, softening my heart despite the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. I shrugged. "You could still have told me," I said, my voice firm but laced with the hurt I felt.

"I'm sorry," he said again, this time with genuine regret.

"You decided to marry me and proceeded to make arrangements without telling me anything," I continued before taking a deep breath to gather my thoughts, "and I only got to know about it when you announced it in front of everyone, as if I'm no different from those people." I looked up to meet his gaze, his apologetic eyes pleading to look away. "Do I not have a say in this?" I asked as I stared at him, "Do I... not have a choice?"

He stared back at me in silence for a brief moment before taking another step to close the gap between us. Reaching out slowly, he took my hand in his. "You absolutely do," he said, gently caressing my knuckles with his thumb. "Y/n, forgive me for my timing. I know I should've done this sooner." He paused, and to my utter shock, he began to kneel before me. "But, if you'll allow me..." His voice was soft, almost vulnerable as he looked up at me, his eyes searching mine. "I hereby would like to ask for your hand in marriage."