Hail

Eight

"I hope it wasn't too forward of me to ask for you to accompany me. I am not as well versed in the proper rules of etiquette as my sisters." Broderick speaks beside me and I find that I like the slightly deep tones of his voice. 

"No, it wasn't. We are engaged. It seems only right that we would spend time together." Broderick smiles at me and then turns his attention back to the flowers of the garden as we slowly walk past.

While I am still wearing my green dress, it no longer feels as though I am suffocating, though my nerves have still not fully dissipated. I was surprised when Broderick asked me to accompany him on a walk through the gardens. I had assumed that he would wish the settle into his rooms as Lady Eleanora wished to do when she arrived. I had thought that it wouldn't be until tonight at the party to celebrate Valeous and Eleanora's engagement that I would see my own fiancée again. However, after properly greeting my father and my ladies he immediately asked to speak with me. Now we are strolling through the gardens, and I find myself unsure of what to say.

Broderick breaks the silence. "It is beautiful here. As are you."

I feel a blush creep up my cheeks and I wish to say something, but my tongue seems to be concrete in my mouth and I am unable to utter even a single syllable. Broderick's hand reaches out to my arm and causes me to stop and face him. His blue eyes, while still bright, seem slightly clouded with something I think I recognize as uncertainty. There is something in me that wants to ease whatever fears he has, though I am unsure as to how. He takes a breath and continues. "I know that we are in a strange situation. We are promised to each other in marriage and yet this is the first time we have even seen each other or spoken. I will confess that I have been a bit nervous during this trip as making such a commitment without being given a choice is intimidating."

To hear him say these words is an ointment to my nerves. Broderick notices a nearby bench and sits, patting the space beside him for me to join him. I sit, careful to leave space between us. I may not feel the urge to run away and I know that Ronan is nearby, but I still want to keep distance between us. I do not trust him yet.

He continues speaking. "I had hoped that perhaps if we spoke and decided on rules or boundaries then maybe we would have some place to start this relationship that we are supposed to have and make the courting process a bit easier on the both of us."

I am intrigued and yet slightly wary. I have heard of men who like to control their women. It is not something that I will be able to live with. I can feel my defenses rising and force myself to calm. He deserves at least a chance to explain his thinking. "What kind of rules are you contemplating?"

Broderick can hear the wariness in my voice and I can see the worry show in his eyes as he rushes to explain himself. "I do not wish for you to feel uneasy or pressured. Rules might not be the best word, but I was thinking that a good place to start would be if we could agree on a couple of things. Like agreeing to be honest with each other even if it hurts the other's feelings?" There is something he reads in my face that causes him to continue to reassure me. "I am not asking you to delve into your deepest secrets. I have not earned the right to know those yet. I am asking that we agree to be honest with each other. We do not know each other, but I am committed to you and the engagement that is between us. I thought honesty might be a good place to start, we have no chance if we are afraid to be truthful."

I look into his eyes and there is no doubt that he is telling me the truth. He is asking such a simple thing, and I know that he is right, it is a pretty good place to start. If this is my fate, I might as well try to make the best of it. "Are you sure that you can handle honesty? Most men say that they want it, but change their minds once they hear something they do not like."