HER FIRST LOVE

Her First Love (Chapter 9)

Christopher reluctantly left Christine standing on the boardwalk. Though Christopher was 23 years old and a grown man, they still worry about him, ever since he was a little boy his mother and father have worried so much about him that it was tiresome. The time was approaching when Christopher must return to his hometown and do his duty and marry the princess of the family that they were at war with. There was just no way that Christopher could leave his beloved Christine now, not when they had just found each other. He must find a way to tell his mother and father that he just simply would not do it. He would not leave his beloved under any circumstance. He will just tell them that he has finally found the love of his life and that he was going to marry her and not some woman he had never met before let alone didn't even love.

As Christopher entered the house he noticed that there were boxes of all shapes and sizes everywhere, so many that there was hardly a place to walk. Christopher went looking for his mother and father and found them sitting in the sitting room him reading today's paper with a glass of chardonnay and her with her needlepoint on her lap half asleep. The fire was almost out so he walked over to revive it alerting his parents that he had arrived safely home.

Mother, father I must speak to you. I have fallen in love with someone and therefore I will not be going to our homeland with you when you go. I intend to marry this young lady with or without your blessings. But son you have not got a choice. You must marry this fair princess or our homeland will never be at peace. It is up to you to make sure that we all are safe. I refuse to marry someone that I do not love and there is nothing that you or anyone else can do about it.

Now hold on just one darn minute boy, I am not only your father but I am also your king, and you will not talk to me in this manner and you will go to the homeland and you will marry the princess and that is that. Now go pack your things and be ready to go tomorrow at noon. Reluctantly Christopher did as he was told because when his father the king spoke he knew that there was nothing more that could be done or said. He did as his king told him, he packed up his belongings and prepared to leave the next day.But all the while that he was packing he was thinking of Christine and how he must find a way to tell her of his departure and upcoming marriage and how he must do it tonight.

That night, while everyone was asleep Christopher, snuck out of the house and headed for Christine's' house.As quietly as he could he started his car and drove as fast as he dared in the middle of the night. Time was against him as he drove. The sooner he arrived at Christine's' place the sooner he could explain to her why he had to leave. He didn't want to leave her. His one true love.What was he going to do?

When he arrived at Christine's place it was a quarter past midnight and all but one of the lights were out, he assumed that it was Christine's room. The night air was still and he could hear a faint sob coming from her room, he wondered why she was crying.He knew that it was late but he must talk to Christine, so he rang the doorbell. Noone answered so he rang it again. Still no answer, he was becoming more anxious by the minute. Why wasn't anyone answering the door? Maybe the doorbell didn't work so he started knocking on the door, calmly at first then more desperate finally the porch light came on and Christopher heard the door unlatch. Christopher expected to see Christine's father standing there ready to pound on whoever was knocking his door down in the middle of the night, but to his surprise there stood Christine eyes red and swollen from crying, and hair disheveled never looking more beautiful to Christopher.

Somehow Christine managed a smile when she saw Christopher at her door. Christopher now is not a good time. It is the middle of the night and I must get some sleep, pray tell what could be so important that it could not wait until morning? I must talk to you, there is something that I must tell you and it can not wait until morning.  Are you ok Christine? Christopher said. You look like you have been crying. Whats wrong? please, you can talk to me. Christine couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She flew into Christopher's arms and began to cry.

Oh, Christopher where shall I begin? She managed to say. Tomorrow morning we are leaving. It would seem that because of some family tradition I have to go and be the wife of someone I do not know, in a country I have never been to let alone heard of. I found out just tonight that my mother and brother are really alive after all. Oh, Christopher what am I going to do? I love this place and the people here. I have friends here and a job. I don't want to leave. And besides, we just started to get to know each other.

Christopher was dumbfounded. He could not believe what he was hearing. It would seem my dear said Christopher, that we both have the same problem to deal with.I too must leave tomorrow for a place I do not know where I am expected to marry a girl that I do not love. My father is king of this place and he has demanded that I do this and when the king demands something it is best that I do not disobey him.

Hearing that Christopher's father was king and that he was a prince, was more than she could take in and with a sudden sigh of oh my! Christine fainted.