Loving a Thief

Chapter 6

Author's note: Please remeber to vote and comment. I'm still looking for a name to give Arianna's thief identity so if you think of one please comment. In this chapter I switch view points a couple times. If you like it written that way please comment and I will continue writing the book that way. The first view point is Henry's.

Chapter Six

'Engaged!’ I thought to myself. I still couldn’t believe it. I knew I was a fool to have feelings for Arianna. But why did she have to be engaged? I at least had a small chance with her before that, and now I have none. I had to find Cooper so I could talk to him. He is my best friend as well as a brother. Once I found him we went to our room to speak in private.

“Cooper, I have told you in the past that Arianna is quite beautiful and agreeable. But I was only hiding my deeper feelings for her. I do not know how I exactly feel for her. I believe, that I love her,” I told Cooper. He started to chuckle. “Why are you laughing?” I asked.

“Because it took you long enough. Henry, anyone who knows you well enough can tell that you love her. But did you notice how hard it was for Arianna to tell you she was engaged? I think it was arranged. She probably does not have any feelings for him,” said Cooper.

“I fear for Arianna. I saw no affection in Sir Walter’s eyes but only selfishness. What if she gets hurt?” I asked.

“I don’t know. But, Henry, I know you are feel pain. Is there anything I can do to help?” replied Cooper.

“No. I’ll get over it. I’ll just push my feelings to the side or something. Thank you for listening. I needed to talk to someone,” I said. We walked out of the room. I almost knocked Arianna over. “Sorry, Arianna. I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s perfectly alright,” Arianna said. She looked like she was going to cry.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. No, you didn’t hurt me. Please excuse me,” she said. I grabbed her arm before she walked away.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her. She kept her gaze to the floor. “Look at me. What’s wrong?” I lifter her chin to make Arianna look at me. She looked at Cooper then back to me. “Cooper, give us some privacy please,” I said.

“No. Cooper can stay. If you must know, we need to go to a more private place than the hallway,” said Arianna. We went to her room. She sat on her bed, Cooper sat on a chair he found in the corner and I sat on the vanity chair.

“Now, what’s wrong Arianna?” asked Cooper.

“I am being forced to marry Sir Walter. It’s arranged. I have no say in the matter. I can’t stand him. I hate him! He does not love me either, I can tell. He only wants money, land, and the throne. I can not do anything to break the engagement unless I want to be thrown in the dungeon. I would be disobeying the king. He would not have any mercy for me. He does not care if I love or hate Sir Walter. He’s making me marry him no matter what. And I have to plan a ball to celebrate my engagement,” Arianna confessed. She started to say something else but stopped herself. Cooper gave me an ‘I told you so’ look.

“Arianna, I’m sorry you have to go through this. Have you told your father you don’t want to marry Sir Walter?” I asked.

“Yes. We had a big argument and I ran out of the room. I was just in the library thinking about everything that has happened in the last few days. Then I started to get angry again. I usually cry when I get angry so I ran out of the library and was going to my room when we ran into each other,” she explained.

“Is there anything we can do to help or make you feel better?” asked Cooper.

“Nothing I know of. Thank you for your concern though,” said Arianna.