The Princess Choice

Chapter 8

"Analise please just consider it..." Richard sat next to Annalise with a pained smile, his hand on her thigh.

"Richard, you said you would give me time..." she said, worried.

"I have my Annalise, I have given you a year, and I can give you a lot more, but just think about a child, please I haven't ever asked to be with you. I have given you time, but I want to be a father Annalise, and I am sure you want to be a mother... I know what I am asking but I just want you to think about it if you could."

"Then use a maid!" Analise felt rage build in her and screamed out, shoving his hand and him away. She instantly regretted it as she took Richard's hurt face but she felt panic running thru her body at the idea of being with a man, she had never been with a man before and she felt fear coursing thru her she could not find the words to explain this to him.

Richard did not say a word and didn't even try to hide the hurt in his eyes or in his voice. "Excuse me, your majesty I have some things to attend to..." he stood and walked to the door and put his hand on the doorknob, and took a deep breath. "I have never forced myself on you or made you think that you owed me anything; on the contrary, I have loved you while you have loved another from afar and never asked anything in return, but the least you could do is not hurt the man who is here and completely in love with you... I am not out there whoring myself and sleeping with anything that moves. I am here fighting for you and your love and trying to make you happy. The least I deserve is your respect because I am in love with you and you knew this from before." He took a shaky breath "but I also knew you loved another so maybe I am the fool..." he walked out slowly.

Analise watched the door close and fell to her bed side, and cried softly. "How could I have been such a fool and expected him not to expect anything." She cried knowing she was being the unreasonable one for he was her husband and she had agreed to try, but she had grown stubborn.

...

Analise walked into the entryway, and her breath caught there were light and roses everywhere. Any surface that could hold roses held them, and then what did not have roses had lanterns, and her heart ached just a little. This was the most perfect man for her in all ways except for one he was not Francis, and she hated herself for thinking it.

She walked into the center of the room, and Richard walked out slowly with a sad smile. "I wanted to apologize, Annalise, I overstepped this morning, and for that I am so sorry. I know what I got into with this marriage I just get so frustrated sometimes because I love you so much that sometimes I can't breathe." He walked slowly and took her hands in his "You have all the time in the world because as long as I am alive, I will fight for you and love you. Take all the time in the world, my queen all the time in the world." He kissed her forehead "I will never make you do anything you know that."

Analise leaned into his hug wanting more than anything to pull him in and kiss him and feel the butterflies she once felt, and she thought back to their wedding day.

"With this union, we unite two kingdoms, two royals, a king and his queen, and a man and a woman until death do you part... what these lands and God has united let no man separate." The pastor smiled at both of them "King Richard you may kiss your bride... your queen."

Richard smiled, and Analise felt the hairs on her arms rise and panic set in. She had completely forgotten about this part. She looked up at him, and he winked.

He pulled her in really close and then went in only to kiss both her cheeks and her forehead. Everyone clapped and chanted for a kiss.

"Let me give you a quick kiss, so no one will say anything is that okay..." Richard looked at her with eyes filled with love, and Annalise felt butterflies as she nodded at him.

The chanting continued as Richard pulled her in very close and kissed her gently, but as he felt her kiss back, he deepened the kiss and bent her backward as everyone cheered louder than she had ever heard.

Richard pulled away, and they could see the dazzled look in each other eyes as they laughed, looking away to the crowd who was still screaming.

"Annalise...Hey, please don't be mad..." Richard felt panic as she did not say a word.

"Richard, I could never be mad at you... your everything to me... I am mad at myself for not being able to forget a stupid child who is immature and who does not deserve my time. You deserve my time, love, body, and soul... I wish I could give in..." Annalise smiled sadly up at him.

"Let it go... today is our anniversary, and I have many surprises for you, my queen. I trust that the day will come when you will not have eyes for another, and you will be mine as I am yours." He smiled and pulled her into the next room where her whole family was, and all the royals had come to celebrate their anniversary with a ball.