Aideen's Answer

~Chapter Nine~

King Daniel welcomed them as he always did, with the declaration that all the matters in the kingdom could not keep him away from the most beautiful two women in the world.

He swiftly vacated his large chair and urged his wife to sit. Once she was settled, he stood beside her, rested his hand on her shoulder, and faced Aideen. She had taken a chair across from the desk and was watching her father, he looked the same as always, perhaps a bit pale.

"Now, Aideen, what did you wish to speak with us about?" Her mother asked.

Aideen took a deep breath, "Well, Mother, Father, I am not in the mood for games so I suppose I will simply come out with it. I wish to discuss this." She removed the slightly crumbled envelope from her pocket and placed it upon the desk in front of her parents.

Her mothers eyes widened slightly, and she placed her hand over Daniels on her shoulder. He, however, showed no emotion.

"Going through my things, Aideen?" In a serious voice, such as she had never heard him use with her before.

"I was in here searching for my book, but that is hardly the point, Father!" Aideen said defensively, "You purposely kept this from me! How long ago did you receive this? Is my betrothed going to show up at the castle gate in the morning?"

"Aideen, are you not being a bit dramatic? You already knew of our plans, so why does it bother you so to watch them unfold?" Cara asked softly.

"Mother, it is not the fact that Prince Garrett is coming, you are correct, I expected that. But the fact that you two saw fit to keep this news from me! You say that I am of age to wed and that I am ready for this. Why, then do you continue to treat me as a child in matters regarding my own life?"

A long silence followed this statement, as the king and queen regarded their daughter thoughtfully.

"Quite frankly, Aideen, I did not wish to tell you, as I believed you would not want to know. You have been less than enthusiastic regarding this entire matter, and I merely thought it best to relay this particular bit of information to you a day or two before the prince arrived," Daniel said. "And as for how long I have known, I received the note the day your mother and I left. You must have found it the next, Prince Garrett is not due for a fortnight."

"I see," Aideen answered, a bit testily, still slightly miffed at the way her parents had chosen to handle this. "And what other preparations am I unaware of?"

"Well, the wedding guests are due-" her father began.

"No."

"No, what, Mother?"

"We will not tell you the things you wish to know until you drop that tone and resentful attitude."

Anger began to boil inside Aideen at her mothers words.

"Aideen, my darling, we may not have done this the best way but you can not start making demands."

Her fury was making it hard to concentrate on her mothers words. Not that she wanted to hear what the queen was saying!

"We are still your parents and you will treat us with respect. We are doing this for your own good."

'Kevin. They are keeping me apart from Kevin to protect me! That is it,' Aideen thought angrily. Her anger had been mounting for weeks and now it came spilling out like poison in the form of words.

"Oh, please! 'For my own good' 'This is for the best, dear' 'Just listen to your mother and I' You two have been saying these things for weeks! Why do you not just come out and say it? Say what the real reason for all this is?" Aideen leapt to her feet and sent a vase crashing to the floor but she took no notice. "Even though I am of age, you do not believe I would be able to choose someone 'suitable'. Since I am being honest, 'suitable' meaning rich! Does it not, Father? You want me to marry someone rich, who will be able to expand the kingdom! Your so-called faith means nothing as long as your new son-in-law has deep pockets!"

"Aideen!" Cara gasped.

" 'Love will come' you said, do you remember? Father? What if it does not? Suppose I marry this man, this prince," she all but spat out the word. "And we never fall in love? I would be in a fine mess then, would I not? Stuck forever in a loveless marriage with no way out because my Father decided that this is what was best for me!" Aideen stared at him as she said this, noticing his face growing steadily redder and a vein throbbing in his temple.

"AIDEEN! STOP!" She heard her mother yell.

But Aideen could not stop, something pushed her on, and she continued recklessly. "What would you do then? Would you just be content, because you got what you wanted? Would you even care if I was unhappy? Or would you just say that I was clearly not trying hard enough to make my marriage work and that the blame must lay on my shoulders? 'Love will come'. You are wrong, Father,"Aideen said, and was mortified to find that she was so angry her eyes had filled up with tears. She quickly wiped away the one attempting to slip down her cheek as she looked into her fathers eyes. "I will never love Prince Garrett. Never," Aideen whispered.

She then turned on her heel and fled the room, slamming the door behind her. She had not yet made it even halfway up the stairs before she heard a thundering crash and and her mothers scream. That scream made Aideen's heart stop.

"DANIEL!"

      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

         MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

I wasn't sure I would manage a Christmas Eve update but I did it =D hope you likes;);) wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season, celebrating the miracle of our Saviors birth!!!!:):):) have yourself a merry little Christmas!!!

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                          Me:)