The Royal Spare (COMPLETED)

55-Of The Rumor Mill

That same night, father made the announcement and it worked! Within an hour, the crowd outside the gate dispersed and went back to their homes. The people of Reidonia were so jubilant that their cheers and well-wishes for the two families filled every house, street and corner of the country and overshadowed the conspirators's schemes. The citizens were so happy about the marriage between the two great Houses that they forgot what they were angry about and who incited them so while the Reidonians celebrated, the leaders of the rebellion and their mercenaries were secretly arrested and locked up for treason.

The Princess also had the idea to involve the citizens in planning the wedding which was set to happen in a month. We had to do it soon before her pregnancy shows. Maiena announced the next morning that the two of us will have a live interview regarding our engagement and wedding plans that will have a simulcast on all stations in Reidonia and major International news stations. The lines will also be open for all the citizens to ask us questions and give their suggestions for the upcoming nuptials.

She has overcome the crisis and turned it into a national celebration while I still couldn't understand how a string of well-weaved rumors started a siege that pushed us to where we were.

Hopefully, the same rumor mill could help us. To eliminate any doubts about my brother's and the Princess's child, my father and the Princess herself decided that immediately after the announcement of our engagement, I should start sleeping in her room and I should be seen going there. Word should spread about us having marital relations before the wedding so that when the time comes to reveal the pregnancy, it would've been established that the baby was conceived during the time we prepared for the wedding. They thought it would be less scandalous and the people would be more understanding to accept such news.

So there I was, out of my uniform and in house clothes, standing inside the Princess's room just by the door and for the first time, not knowing what to do around Maiena.

"Don't tell me you'd rather stand by the door all night than talk to me." Maiena's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I chuckled and tentatively walked towards the couch facing her bed. She has already bathed, changed into her silk night gown and covered up to her waist with her duvet. She sat on her bed with a book as she smiled at me. I sat on the couch and she frowned. I was instantly alarmed. What made her unhappy?

"I'm sorry, Gali." She sighed. "I just made the decision and made all the declarations without asking your opinion. I didn't even consider your feelings about something that not only involved my life but yours. I was too selfish." Her voice broke and she looked distraught so I immediately got up and walked towards her. I sat beside her on the bed and held her shoulders. I stared into her eyes and made sure I had her full attention.

Then I released her shoulders and moved my hands to sign, "Don't do that. Don't blame yourself. You didn't have to ask for my opinion. I am happy that you chose me." I smiled and saw her eyes light up. "From the start, I have sworn that I will stay by your side, no matter what. My life is dedicated to taking care of you and protecting you, my little princess." I smirked and playfully poked her nose which made her giggle.

I continued to sign, "So I will gladly stay by your side. May it be as your bodyguard, your loyal Knight, your most trusted friend or your devoted husband, I'll be there. Got it?"

She nodded her head as tears brimmed her eyes. "Thank goodness you didn't refuse my marriage proposal for the second time." She laughed. "Do you regret dumping me the first time?" She grinned with her pearly-white teeth flashing and her tear-stained eyes glimmering with mischief.

Ah. Yes. The first time she proposed marriage to me was when she was 10 years old. She handed me a pink heart-shaped card with her own childish drawing of a bride and a groom under a wedding arc. She had told me that the bride was her and the groom was me then she professed her love for me and she asked if I would marry her when she grew up. I, ofcourse, as the adult in the conversation, respectfully declined and patiently explained to her that she may have misunderstood her affections for me and that when she grew older, she would understand that what she felt maybe different from what she expected. I also told her that one day, when she was mature enough, she may find someone else to love more than me and that love would be different. It would be a love between a man and woman that would make her heart beat insanely fast, make her happier than she has ever been in her life and at the same time most scared of losing that person.

Since then, Maiena has found Aidan. Although their love did not work out as she hoped, she experienced that love.

I had hoped the same would happen to me. I still had hope when I was younger and arrogantly refused a little Princess's affection. That was before every woman that I even considered pursuing sneered at me for my disability.

I have accepted my fate. I can never recite sweet poems to my beloved, never seduce her with words and never sing her love songs. No woman will ever pay attention to me or look at me twice if not for my family name.

No woman but Maiena has looked at me with heartfelt love. It may not have been the earth-shaking romantic love that she shared with Aidan but it was a love that will make us live a peaceful and happy life together.

I signed to answer her question, "It doesn't matter if I regret it now. You still got what you wanted back then." I grinned.

"You make it sound like I'm forcing you!" She pouted and punched my arm which made me laugh soundlessly.

I signed, "No. You're not forcing me but... You left me with no choice." I continued to tease her and ended up with a fury of tiny punches on my chest and arms. They didn't hurt at all but I still caught her fists to make her stop.

"You're right. I left you with no choice." She turned her chin up and glared at me. "So I'm giving you one last chance, Sir Gali. It's not too late. You can refuse to marry me, if that's what you wish to do."

I looked into her eyes. I had no doubt that I will spend my whole life beside her. I have made that decision long ago. What made me think twice at that moment was her. I knew I wasn't the man that she wanted to spend a lifetime with but...

I was who she needed.

I will never let her down.

I let go of her hands and smiled. "I will be with you all your life. As long as you choose me to be your husband, I will marry you, my little Princess."

With that she finally relaxed and smiled. "Then you should get used to sleeping beside me. Don't contemplate on sleeping on the couch."

I gaped at her and was about to sign to ask her how she knew but she answered me even before I asked.

"Gali, I know you better than you think. While you were standing by the door and staring at my couch like you were ready to marry it, I knew that you intended to sleep there instead of the bed." She giggled. "I will tell you right now that couch is not very comfortable. It's pretty but not good enough to sleep on."

"So? You want me to sleep on the bed with you?" I signed. I didn't have any other ideas, we were not in that kind of relationship and would not likely be in one. I just wanted to make sure that she was comfortable with me sleeping on her bed the whole night.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Of course. How else could you cuddle me and rub my head until I fall asleep?" She grinned as she reminded me of how I used to comfort her to sleep when she was little. "You might as well get used to it because you will have a lifetime of that. I'm already used to it now." She wiggled her eyebrows and playfully rubbed her head.

I chuckled and shrugged then crawled to lay beside her. I opened my arms as an invitation. She readily snuggled closer with a wide smile like a little girl and laid her head on my chest. I smiled and wrapped my arm around her then kissed her forehead before I combed the fingers of my other hand through her hair and started gently massaging her scalp. A sweet floral scent wafted to my nose and I closed my eyes. It didn't take long before she breathed evenly and her soft body relaxed against mine. I felt calm and contented.

My little princess...

If all the nights for the rest of our lives would be spent this way, I couldn't ask for more.

***

Rumor does travel fast. It didn't take long for the news to reach across the see and fall on the ears of Aidan.