by Lisa Daneils
“Why?”
“Well, for one, you might feel that you are being compared to them.”
“But you are comparing me to them, whether you speak of it or not. I prefer to hear your honest thoughts than to be left wondering what you think of me.”
“I… that’s definitely different.” Bridget bit her lip. “Second, I am not saying anything terribly positive about anyone. Not even you. That paints me in a fairly bad light, wouldn’t you say?”
“It depends. To me, it sounds more like you are thinking through your options and trying to see where I fit in your future, and if I fit in your future. There is nothing wrong with that, and how else would you make that determination if not through comparisons to your experiences?”
“Most people do that in their head instead of voicing it. Usually I don’t voice these kinds of thoughts.”
“It seems that you are unaccustomed to voicing your own desires. From what little you have relayed of your history, it seems you bow to the wishes of others, even at your own discomfort. There is a clear line you won’t cross, as is evident by the suitors you have rejected, but you will walk a long distance before that line is reached.”
Bridget shifted a little where she stood. “I hope the question isn’t impertinent, but do you ever stop calculating and assessing others?”
“Does it bother you?” Again his expression was unreadable, and the tone of his voice was even, almost as if he didn’t have any emotions.
Bridget looked down and began to fidget with her hands. “I wouldn’t say that it bothers me. Just that it makes me feel very exposed.”
“You are accustomed to fake smiles and hidden agendas, so you are having a hard time adapting to a conversation that is more direct.”
Noting that this was a statement, not a question, Bridget began to nod her head. “I am not accustomed to immediate feedback. Or having someone tell me how I am feeling before I can fully understand it myself.”
“I must apologize if it makes you uncomfortable, but I am not accustomed to masking my intentions. It does not make anyone happy in the end.”
Bridget couldn’t help but laugh. Liam watched her for a moment before asking, “Did I say something funny?”
Shaking her head, the princess tried to explain herself, “I want to say that your perspective is terribly refreshing, but it isn’t something I should get accustomed to if I remain here.”
This got a brief smile out of the shifter. “Well, I can offer you a change of pace where you can enjoy speaking your mind and doing what you please until you know what you want. I suspect that re-entering human society may be a bit of a shock afterward.”
“I think you are probably right, there.” The smile slipped from her face as she asked, “What would happen to you if I decide that the marriage is not what I want?”
“If you decide that it won’t work, it might prove to our fathers that marrying humans is a bad idea and that our lives are simply not compatible. That would benefit my brother and friends, so it would work out just fine in the end.”
“My apologies for not being clearer, but I am more concerned with what would happen to you. Will you suffer any kind of backlash from a failed marriage to a human?”
His eyes softened. “It is very kind of you, but I can assure you that you need not worry. My well-being will not be linked to your decision.”
“I guess in that respect, you are very much like humans, then.”
For a second, his eyes flashed, and a second eyelid slid across his eyes. It was so quick she could have missed it. As it was, the princess thought she might have imagined it. Feeling a little guilty, she explained, “It’s the fact that marriage is just the means to a goal. You are not interested in love or compatibility, which I have found very true of the men I have known. Marriage is always the tradeoff for getting something else they want.”
One of his eyebrows raised. “I am being told to marry a human to achieve the impossible. My focus is on the future of the kingdom and ensuring that no further damage is done, and possibly starting a new kingdom, something that we have not had in over 1500 years. Love is irrelevant, and given we are different species, I would not expect us to be compatible.”
Bridget swallowed, her heart sinking a little. She definitely had not expected this to be easy, but honesty was proving to be far harder to handle than she would have imagined. “And you have no expectations for your wife?”
The prince watched her for a moment, as if trying to determine what kind of answer she sought. “If you are worried about how your presence will affect me, it won’t. I will not be placing any responsibility on you, so you will be free to pursue your own goals. To answer the question, I suppose the answer is no, I have no expectations of my wife.”
It wasn’t quite what she was trying to get from him, but it did directly answer the question she was asking. Bridget looked away, her heart sinking. “It is a little sad.”
“I fail to see how it is sad.”
“As cold as your words are, you are being very honest about what you want. And you are presenting me with something that I could not get with any other suitor. That isn’t something you have to do.” She looked directly into his eyes and asked the question that was tickling the back of her mind. “Are you just offering me what you think I want to persuade me to agree to marry you?”
Liam flinched. “Your assessment of me is unflattering.”
Bridget reach out a hand, placing it on his shoulder. “I am so sorry! That was not my intention. What I was trying to say was that you have no reason to offer me a chance to think of my own future, except as a bargaining chip. From your reaction, it is clear that was not your intention. I was not trying to insult you. Just trying to understand your reason for offering me something so… unthinkable.”
Looking up at the cloudless sky, Liam took a deep breath. “I know precious little of humans, but I understand what it is to be denied something. And to have to put up with a less than ideal situation. It isn’t exactly altruism to offer you a chance to think about what you want, but I admit once we are married, I would gain nothing by it.”
“And yet something tells me you would still let me decide my own future. You would not break your word. That is what I don’t understand.”
The look of pity in his eyes did not register on his face. “It makes me pity you and your kind that such a simple act is unfathomable. You are not what I had expected, for which I am grateful.”
“That sounds like an insult.”
“And you may take it as one. The reputation of humans is not exactly positive in our kingdoms. But it is an insult to your species, not to yourself. You have proven to be rather charming, if a bit baffling.”
“I’m baffling?” Bridget could not hide her shock at the description. “If you have been confused by anything, you have hidden it well.”
This got a little chuckle from the prince, and she was again struck by how sweet he looked when he smiled. “You are not the first person to tell me that.”
“I wish I could say that was surprising, but I can’t imagine that I am the first person to be put off-kilter by your openness and constant calculations.” She pushed a hair out of her face. “While that is definitely a little difficult for someone who doesn’t know you, I can believe that it will be why you will be successful in building your kingdom. Your people will be lucky to have you.” A few strands of hair began to slip from her ear almost as soon as she removed her hand.
Again, Liam tilted his head to the side, an action that Bridget was beginning to think was more than just a tick in his mannerisms. She was not comfortable asking what his other form was, but the princess was beginning to believe that might be a key to what else he could be. Her mind was so occupied with the movement that his words took her by surprise. “Does that mean you accept me?”
Bridget took in a breath, “So quickly?”
“Is there an amount of time I should wait before expecting a response?”
“I mean, a
re you certain that you want to marry me? After only one encounter?”
There was another look of pity in his eyes, and she could tell he was forcing a smile. “I have made a decision to marry, so I wish to do so quickly. The preparations to ready myself for leaving will take a while, and my kingdom is running out of time.”
Feeling put on the spot, Bridget bit her lip. “It seems a little sudden. Are you sure that you would be making the right decision by choosing me? I realize that you are in a hurry, but do you not wish to learn a bit more about the other potential brides? What if I would make your life miserable? I don’t want you to regret your choice.”
The look on his face softened as Liam reached out and pushed the stray hair out of her face. “I think you just proved that you would not make me miserable. You would be welcome to think of your future, learn to garden or whatever you have been denied all this time, and choose another spouse without any pressure.”
Color rose to her cheeks again at the brush of his hand on her face. “You sound certain that we won’t work out.”
He pulled his hand back. “You will not be treated like one of us, and over time I feel it will grate on you until you will want to leave. I will do my best to protect you, but you will always feel like an outsider. I will be busy, so we will hardly see each other. There will be little time for us to form any kind of attachment, so no, I am almost certain we will not work. I am sorry that is the best I have to offer, but I think it best not to lie about what the future holds.”
“Your honesty is refreshing but sad. Your offer is more than I could expect if I married the suitors here. My father may not be happy with what you are suggesting, so I don’t think that we should mention that the marriage would be little more than a sham. He would certainly oppose a match that was meant to be short-term.”
“A sham,” he said the words as if the idea were new. “It will not be a sham as I assure you that the ceremony will make it legitimate.”
Shaking her head, Bridget said, “I mean we are going into it planning for when we split. Not if. To humans, marriages are meant to be for life, and breaking them while both parties are alive is uncommon. If there are no intentions for the future of the couple, then it is a sham.”
This idea seemed to bother the prince, but he quickly hid that. Returning to her original point, Liam said, “I can agree not to mention it to your father as it is not my place to interfere with your relationship with your family.”
“I can’t help but think that someone will be lucky to have you someday.”
A pained look flashed across his face, and Bridget thought there was something Liam was failing to mention. “For now, that person is you. If you’ll have me.”
Chapter 4
From Proposal to Persuasion
Nodding her head, Bridget said, “It isn’t quite what I was expecting of my second marriage, but I believe that it will give me time to really reflect. Still, I hope that I will be of some help to you.”
“By agreeing to marry me, you are helping me. And my father’s kingdom.” He bowed low, his eyes never leaving hers. “I am incredibly grateful to you. It cannot have been an easy decision, so I will strive to make your time with me as comfortable as possible. When you need something, all you will need to do is ask and I will do whatever is in my power.”
The sincerity in his eyes was so clear, Bridget felt overwhelmed by his expression of gratitude. As he stood up, she threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Liam. I won’t forget what you are willing to do for me. It means a lot.” She quickly pulled away from him once it sank in what she had done. Liam stood still like a statue, his eyes relaying his confusion much better than any words he could say. “My apologies. I did not mean to accost you. Just your sincerity was a bit much, and I could not think of a better way to express my gratitude. We may both be going into this knowing that it isn’t something that either of us wants, but I am honestly so thankful for you entering my life at this point. I had been losing faith in so much, and now there is a glimmer of hope. If there is anything I can do to help you, all you have to do is ask, too. For the time we are together, I want you to feel that you made the right choice. I don’t want to be just a means to an end, but someone who can make things a little easier for you, if at all possible. Starting a new kingdom is no simple task, and while I don’t know how to do it, I can listen to you when you need it. Or at the very least, help you to relax at the end of a long day.”
“That is… very thoughtful of you. I will keep it in mind.”
His words were very carefully chosen, letting Bridget know that he never expected to need her help, but that he didn’t want to throw that in her face. As if trying to prove that she could help, Bridget offered, “If you would like, I can ask my father about the most recent invasions of the shape shifters. It may not help in understanding exactly what your kings are thinking, but hopefully it can provide a little more clarity.”
Liam shook his head once, “I don’t want to ask you to do anything that might strain your relationship.”
“That is kind, but it won’t. My father is open to talking to me when I express an interest. Usually I try to distract him from concerns; however, since we are marrying, that is ample reason to ask him questions about what is happening. It will show him that I am serious, allaying some concerns he is likely to have. If I am being honest, I think he was hoping that none of you would choose me because of how far it will be from home. He was upset by the distance of my last marriage, so I think he was hoping to have me marry closer to home.”
“I apologize for taking you so far from home, but I can promise that we can visit more often than you may think while we are together. It isn’t nearly so difficult for us to travel the continent.”
“Oh, that’s right,” she covered her mouth with her hand. For a moment she had forgotten he had another form. Still not comfortable asking about his other form, Bridget said, “I won’t expect it too often since you will have your hands full.”
“That is very kind of you.” Liam looked at her, his mind clearly working behind those clever eyes. “I would like to ask something of you.”
Bridget smiled and nodded.
“Could we marry tomorrow?”
The smile faded from her face. “Wow, you really are in a hurry, aren’t you?”
“If you aren’t ready yet, I under—”
“No, you said that you preferred to move ahead once a decision was reached, so it really shouldn’t have been a surprise.” Looking at her hands, the princess nodded, then looked him in the eyes. “Alright. If that will help you, I don’t need to pack much to leave. It won’t be much of a ceremony.”
“In my mind, that is better. I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, unless you want something a little more celebratory.”
“My first marriage was more than enough. And if I am going to marry again later, it makes more sense to keep it as simple as possible.”
“If you will tell your father, I am ready to leave as soon as you have everything you need.”
Bridget cocked her head to the side, “What do you mean? I thought you said tomorrow.”
“Yes. We will need to marry in my kingdom for my people to recognize it. I thought… I expected that my father would have made that clear when the kings discussed the deal.”
“Oh, um, I don’t know. Maybe it was. My father didn’t tell me. If that is the case, could I please have tonight to pack, then we can marry the day after tomorrow?”
Liam slowly nodded, “Yes, I think that will be alright. I will return for you tomorrow. I should have thought about you wanting one more night with your family. You have made it clear that your father loves you, so I should have anticipated that. I feel bad for asking you to marry so soon, but I also feel it is necessary. Otherwise, I would give you more time.”
Giving him a lopsided grin, Bridget countered, “If you didn’t have a reason to rush, I doubt you would be in the human realms at all. It is your sense of urgency that is maki
ng marry me in the first place.”
A slight grin passed over his face, “You are probably right. I appreciate it.” He offered her his arm.
True to what he had said, they were out of the maze just a few minutes later. Liam pulled his arm away. “Please take good care of yourself, and I will see you tomorrow.”
Bridget watched as her future husband strode away. It amazed her that he already seemed to know exactly where to go after just one tour. One thing was clear about Liam—he knew his path and did not hesitate to pursue it, whether it was a physical path or a plan for the future. Turning in the opposite direction, she headed for the door that was closest to the throne room as that would be the most likely place for her father to be in the morning. She turned once to see Liam disappear through another door. It was certainly a strange arrangement, but much better than she could have hoped to have. A part of her regretted that it wouldn’t be more permanent. Something about Liam made her feel comfortable, if a little off-kilter. She had not lied when she said that someone would be lucky to one day catch his interest. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t her.
“I never inspire that kind of emotion,” she said as the door closed behind Liam.
Shaking her head and sighing at her own self-pity, Bridget cleared her head of those thoughts. Her problems were insignificant next to what Liam was dealing with. By comparison, her future was so much easier—all she had to do was figure out what she wanted to do. Well, she just needed to figure out who was the right person because she already knew that the future she wanted included a large family and a husband who could be present as much as possible. Two failed marriages would not look great when looking for her third husband. But with time to actually think about her options, Bridget felt certain that she might be able to find someone who could offer what she wanted out of her life. The next marriage would not include the parade of suitors to make her feel anxious and guarded. There were so many problems with the way royalty sought their future partners in the human kingdoms. Without those pressures, there was a chance that she might find someone who shared some of her interests, and more importantly, the excitement of having a family.
