43 Marry Her

"Hahaha! You don't need to ask for my permission for everything. You are a princess now. You can do what you like. And I am sure Tyrone will not refuse anything. Right Tyrone?" The emperor looked Tyrone with a raised brow when he nodded and bowed his head a bit.

"See! You should not be that formal. Go and enjoy your dinner with him." He patted her as if he was rushing them when she smiled.

"Father, are you not joining us?" She asked shyly when her father laughed and shook his head.

"No! I do not want to be the nuisance in the quality time of the dating couple. You both should go and enjoy it. I will ask you later how did it go." The girl's eyes widened and her face turned red with embarrassment as she bowed her head suddenly.

Tyrone stiffened. He felt a strange weight on his chest. A desire to tell them that he was not dating the princess. He did not like her and had no interest in her.

"What happened, do you want to say anything?" As if feeling his discomfort, William stared at him but when Tyrone opened his mouth, the image of laughing Penny flashed past his eyes and he stopped.

He shook his head.

"Hmm, then i will give the responsibility of happiness to my daughter to you." Giving him a serious look, he turned to leave.

"I apologize for the actions of my father. He only wanted my happiness." she fidgeted with her dress when she felt how his face had hardened earlier. "I know that you still love your first wife and my affections come as a burden for you."

Her face dimmed instantly. She bowed her head and waited for him to say something but he was silent.

"The lady must be hungry. Shall we have dinner now?"

"......." she raised her head and stared at his cold face. He did not deny it? There were no traces of warmth on his cold face that she felt cold water was drenched all over her body but still she forced a smile on her face and nodded her head.

They were walking together but there was so much distance on each of their steps as if they were just strangers following the same path.

"Ah! I heard that you are hiring more maids for the palace. Should i suggest a few. I know good and diligent girls from the orphanage." Isabella used to live in the orphanage before she was taken as the princess once her power was awakened.

Though she was timid, she never tried to hide her origins. That showed how noble and down to earth she was! The girls from the orphanage must be in need of work and he was sure that they would diligently.

But if they were her friends..

"Ah, i was looking for a few but my chamberlain found them yesterday. They will already start working soon." She nodded while her lips formed a thin line.

"Too bad! I thought the girls would earn well. But I am glad that you received timely help. If you need any kind of help in managing the affairs, I am always here." She laughed awkwardly when he did not reply.

"How can i trouble princess over such simple tasks. The princess is here for noble deeds. I heard that you are spending more time in the temple." She smiled readily, happy that he was taking interest in her too.

"Yes, the preparation of the moon festival is going in full swing. All the nobles and commoners would come to pray in the temple that day. So, we are arranging the whole garden.

The head priest said it was a good suggestion to arrange the prayers in the garden since everyone would be able to enjoy with light of the full mood." She beamed, indicating it was her idea that was selected when he nodded.

"I am glad that you mingled well. But do not be too harsh on yourself and take care of yourself." Her eyes brightened with joy as she covered his palm with her.

"I know your highness. I will do my best and earn a good name so that I will be able to stand with you. I want you to announce proudly that I am your wife." She smiled but he only felt suffocation.

Her hands were so warm that he felt his skin was scalding. He gently took his hands away and nodded. But the pressure did not leave, it kept increasing with every passing second.

"Lady Isabella, as you know that the rumor had spread badly after we lost the war. If not for your ladyship, we would not be able to negotiate either." Her eyes softened as she felt rigidness in his voice.

"But I have lost my honor, my respect and my grandiosity there. You would only be at loss if you chose me. Why did you not think about marrying a higher noble who could give you all the respect and honor you deserve." Her eyes dimmed, she looks hurt by his careful words.

"Are you pushing me away again, your highness? Is it because of the rumor i spread accidentally?" She had the power of light but she was not able to touch him when she found him unconscious in the war.

His body was not accepting the light of the goddess. It only meant that he was… she looked away.

"I swear that I had not told anyone about it. It must have spread through the knights present there. Your highness, I am still guilty for what happened. But please, do not push me away.

Once we got married and we had kids, everyone would realize that the incident had other reasons.

Though i did not know what happened that day, but are you not receiving the blessings of goddess now?" she held his hands again.

Soon lights started to emit from her hands and was absorbed by him. He felt a strange sensation covering his whole body and mind and soon the suffocation left him. He felt light headed. The girl was glowing and he felt better looking at her smiling face.

It assured his heart and soul.

"But if you still not want to marry me.."

"How could that be!"