9 Regret and Rejection

They came to the common walkway that stretches to every corner of the palace. Except for the few guards here and there, the place is empty and silent.

Nina followed him slowly as he made his way to the garden. She's so adamant to start on a conversation but Theodore got many things to ask, he proceeded first.

"What's your name?" he asks turning to look at her face.

"Without even knowing my name, you decided to marry me?" she speak her mind and added "Sir" to keep her head on her neck.

All she got was his smirk as a reply. He gazed at her eyes, those blue eyes were dazzling in the moonlight. She doesn't look like a weakling to obey the orders, her tone got that confidence, and no one woman talked to him like that.

This is interesting, he thought.

"What's your name?" he repeated, not minding her question.

"Nina Bahitti, your highness," she answered.

"I guess you know my name,"

She nods and they came to the garden. It's vast and too dark to explore, they stood before the greenhouse where the lambs were glowing brightly.

They stood side by side, just as she guessed, he's so tall and she stood below his shoulders. He has tied his hair in the back and he looked so much different compared to the day she met him. She's relieved to know that he's all fine now and in good health because Nina was worried about him.

"Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I do," Nina couldn't control it anymore. "What's this all about, your highness?"

"I know you are surprised. But I don't have a better way to approach you," Theodore gave her an unconvincing reply.

"Forgive me for leaving that without a word. I regret that,"

"I don't need your apology. It's your choice to leave, who am I to judge it," she answered quite annoyed.

Theodore understood convincing this woman could be quite difficult.

"Can I know the reason, why I am here?"

"You heard it from my father, I want to marry you,"

"You don't have to marry me, just because I saved your life," Nina knows what she's doing is surely going to make her life miserable yet she wanted to do this.

"Are you not interested to marry me?" he asks, looking at her beautiful face.

"Forgive me, your highness. I deeply regret that" she apologized beforehand because her reasons might upset him.

"I don't want to marry someone for reasons like that. I saved you not expecting any kind of reward from you and what you are offering is something I can't accept at all. I am a simple person, if anyone else was in your place that day, I would have done the same. Please don't taint my humanity by asking me to marry you,"

Theodore looked at her in surprise, he didn't expect this kind of reply from her.

"Besides, I want to marry someone I like," she didn't look at his eyes when she said which made him frown.

"Do you have anyone else in your mind already?"

"No,"

"What's in your mind then?"

"I told you,"

"You are confusing me, Nina? Why can't you marry me? Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, I do. That's one of the reasons I can't marry you,"

Theodore smiles, he thought maybe she's afraid knowing who he is. She's avoiding looking him in the eyes which is makes him question the honesty in her answer. But in reality, Nina is half-heartedly rejecting him. If he kept asking her, then she might accept his proposal in the end.

"You came here to humiliate me," he asks.

"That's not at all my intention, your highness," she answers, and seeing his demeanor is changing to hostile she becomes anxious.

"If my words have hurt you in any way, forgive me, Sir,"

"I don't want your apology. I need an answer, strong reason why you are rejecting my proposal?" he asks.

He's expecting the truth from her, the truth which she's not aware of yet.

"I don't know anything about you,"

"You can know me after our marriage," he smiled and that makes her heart flutter.

"And you and I belong in different worlds. I have nothing, no money, no prospects and I am not at all talented. In every way I am not suitable to be your wife," she blurts out. She wanted him to leave her alone as a result she doesn't care about humiliating herself.

His quizzical eyebrows calmed.

"You think I didn't know all of this. Irrespective of all the reasons you said, I chose to marry you,"

"Why?" she knotted her eyebrows.

"Because I like you," Even it's not entirely true, he has no other choice.

"I am sorry to say this but I can't believe it," her cold-hearted reply made

Theodore smiled, "Why are you persistent to not marry me? Do you think I am obnoxious?"

"No," she retorted. "You are kind enough to bring us here and ask someone like me to marry you. You are perfect in every way,"

"Then what's stopping you? "Why can't you marry me?" he came closer and she shuddered to hear his hoarse sharp voice.

She tried not to say that but this is the final cue she has right now.

"I am afraid," she looks down.

"Afraid of what?" Theodore's eyes flared. He thought it obvious that she knew who he is.

"I am afraid to marry someone like you. I know what I saw that day, you have a lot of enemies and you carry your life on the edge of your sword," she looked at him.

"I wanted to have a normal life with a normal man who could spend the rest of his life with me. I don't want to marry a soldier who couldn't make that promise,"

Her eyes welled in tears once she completed that sentence.

"Do you think I will die young," he chuckled. Before Theodore oscillated about marrying her, but now she got his interest. She's different from all the other women who showed interest in him.

"Are you not going to change your mind?" he asked.

She looked at his eyes. There are countless rejections she got and she turned down many proposals but nothing made her feel this way.

She's attracted to him but she can't be in his life where she would be criticized constantly. That's not the life she wanted.

"Yes," Nina answered, staring at the gap between their legs.

Theodore expected it.

"If you let me, sir, I need to go," Nina bowed and walked out of the place, hurriedly.

He didn't stop her and muttered, "You are going to regret this,"