Crowns and Daggers- Completed

Twenty Eight.

I pulled the straps out of the dress and pushed my arms through them. Not wearing a strapless chemise today was the best decision I made. Well, before I took his hand this morning. His eyes moved down me slowly. The gown clung to every curve, though I was glad it had a few layers to i at the top so he wouldn't see anything. 

"Stop looking at me like that." 

"Like what?" 

"Like I couldn't slice your throat open right here and leave you for dead." He smirked and stepped forward, moving his arms around my waist. 

"Have you had anymore letters from Christopher?" 

"Yes." 

"What did he say?" 

"Not a lot." I tilted my head. "Why?" 

"I am just making sure he isn't getting rude with you." 

"Why would he be?" 

"Because talk about our upcoming engagement is starting. And I can only imagine after today it's going to be a lot worse." 

"Wait. Upcoming. Like it's confirmed?" 

"All but signed on the dotted line." His shoulders moved back and he held me tighter. "You'll be mine soon enough. Is that what you wanted to hear?" 

"Perhaps." I looked up at him and he smiled. 

"Can you swim?" 

"Yes." 

"Of course." He nodded. I closed my eyes for a second and before I opened them, I wasn't where I was when I closed them. I was in his arms, bridal style. I wrapped myself around his neck instinctively as he began walking. "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Not really." 

"You can shoot an arrow?" 

"Probably better than you can." 

"I highly doubt that beautiful." 

"We can go back right now and I can show you if you want? I get a perfect shot every single time." He chuckled. "I'm not joking. Why aren't you taking me seriously?" 

"No baby-" Okay, literal chills. "I do take you seriously. I believe you could do it better than me. I know for a fact you can swing a sword better than me too. Maybe that's why I'm going to marry you, so you can keep me safe."

"You keep saying you are going to as if I'm going to say yes." 

"You won't?" He stopped walking, knee deep in the water. I dropped my face, fighting hard against the smile that was dying to cover my face. 

"I haven't decided yet, the jury's still out on it." 

"What do you mean the jury's still out on it?" He was looking all over my face for an explanation. "I don't understand. I thought-" My smile broke out and he sighed, smirking. "Oh that. That was rotten Anastasia." He started walking faster now, lifting his knees. "You'll pay for that." 

"No. No. No. No." I giggled as me adjusted how he was holding me. "Theodore." I was laughing hard as I clung to him wrapping my arms around him tightly. 

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." He nodded, one hand coming up and pulling me off him. "That was really mean." 

"Yes. It was. I'm sorry. That was horrible." 

"So when I ask you. Will you say yes?" I stopped, staring into his eyes. "Will you marry me Anastasia?" I wiggled and he smiled. "Ana?" 

"Hm?" 

"I'm asking you."

"NOW?" I raised my voice in shock.

"YES NOW." He smiled brightly. 

"Aren't you supposed to be on your knee? With a ring?" 

"I can't do that until your father agrees." 

"Then I can't answer until you are." He put his head back. 

"I need to know Ana. Before we go any further today." He brought his head back. "Before I kiss you again and I can't control myself. Because you're driving me mad." 

"Theo." I sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't give you an answer until my father and Percy decide. I know there's still at least 1 person in the running." 

"You don't even love him Ana. Not like you love me." 

"I know. But I can't-" I sighed, looking into his eyes. "What if something comes between us. What if my father decides Chris is the best option. He's a lot closer than you are. If my father wants me close. That's going to be his best option. It really depends." 

"Then tell me. How do I make sure I beat him?" 

"Who, Chris?" 

"Yes." 

"He'd have to hurt me again. That's pretty much the only way to guarantee it." 

"So you'd have to be hurt. Hurt how?" 

"I don't know. Why are we talking about this?" I shook my head and lowered my brows. "We came away because you didn't want politics talk." 

"I know. I know. I just-" He sighed and kissed me quickly, settling my nerves. "I just want you to myself without the knowledge some other man is trying to get you when he doesn't know you like I do." 

I hated this. I'd had the best day so far, well the best 2 hours. It hadn't even been more than that. This was ruining it. All this talk about marriage and parents and Christopher. 

"Everyday Ana, I learn something new about you and it takes me by surprise but listening to you play and sing earlier. And then watching you. I don't know what it was. It was like a shot of lightning hit me. I knew I wanted you to myself before but this morning. I knew I wasn't giving you up. You're like a fucking angel. Sent from heaven designed specifically for me. I can't let that go because I didn't fight hard enough for it. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure it's me you're walking down the aisle to."

I sighed, tilting my head at him. He was getting his hopes way too high on this. With the way my life was going, I was going to be tied to Christopher and this whole thing would be over before it even begun. I didn't want to be tied to Christopher. As much as we weren't really enemies anymore, I certainly wasn't wanting to call him mine. 

"If it was up to me. If I got to choose and there wasn't all the politics behind it, deciding this for me. It would be you. I'd have said yes when you asked before."