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April 22, 1002
IMIRA'S POV
Arnas is scheduled to arrive today with his two brothers, Ræmond and Agnar. He is the eldest of his siblings, like Peter, but the other two are not far behind. He's also got two sisters, Ismenia and Amaltheia, but they aren't coming this time. I wonder what he's like now. I remember he was very good looking when we were fifteen, but that was ages ago! I haven't seen him for such a long time. People change. Who knows what he's like now.
James and Hayley are long gone now and I have been ruling Datram for an entire week. I've got to admit, it's a lot more work than I expected. Luckily Maxwell is here to help me out. I've got all the advisors and council members of James, but I don't think they expect me to make the real decisions. I'm talking about the big, game-changing decisions. Not that I want to either. This is James's kingdom, not mine. I mean, it is my kingdom, but if anyone is going to make big changes it's got to be him.
"Imira, they're here!" Rebekah comes rushing in looking flustered.
"Already?" I ask, standing up.
She nods her head repeatedly, catching her breath.
"What's the matter, Bex? Did you run all the way here from the docks?" I asked her amused at her.
"No, I," she paused to take in some breaths before rushing off again, "I need to pee,"
Ah, she cracks me up.
I brush the crinkles of my dress and head out to look for Lucy, but it is she who finds me first.
"Imira, did you hear? They have arrived," she said
"Yes, Rebekah just told me. Shall we go meet them?" I ask her.
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We stand by the entrance, Lucy and I, waiting for them to get here. Dean and Darren are here as well, so are Maxwell and Rebekah, but that's it. Just the family. James asked our cousins to be here because he thought I might need some support in case things don't work out. I appreciate the thought, but I think I can handle it. I hope so.
"Remind me of their names again?" Lucy asked from my right.
"Arnas, Agnar and Ræmund," I tell her.
"And which one was into you?" she asks back.
"Arnas," I whisper to her.
"Okay, I think I've got it," she says as we see them approach by horse.
Introductions were made and Arnas asks to speak with me right away. Boy, he's in a hurry.
Lucy stayed with his brothers and the rest of my family, getting acquainted and all. She's such a sweetie, she'll probably have won them over by the time I'm done with Arnas.
"I received the news of your engagement to King Peter. Congratulations," he said as we took a walk through the gardens.
"Thank you," I reply. "I'm very happy myself," I said, making a point. Aslan's mane, he's changed so much! He got so tall. Taller than Maxwell even. He must be like what, six feet three? He's more mature now, too. Yup, he's a grown up now.
"I must say, until then, I still hoped you might take up my proposal," he said. Wow, now that's confidence.
"James told me two weeks ago about it," I informed him.
"What? But I told him years ago," he said surprised, and a bit upset.
"I know, but, I just found out. Go figure," I explained.
He did not look too pleased hearing this.
"Does it change anything?" he asked hopefully.
"James said many things that changed quite a few things, but not who I'm marrying," I told him.
"Hmm," we kept walking in silence for a brief while until he spoke. "So you love him then?" he asked, stopping in the middle of the garden maze.
"Very much, yes," I replied honestly.
"Then why is it he's not here with you and I am?" he asked with a smirk.
Hmm, I don't like where he's going with this. "He's the High King. He's busy," I said dismissively, walking forward. There's no need for him to know of Peter's troubles, and I do not owe him an explanation.
"Is there nothing I can do or say to change your mind?" he asked, catching up with me easily.
"Not unless you can time travel," I told him jokingly.
"Was there ever a chance?" he asks after a while, serious this once.
"Does it matter?" I said, shaking my head. If I say there was he will only persist in a futile endeavour to try and win me over.
"So there was. Go on, tell me. What should I have done differently for you to choose me over him?" Arnas insisted.
"I don't know Arnas. What would you have done differently?" I said, turning the question right back at him.
"Well, for starters, I would have stopped you from going on that fateful venture seven years ago," he said cleverly.
"Ah, yes. That fateful venture." I said sarcastically. "It was prophecized. That was my destiny. This is my destiny. There's nothing you could have done about it," I said more seriously.
"If I had asked you before you went, would you have said yes?"
Oh, what a good question. Would I have said yes? the answer to that is complicated. Yes, I did fancy him back in the day, but right before I left I was still infatuated with Maxwell. So in all honesty, who knows.
"If you had asked me when I was fourteen, then most likely I would have said yes. But then again what does a fourteen-year-old know. It wouldn't have been allowed. If you had asked me before I left, I would have said ask again when I come back. Which you already have, so..."
"So the answer would have been no," He thinks about this for a minute, processing my words. "Then perhaps we weren't meant to be," he said slowly. Wow, he's taking this surprisingly well. The years have made him wiser. The old Arnas I knew would have made a fuzz about it.
"Most likely," I replied, offering a kind smile.
We kept walking in silence as he thought about it some more. "I suppose if we were meant to be you wouldn't have missed those five years,"
"I guess so," I replied. "Are we good?" I asked carefully. I really hope he's not too upset. Or hating on Peter. It'd be nice if they could get along. Although I suppose that's pushing it too far.
"We're good," he said, giving me a small smile.
"Good. Well, then I suppose we should get back. You all must be hungry. I know I am," I said turning towards the exit of the maze.
Arnas rolled his eyes at me. "You're always hungry," he said, going back to his old self.
"What, and you're not?" I asked back.
"Never said I wasn't," he said looking down at me.
THAT'S IT. NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON! (13/JUNE/2019)
