Marry For Love

"What?" Joram replies in surprise, his eyes turning into two huge balls, but he quickly recollects himself.

Cynane blushes as she realizes the implication of her question.

"I mean, we have not seen each other for four years. Who knows, you might have gotten married during those years. I just want to be updated with what's going on in your life", Cynane explains nervously. She clearly does not want Joram to get the wrong idea.

Joram runs his long fingers through his wavy brown hair and grins.

"Cynane, if I indeed got married, don't you think you would have known it by now already?"

Joram is right. Even if they did not see each other for years, news travel fast in the kingdom. A duke like Joram is like a celebrity in Macedea. If he ever gets married, he will definitely be the talk of the entire kingdom. Not only that, even if Cynane was secluded in the army camp during her training days, she and Joram were actually exchanging letters, and he never for once mentioned about getting married. Clearly, he wouldn't miss such an important matter to tell Cynane. If he really did marry, he would have let Cynane know no matter how hard it was to reach her.

"Oh. I see."

"But I am planning to get married soon."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Cynane stares intently at Joram's set of grey eyes. She can tell that he is serious.

"Do you intend to hold a double wedding at the same day?" Cynane asks.

Joram raises one of his eyebrows at Cynane, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Michal is planning to get married as well. I know that you are already aware of it."

'Because you were the one who persuaded him, obviously', Cynane thinks to herself.

"So, you have already heard about it. No, I do not plan to get married on the same day as Michal. After all, he does not have a bride yet, but as for me, I already have someone."

This takes Cynane by surprise again. It seems like her past few days of staying at the capital is very full of surprises and generally, they are all related to marriages and weddings. She wonders what other surprises must be waiting for her. Who knows, maybe her mother will suddenly announce that she wants to remarry. Cynane cringes at the thought of her mother remarrying.

"Who is it? Perhaps it's someone I know?" Cynane asks, referring to Joram's assumed bride. She honestly cannot think of anyone linked to him. She remembers about how obsessed Mileva was over Joram when they were young. However, her actions last night at the banquet clearly shows that she has had a change of heart. Cynane thinks more of possible noble women in the kingdom, but she cannot think of anyone.

Joram's face on other hand lights up at Cynane's question. He is oddly very happy about it.

"You'll know her soon. I promise, you'll be the first person to know."

"Okay", Cynane replies, not pushing the matter anymore. She trusts Joram's words, that when the right time comes, she will be the first to know. Perhaps it is someone that Joram cannot carelessly reveal to the public.

'Is she perhaps not a nobility, but a commoner?' Cynane asks to herself.

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The silence is deafening in the room. The only noise was the sound coming from the tall weight driven pendulum clock at the right corner of the king's study. He gazes through the huge windowpane behind his desk, seemingly lost in deep thoughts. Across him is Michal, silently waiting for his response.

The king's reaction is exactly the opposite of what Michal had expected. He came to meet the king this morning to inform him about his plan to get married. He thought that king Filip would be pleased to know that he is finally getting married soon.

'Why isn't he saying anything? Did I perhaps say something wrong?' Michal thinks to himself. The king's silence is unnerving and causing him to feel uneasy.

"My king, please say something. Do you not approve of it?' Michal finally breaks the silence.

Filip shakes his head. He moves around to finally face Michal again. Michal cannot grasp the look on the king's face. He does not seem to be enraged. He smiles at Michal but something about it makes Michal feel like he does not look pleased at the same time. Michal has known the king and has been working directly under him for years. He knows very well the kind person king Filip is. Filip is one of the kindest and most calm persons anyone can ever know. He is slow to anger, and even if he gets angry, he can always present himself in a calm and collected demeanor. This is the kind of image that he has built for himself. The wise, calm, and good-natured king. However, Michal just realizes now that there is actually something so uncanny with the king's silence sometimes. There are times when the king would just stay silent out of nowhere. Many would assume that this is just a normal part of his personality as he is not a very expressive and loud person like his younger sister. But Michal feels now that the king is the most frightening when he is actually silent.

"I do not disapprove. It's your right to marry and to marry whoever you want to marry. You're in a marriageable age now, so it is just right and rational for you to consider getting married", the king replies.

Michal lets out a sigh of relief. He honestly thought for a second there that the king would protest at his plan.

"But Michal, I'm just curious, do you not believe in love?" the king adds.

Michal is taken aback at Filip's sudden question. 'Why suddenly ask about such thing?'

He meets the king's eyes and freezes as he finds Filip looking at him intently, his hands intertwined and his elbows resting on his sleek and sturdy Mahogany table. It is the table the has been passed down to generations of kings.

"I do not understand what you mean your highness", Michal answers truthfully.

"You see, you told me that you plan to get married soon. That, I have no problem, but you also said that any noble woman in the kingdom will be fine. While political or arranged marriages are not rare among aristocrats and royalties, I believe that most people still marry for love. So, I wonder, if any woman will do, then does that mean that you are willing to marry a woman whom you do not love?"

Michal is left speechless at the king's remark. He is so caught off guard that he is lost for words.

"Let me change the question then, is there no particular woman in your heart?" Filip continues to ask. The current situation makes it seem like they are in a process of interrogation as Filip obviously has no plans of letting Michal go unless he answers his question. Michal realizes this, and gathering all his courage, he finally answers.

"My king, you know that I am but only adopted. At a young age, I lost both my parents. Do not get me wrong, my uncle and my cousin Joram who took me in after my parents died are so kind to me. They are the most benevolent people that I know. However, I have always known that I cannot always rely on their kindness. I knew, that if I wanted to survive in this world, I need to work hard and make a name for myself. Because of that, I have diligently worked so hard ever since I was just a boy. With my own blood, sweat and tears, I was determined to work so earnestly to get to where I am now, to the point that I have to set aside any possible distraction that could hinder me from achieving my aspiration, which unfortunately included romance. It is not really that I do not love someone or that I am not capable of loving, it's just that I have been so emerged in my goal of succeeding in life that I had no proper chance to intentionally allow myself to fall in love."

Michal's eyes are fixed at the king's as he explains his side. The king again, stays silent for a moment.

'Is he not pleased with my answer?'

"Forgive me General Michal. I had been insensitive. Being one of the people who has been closely working with you and watching you through the years, I should have realized these things. How could I be so unaware. You have been through a lot since you were just a boy and has been carrying a huge burden on your own", Filip gently replies. He means what he said, Michal can tell it. There is that usual sincerity and empathy in his voice.

Michal shakes his head.

"Please do not apologize my king. We cannot know everything that is happening in other people's lives unless they tell us. I have honestly never told anyone about this, and I am grateful for the opportunity to finally let it out of my chest. Thank you for listening to me and for understanding."

Filip nods, seeming to agree with Michal.

"In eight days, there shall be a dinner to be held at the royal villa. Dusko and his men are going out tomorrow to send invitations. All officials in all sectors of the kingdom are expected to come as two new officials in the finance and agriculture sector shall be welcomed. I will take that opportunity as well to properly announce your plan of marrying and searching for a bride. I'll see you there."

Michal quickly gets on his knees and bows at king Filip.

"I give my deepest and profound gratitude my king. I shall take my leave now then as I have no more to say."

Filip gives him the permission to leave and in just a few seconds, the king is again left alone in his study. He turns around and looks through the windowpane that he was staring at earlier. What many do not know is that from his point of view, he can clearly see the blooming flowers of the crabapple trees - his younger sister's favorite flowers.