He released her back to the ground, keeping his steadying hands on her elbows as she seemed a bit disoriented.“Bella, will you do me the honor of being my wife?Forgive me for not having a ring on my person.”
She was nodding, and nodding, her eyes still damp from her previous tears.“I will.I will!I know you are a good and kind person.”
“I am also a talented musician.”He got down on one knee and took her hand in his.Then he began to sing:
“Do, da do, da do do da do dum
I love my whole kingdom, but that pales beside you.
Together, forever, like the storybooks tell us,
Overcome evil curses with a love that is true.
Do, da do, da do do da do dum
I will never be happy without you forever,
For the true love I hoped for was rather hard earned.
Do, da do, da do do da do dum
For the true love I hoped for was rather hard earned.”
The townsfolk, quite used to his performances, erupted into cheers, while Bella clapped with joy.
“That was delightful!What a wonderful singer you are!”
“It is a talent any a wastrel can attain,” he said, aiming the comment at the queen.
His mother shared a reluctant smile.“Romantic frippery, but you sounded quite pleasing to the ears.I am glad you are able to sing again,” she added, then removed a ring from her finger.“You cannot propose without a ring, son.This was my mother’s.She also believed in true love.”She extended the item to Riven in the palm of her hand.
“Thank you, Mother.This means a lot.”He took the emerald and extended his palm for Bella.She reverently extended her left hand and watched as he slid the ring up her finger.
“Perfect fit.”
Bella gasped and said to him, “Your Royal Highness, I have never seen its like.”She then addressed the queen.“Thank you, Your Majesty, for this gift.”
The queen smiled.“You saved my son’s life.It is the least I can do.”
“We shall marry as soon as the bans are read.Two weeks?Is that suitable, darling?Would you like to head north so your family can attend?”
Bella looked around at everyone, and he watched her lick her lips in thought.“Considering what I went through trying to get here, I think we should alert my father to our unionafterthe fact.We will never make it up there in time anyway.”
“That is true,” Riven said, then kissed her again.“My clever girl, always thinking ahead.”
She smiled at him, her eyes dancing at his compliment.
The queen rested one hand on each of their forearms.“I worry, in light of Luc’s punishment, that your father will not take lightly to you marrying a commoner, though I find her a worthy match for you.You may have a royal battle on your hands,” she warned, “though I pledge to do my part to defend your decision.”
Bella tipped her head and half laughed.“Well, if it helps, I do have royal blood.”
“What?”Riven snapped his head to her.“You do?”
She nodded and reached into her coin purse to remove an envelope, which she handed to the queen.“King William is my grandfather.”
“How is this?”she asked as she studied the wax seal on the letter.
“The king in his youth loved my grandmother, a lady-in-waiting at his castle.Together they had my mother.Once he was married and his new bride learned of my grandmother’s and mother’s existence, she banished them from the grounds.My grandmother raised my mother in Esch-Sur-Sûre on the stipend Grandfather provided.Mother had grown up and eventually married my father and had me.The stipend ended with her death.”She indicated the letter with her chin.“It is a congratulatory note of my birth.Grandfather is aware of me, though we have never met.Mother told me I was finally named once she received this letter.”
