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“I know. But you called me ‘Princess,’ and it sounded cold.”
“I wasna the one who told him ye were a princess, I believed ye were safer as Lady Alexandria, ye were the one who decided tae tell him, after that I had tae… Och nae, Princess ye are really askin’ this?”
“Yes.” I pouted.
“The king needed tae be reminded that ye are a princess, and I was injured, twas difficult tae keep m’head about me as we were negotiating. It helped me tae use the title o’princess tae remind me that I had tae protect ye — och,” he scowled, “it sounds like I am usin’ a weakness as an excuse. I daena want tae, but how can ye hold that against me? Tis cruel.”
“I’m not trying to be cruel—”
“Ye are succeedin’. Ye are accusin’ yer Torin of nae lovin’ ye. Tis a cruel, deep cut.”
We were on a secluded path, in a clump of trees. I sat quietly staring at the muddy ground, trying to think of how to walk back from this.
“I’m sorry I just… I was thinking about how much trouble I caused you and…”
“What kind of man dost ye think I am? I hae sworn m’love tae ye, given ye my oath for my whole life, not one week ago, and ye already think I am goin’ tae forsake ye? Och nae.”
“I’m sorry, Torin, I didn’t mean to start this. It was just something I felt bad about. How much trouble I turned out to be.”
He shook his head.
Since we were stopped, Dude poked his head up from the saddlebag and then wriggled himself out and leapt down.
Torin said, “Dude, daena go far, we are leavin’ in a moment.”
Dude scampered into the underbrush.
Torin watched him go then said, “What I daena understand is, ye arna one bit more trouble today, than ye were when we were on horses travelin’ through Scotland before. How… how could ye think I would hae changed my mind? I loved ye when ye hated me.”
“I yell at you too much.”
“Aye, ye hae a great deal of passion, and ye sometimes are quick tae anger, tis true. Ye boss me around a great deal.”
“So how can you want to live with me like that…?”
“What are ye saying?” His eyes went wide. “Ye are accusin’ me of not wantin’ tae live with ye? I would not be livin’ up tae my vow tae ye!”
He angrily got down from his horse. And stood there with his hands on his hips, breathing heavily, staring into the trees.
I said, “That’s not what I mean. I don’t understand how when I ask if you still have feelings for me, you accuse me of thinking of you as…”
He placed a hand on my knee and looking up said, “I beseech ye, tae stop this, please, Princess. Ye are nae… I daena ken, we hae had a difficult week. We haena had enough time taegether, we are under duress. I think ye are out of yer head.”
I pouted. “I didn’t mean to start a whole thing.”
My horse sidestepped.
Torin held the reins to keep him still. “Yet ye did start a whole thing. How could ye lay this accusation on me without startin’ something? Because I called ye ‘princess’ more? I always hae a reason for what I call ye, takin’ in the situation — what is yer safest title. Sometimes I call ye Alexandria, sometimes mo leannan, but because ye were negotiatin’ with the king of Scots I addressed him as ‘sire’ and ye as ‘princess’. Twas the safest — because of this ye think I hae lost all feelin’ for ye?”
I raised my chin. “In the light of your questioning, Torin, it sounds asinine.”
“Ye call me Torin sometimes and other times ye call me ‘Albannach’. Ye hae been known tae call me an arse, am I tae think ye hae withdrawn yer love from me when ye do?”
“No, you’re right, just because you call me a different name it doesn’t mean you want a divorce or—”
“A divorce! Ye mean tae ask the pope tae dissolve our marriage! Och nae, tae even think it is sinful, now ye are cuttin’ deep, mo leannan, what are ye about? Tis… tis a thing ye might do, tae divorce?”
“No,” I shook my head. Then I said, “Not at all, Torin, this is way past what we should be—”
