Don't Forget (Part 2 to The Dress)

Chapter 3

I took a big gulp before sliding open the curtains a little. I needed to see if this army of soldiers were led by someone I knew, and this person was definitely someone I knew. I closed the curtains shut as I caught a glimpse of him and his recognizable mustache. Edward looked at me curiously.

"It's my father." I responded quickly.

"Why is he here?"

"I ran away, remember?" I told him.

"I think he's looking for me because he wants me to come back, but I'm so not marrying someone I don't know."

"Then you don't need to come out. We can just say that you aren't around and that we've never seen you." Edward replied.

I shook my head.

"I think I'll at least just tell my father about our engagement. Hopefully he'll listen."

He hesitated for a second but unwillingly gave in. He gave me one swift kiss on the lips and held my hand as we walked out of the house. I hid behind him a little and looked at the row of intimidating men that accompanied my father on a white horse. Did his name change too? I wasn't sure.

"Liselotte," my father said, "we've been looking for you."

"Yeah, well, obviously I ran away for a reason." I told him.

"What for?" He prompted.

"I didn't want to marry... whoever it was." I replied simply.

"I don't even know who he is."

There was uncomfortable silence settled between both sides— me & Edward and my father & his men. I fidgeted a little and wished that I could just sink into the ground. Charlie just eyed Edward with an unreadable look on his face.

"And who is this young man?" He finally asked.

"I'm the Tsarevich of the Russia Empire, Edvard. I'm the prince of my father's empire." Edward spoke in smooth fluent Norse just like he always had to me.

"Oh?" Charlie raised his eyebrows.

"How did you learn how to speak Norse?"

"My grandmother was from Scandinavia, and she taught me Norse." Edward explained.

"Father, why are you here? I don't want to come back." I spoke up as I watched our conversation digress.

Charlie looked back at me. "Liselotte—"

"I won't come back. I'm not changing my mind." I repeated.

"Why would you not come back?"

"Edvard, I'm sorry if anything happens to you after I confess to him about what happened half an hour ago." I whispered in his ear.

"What?" He frowned at me.

"Father, Edvard & I are getting married." I ignored Edward.

Charlie's eyes widened in shock which then turned into anger. Whoops.

"Without my consent?" He said all too calmly.

"Father, I'm sorry about that but we... feel the same about each other and I don't think I can even be apart from him!" I tried to reason.

"But you're my only child," Charlie sighed, anger fading from his face.

"Okay, then all I'm asking is for your consent. Your blessing. That's all I'm asking for so that we can proceed with the marriage." I told him.

He hesitated. "Your mother wouldn't like this if I told her that she won't even meet her own future son-in-law."

"Is that a yes?" I questioned.