The Princess Bride

Chapter 8

I wasn't any more eager to enlighten him about the new rules to our relationship, but I guessed he would find out very soon either way.

"We...I had to..." I struggled to find the words.

Alex waited patiently for me to finish, but by the way he frowned, I got the feeling that he'd already figured it out.

Blushing, I glanced away. "I am now considered eligible to marry you."

"I'm so sorry," Alex said remorsefully. "I didn't know. I didn't want you to have to go through that."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I tried to muster some of the anger that had been so overwhelming before, but I just sounded sad.

"I was trying to delay it, hoping that I could convince my father how unnecessary the stipulations were," he said. "I planned to talk to you about it once it was settled and wasn't so invasive."

I should have known regardless, but I couldn't be angry at him for his efforts to try and make it easier for me. I just nodded and wiped away the fresh moisture from my face.

"I believed that I was making progress. They must have been putting pressure on him to get on with it." He looked resentful. "But even so, it shouldn't have happened that way. He was supposed to tell me first. Nothing like that will happen again. I promise. I'll talk to him." He looked angry enough to charge in on his father right now, and I didn't think that would be wise.

"Nevermind." I touched his cheek and gave him a sad smile. "It's over, and it would have happened anyway."

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, leaning into my hand.

"You weren't alone, were you?"

"Roberta stayed with me." Her presence hadn't been very comforting, but it was better than being all alone.

He met my eyes and made a face that matched my feelings about that before he pulled me into his arms for another hug.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "If I'd known, it would have been different."

"I know." I leaned into his hold and wondered if I should bring up any of the other disturbing things on my mind. Alex didn't seem to be thinking anything about that examination, other than how awful the experience had been for me, and I didn't want that to change.

But would it change later, after he had some time to think about the implications?

After a few moments, Alex's hold eased and he moved to kiss me. I didn't try to stop him or pull away, but the direction of my thoughts made me involuntarily stiffen, and he could tell. He automatically released me and put some space between us, looking surprised and a little hurt.

Great...

"What's the matter?" he asked, mystified.

"I'm sorry," I tried. "It's nothing. I guess I'm still feeling a little..." I couldn't think of the right way to describe any of the things I felt, other than 'angry' and 'violated'. Neither of those words would help this situation or even explain to him what just happened. Besides, he didn't appear to be buying it anyway.

"The truth, Keira." He sounded...not angry, exactly, but he was still obviously unhappy.

"It's just, um..." I blushed and glanced away. "Roberta said, you would....Um... That I..."

I wasn't sure what to think when he continued to look confused. Had he really not thought about this? Of course, he also looked impatient, so I made myself say it.

"Now that everyone is content with my eligability, Roberta said the rules are different for us. That now the priority is an heir as soon as possible. And that I would... I mean, that you would..."