Time

Chapter 23 - Time for Consequences

Even though Liam left the room, he didn't walk away. He leaned against the door completely heartbroken. The sound of her sobs travelled to the door. When Erin's maid came with fresh clothes, she blushed furiously when she saw Liam.

"Good morning," She mumbled and curtsied. Liam grunted then moved off the door and let her enter the room.

Beginning a slow trek down the hallway lost in thought, Liam didn't hear the footsteps coming quickly from behind him.

"Father!" Connor called, grinning when he saw his father in the hallway then jogged to catch up. "I need to speak with the King about-" He stopped when he saw Liam's disheveled state. "What happened?"

The hand touching his shoulder broke Liam from his daze. "Oh...Good morning, Connor."

"Father, what happened?" Connor was getting scared. Liam hadn't been like this since Kyla and Orla died.

"She doesn't want me," Liam mumbled.

Connor's brow furrowed in confusion then he realized he was talking about Erin. "What happened?" Connor asked again, a bit more urgently this time.

Liam rubbed his face with his hand before answering. "I asked her to marry me...she said no...Pack your bags. We are leaving to go home." With that sentence of vocalized finality, Liam's heart hardened again just like it had after Kyla's death.

"Father, we can't leave yet!" Connor argued. "I need you to speak to the King for me."

Liam frowned at his son then relaxed as he sighed heavily. "Why?"

"I uh..." Connor stuttered, blushing a little even. "I asked Rey to court me."

With that news, Liam finally smiled. A temporary salve to his heart. "That is wonderful! You may find it easier than expected to get the King's approval."

Connor tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"When we first arrived here," Liam draped an arm across his son's shoulders and led him down the hallway toward the King's study. "Caspar actually brought up wanting to negotiate an arranged marriage for you and Rey. I will speak with him this morning and arrange everything."

"Thank you," Connor smiled, genuinely pleased.

****

Alice entered the room, shy and nervous because of what she walked in on earlier. Seeing Liam outside the door though, made her feel it was safe now to enter and retrieve the breakfast tray then help Erin dress for the day. When she saw Erin sobbing on the bed, concern filled her.

"Erin!" She called running straight toward the bed. "What happened?"

Still sobbing, Erin poured out everything that had happened from the feast to Liam's proposal and how she rejected him. She left out the time travel bit.

"Oh dear," Alice mumbled, not really sure what to say. It wasn't really her place. "Let's get you washed and dressed then we'll see if we can figure something out, alright?"

Erin nodded and complied numbly. After a warm bath then Alice brushing and braiding Erin's hair in a crown braid, she dressed in a floor length dark blue silk dress with a straight neckline, bell sleeves that flowed to her wrists and a silver chain for a belt. Erin still felt sad and her mind cloudy.

A knock at the door made Erin's heart race. Perhaps it was Liam back to fight for her, argue that a life together, for however long was still a hope. When she opened the door, she saw Rory. He had a large bruise on his jaw. Erin's brows furrowed, arms stubbornly crossing under her breasts.