of who I’m going to be with, thank you very much.” His mouth thins. “It’s obvious that you have been talking to the wrong people. Don’t try to deny it, because I know you, Liz. I know you well enough to know you’re doing this because you think it’s in my best interests. But let me be the judge of what’s in my best interests. Geez, you sound exactly like my father!”
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.
He’s right – every single word of it.
“I’m going to do something in my best interests.” He’s on a roll – all fire and brimstone and righteous angst.
To everyone’s amazement, he gets down on one knee before me.
Yes, I know. My jaw is on the floor like everyone else.
His eyes are burning as he says, “Liz, will you marry me?”
Chapter Twelve
I’m floored.
I’m more than floored. The expectant faces all around me – wearing expressions of delight, surprise and absolute shock, the shock of watching a historical moment in the making – whirl into a murky flotsam.
Oh my God, I think I’m going to faint.
Indeed, the sounds are starting to blend into the pounding of blood in my ears. My vision spins.
No, no, Liz, this is your moment, and you’re not going to spend it lying passed out on an airport floor!
I almost can’t catch the rest of what Alex is saying. He is still on bended knee, his beautiful face earnest.
He says, “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I want, and I want us to be together, Liz. You are the one who has stood beside me when everyone was against us. Hell, they are still against us. You are the one I want to be with for the rest of our lives. No one has the right to dictate what we can or cannot do, who we can or cannot love. This is the twenty-first century!
“So before all these witnesses – ”
People are filming this with their camcorders and cellphones, knowing this will bring them a goldmine on TMZ.
“ – I’m imploring you to marry me. Moldavia needs a modern princess with a heart, not some archaic tradition most of our citizens below thirty have never even heard of. We royals need to flow with the times. We need an upgrade. This is not to say I’m asking you to marry me for political reasons. I’m asking you to marry me because I love you, and I know you love me, and we deserve to be together for the rest of our lives.”
He takes a deep breath.
“So what do you say, Liz?”
The air crackles with electricity. There is not a murmur in the house. All faces swing from him to me. Everyone is looking at me, expecting me to say something.
Anything!
What do I want?
Oh, do I even have to ask myself?
I still myself to block out everyone else except Alex.
He is the reason I’m here.
His proposal changes everything. No longer will I have to be afraid that he is going to dump me down the line. Well … you know what I mean. He can still dump me, but I’m on firmer footing. Anyway, I don’t think of Alex that way.
My eyes are brimming with tears as I say in a small voice, “Yes.”
The crowd whoops with delight and cheers as Alex gets to his feet to sweep me in a bear hug. I’m crushed in his fervent embrace, but I don’t care if all the breath is knocked out of me, because I’m wrapping him in my arms equally as tightly.
It’s nice to know that the common people are generally happy for us.
A commotion parts the crowd.
Jasper elbows his way through, flanked by a couple of aides. Uh oh, I think. They’re coming to separate us and tell us it can’t be done.
“Your highness.” Jasper wears the gravest of expressions. “May I have a private moment?”
“Yes, of course.”
Jasper glances at me. “Alone, if you please, your highness.”
“I’ve just asked Liz to marry me, Jasper, and she said yes. Anything you say to me can be said to her as well.”
Jasper is momentarily stunned. His eyes flit, and then he nods.
“Step this way, please.”
My heart beating, I follow Alex and Jasper as the
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.
He’s right – every single word of it.
“I’m going to do something in my best interests.” He’s on a roll – all fire and brimstone and righteous angst.
To everyone’s amazement, he gets down on one knee before me.
Yes, I know. My jaw is on the floor like everyone else.
His eyes are burning as he says, “Liz, will you marry me?”
Chapter Twelve
I’m floored.
I’m more than floored. The expectant faces all around me – wearing expressions of delight, surprise and absolute shock, the shock of watching a historical moment in the making – whirl into a murky flotsam.
Oh my God, I think I’m going to faint.
Indeed, the sounds are starting to blend into the pounding of blood in my ears. My vision spins.
No, no, Liz, this is your moment, and you’re not going to spend it lying passed out on an airport floor!
I almost can’t catch the rest of what Alex is saying. He is still on bended knee, his beautiful face earnest.
He says, “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I want, and I want us to be together, Liz. You are the one who has stood beside me when everyone was against us. Hell, they are still against us. You are the one I want to be with for the rest of our lives. No one has the right to dictate what we can or cannot do, who we can or cannot love. This is the twenty-first century!
“So before all these witnesses – ”
People are filming this with their camcorders and cellphones, knowing this will bring them a goldmine on TMZ.
“ – I’m imploring you to marry me. Moldavia needs a modern princess with a heart, not some archaic tradition most of our citizens below thirty have never even heard of. We royals need to flow with the times. We need an upgrade. This is not to say I’m asking you to marry me for political reasons. I’m asking you to marry me because I love you, and I know you love me, and we deserve to be together for the rest of our lives.”
He takes a deep breath.
“So what do you say, Liz?”
The air crackles with electricity. There is not a murmur in the house. All faces swing from him to me. Everyone is looking at me, expecting me to say something.
Anything!
What do I want?
Oh, do I even have to ask myself?
I still myself to block out everyone else except Alex.
He is the reason I’m here.
His proposal changes everything. No longer will I have to be afraid that he is going to dump me down the line. Well … you know what I mean. He can still dump me, but I’m on firmer footing. Anyway, I don’t think of Alex that way.
My eyes are brimming with tears as I say in a small voice, “Yes.”
The crowd whoops with delight and cheers as Alex gets to his feet to sweep me in a bear hug. I’m crushed in his fervent embrace, but I don’t care if all the breath is knocked out of me, because I’m wrapping him in my arms equally as tightly.
It’s nice to know that the common people are generally happy for us.
A commotion parts the crowd.
Jasper elbows his way through, flanked by a couple of aides. Uh oh, I think. They’re coming to separate us and tell us it can’t be done.
“Your highness.” Jasper wears the gravest of expressions. “May I have a private moment?”
“Yes, of course.”
Jasper glances at me. “Alone, if you please, your highness.”
“I’ve just asked Liz to marry me, Jasper, and she said yes. Anything you say to me can be said to her as well.”
Jasper is momentarily stunned. His eyes flit, and then he nods.
“Step this way, please.”
My heart beating, I follow Alex and Jasper as the
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