At that moment, Amon felt a surge of desperation. Every cherished memory he had with his mother flashed vividly before him, particularly what his mother had once asked of him.
"As your mother, my only hope is for you to also have your own family. A wife that will care, assist, and stand by your side… A Queen for our kingdom. Your Queen…"
"You see, I'm not getting any younger, Son. I would love to at least see my grandchildren with you."
Those were her words…
Now that he thought of it, his mother's eyes looked so different back then, yet he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. Yet, her smiles and palpable excitement were unmistakable. It was also one of the reasons why he agreed to let his mother have her way with the selection of his wife.
The competition for the selection of his wife was a very long process that would take more than three seasons. If the healers were correct, his mother only had two years left to live. He needed to marry now and consummate the marriage for them to have a baby that his mother would be able to meet. Pregnancy took nine long months if he and his future wife were lucky enough to conceive a child immediately.
He grabbed some pebbles and started throwing them into the pool of water. He needed an instant wife and Bella was the first person that came to his mind. He found himself surprised by this realization, but he couldn't deny the strong attraction he felt towards her.
Just as he was thinking of her, he felt Bella's presence and familiar scent approaching. Soon she was already sitting beside him in silence.
After a while, he first broke the silence as he spoke.
"Now I know the reason why my mother was so desperate to see me married. She wanted me to have a family soon, and I'm sure she couldn't wait to see her grandchild before her time was up…"
"I believe almost all mothers have that kind of dream for their children. My mother is no different. She's been urging me to find a life partner as well. They all seem eager to welcome those adorable grandchildren," Bella commented.
"I feel so helpless and powerless right now, knowing the limited time that she has left. All I want is for her to be happy and to fulfill all her wishes," Amon weakly whispered.
"I would do the same if I were in your shoes. I would make those remaining two years of her life very memorable." Bella seconded.
Amon turned and stared intently at Bella as he firmly stated, "Time is of the essence right now, so I won't go through with the Selection anymore and potentially waste more time."
Bella looked at him with parted lips, and Amon could tell how surprised she was with his words.
"Will you marry me, Lady Bella? I know this is all of a sudden and you may think tha-"
"Yes! Yes! I will marry you this instant!"
Bella cut him off with her ecstatic answer, and this time it was Amon's lips that had parted. His jaw practically dropped. It seemed like Lady Bella would never disappoint in leaving him speechless.
"Don't you need time to think this over, Lady Bella? Being my wife won't be easy. We're not sure how my people would react to this, especially now that they have already prepared everything for the competition in the selection of Helion's Queen. Also, aren't you disappointed that I asked you to marry me primarily because I don't want to waste time and want to make my mother happy by giving her a daughter-in-law and grandchildren…" Amon commented.
He was glad Bella quickly agreed to his proposal, but he also wanted her to think more about it and consider the advantages and disadvantages of this setup to her.
"Must I remind you that you're my mate, Amon? Why would I need to think about it? I even entered that competition just to be with you." Bella said with the widest grin her face could muster, "I'm so happy right now! Don't worry I will make sure that I get pregnant as soon as possible so that we can make Mother-in-law happy!"
Amon's face reddened as he awkwardly said, "I will definitely not take advantage of you, Lady Bella. We will only do the deed when you're fertile," Amon stated his intention.
Bella's face crumpled as she mumbled, "Good luck with that. I heard it's usually the men who love doing it. Anyway, you can always do it with me anytime, anywhere you want…"
Amon gulped, feeling a large lump in his throat. He coughed and cleared his throat to hide how awkward he was feeling. Then Bella gave him her widest smile before pouncing at him. She felt so warm as her arms wrapped around his waist and her face snuggled on his chest.
"Thank you for asking me, Amon. I understand the current situation you're in, and I'm committed to supporting you in any way I can. Know that I will stay by your side and be the strength that you need. I may not be perfect, but I am someone who has genuine feelings for you and will commit my all to you. I'm all yours…" Bella declared.
Having Bella be the one by his side brought Amon a profound sense of relief. Her presence alone was enough to give him some comfort for the pain he was feeling right now. There was something in her that really got him captivated. He could even feel how erratic the beating of his heart right now with how close their bodies right now. And he liked it.
"Thank you too, Lady Bella, for helping me out like this. I will do my best to be a good husband to you," Amon stated as his arms finally hugged her back.
He was aware how his sudden decision like this would cause disarray, especially in his royal court but he already had a valid reason to give to them.
As much as he wanted to keep her in his arms, Amon gently broke the hug and looked at Bella with a serious face.
"The only way for them to accept our situation is to inform them of the truth about my past and our relationship," Amon commented.
"But to do that, it's also best that you completely restore your memories," Bella suggested.
"I'll accept Lady Jayra's offer, but I don't think I'll have enough time for all her sessions," Amon commented.
"Don't worry, she'll travel with us because she wants to spend more time with Lera. She wants to go on vacation in Helion with her sister. They have a lot of catching up to do. How about we head back now? You must be there once the Queen Mother wakes up… Also, I must inform everyone regarding the change of plans. King Darius is making arrangements for mine and Lena's journey to Helion as we speak," Bella said with a smile.
She sounded so excited. He had truly never met anyone as transparent as Bella.
"I… I must speak with your family and the King and Queen about it. I will formally ask them for your hand in marriage within the day." Amon informed her.
He could only hope that it all went smoothly and that Bella's family would allow her to marry him as soon as possible. He was honestly worried about how Bella's family would react, especially once they found out the reason why he was suddenly rushing the wedding.
Amon released a deep sigh. He was aware that Cordon had different customs and cultures from them. They didn't have wedding ceremonies but instead, they performed the Ritual of Marking to solidify the bond as a husband and wife, unlike in his kingdom where a wedding was required.
"I will also need to meet your parents, and formally introduce myself and my family to them," Amon said. He didn't want to just take Bella away without properly showing respect to her family.
"But my parents already know you. They will be surprised and overjoyed to see you and to see that you're alive and healthy. I'll be sure to send word to them beforehand, later. I almost forgot, my sister-in-law has already mastered the teleportation spell so we can use that to meet my parents as soon as possible." Bellas stood up and pulled Amon up with her.
"Let's head back now. There's much to prepare, and I can't wait to share this wonderful news with everyone," she said as she comfortably hugged his arm. Amon wasn't accustomed to Bella's boldness, but he didn't find it bothersome in the least. It was good that she was this comfortable with him, if anything, her boldness and honesty had only reaffirmed his belief that he had made the right decision in choosing her to be his wife.
He had this feeling that no other woman would be a perfect fit for him but her…
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