Ana Sofia, taken aback by Wesleynard's forwardness, feels a blush spread across her cheeks. She quickly regains her composure, though, and withdraws her hand from his grasp.
"Indeed, Sir Wesleynard," she says, her voice barely betraying the flustered emotions she is feeling inside.
She takes a quick step back to face the crowd as Wesleynard rises to his feet, continuing panting slightly from the exertion of the fight. The announcer declares him the victor of the tournament, and the crowd erupts into cheers once again. Ana Sofia claps politely, her eyes never leaving Wesleynard. Advisor Mallorca, who had been watching the exchange from the sidelines, now approaches the two of them. He looks at Wesleynard with a mixture of respect and caution, nodding his head in acknowledgment of the knight's victory.
"Well fought, Sir Wesleynard," he says.
Wesleynard, still beaming with pride and adrenaline, returns Mallorca's nod, "Thank you, Advisor Mallorca. It was an honor to compete in this tournament," he replies.
Ana Sofia watches the interaction between the two men, her thoughts swirling from the confusing interaction they had. Deciding to distance herself before the chaos erupts in the field she quickly walked away, from the crowds and the noise, to collect her thoughts. As she walks, she can't help but feel a sense of unease growing in the pit of her stomach. With war looming on the horizon, she knows that she must decide her future and the future of Elynor. She noticed a few respectable choices she could make but, she glanced back to see the crowd swarm towards Wesleynard, eager to congratulate him on his victory. She sees Advisor Mallorca trying to make his way through the crowd to reach her side. Ana Sofia turns back around and continues walking, her mind racing. She knows that she cannot avoid the decision any longer. She must choose a new husband, and soon, and most of all she was hoping Wesleynard would lose the next round.
*********************************
Wesleynard's victory was granted a private dinner with the queen the following evening. Ana Sofia gazed at her attire in the mirror. She decided to opt for a more relaxed dress, it was loose but still defined her curves. The dress was a deep emerald green, the color of the forests surrounding the castle, and it shimmered gently in the soft candlelight. The neckline is modest, but the fabric is cut in such a way that it highlights the curve of her collarbone and the slope of her shoulders. As Ana Sofia makes her way to the dining hall, she can feel her heart pounding in her chest. She knows that this dinner will be more than just a meal between two people; it will be an opportunity for her to get to know Wesleynard better, and for him to prove his worth as a potential husband. She was hoping she could steer him into a corner so she could see his true character and get rid of the nagging feeling she felt from the day. It scared her to think that she had the wrong impression of him but, there was no way there had to be something. As she enters her dining hall she sees Wesleynard standing at the far end of the room, near the large fireplace. He is dressed in a fine doublet of deep blue, the color of the evening sky, and his hair is neatly combed back from his face. Wesleynard turns to face Ana Sofia as she enters the room, his eyes lighting up with recognition.
He bows deeply, his hand over his heart."Your Majesty," he greets, his voice smooth and warm there was a small smile playing at his lips and she tried her best to disregard his flirty disposition.
She almost trips as approaches him, his presence serving only to distract her and throw her off her focus, her footsteps were soft as they made no sound, quiet on the plush carpet.
"Good evening, Sir Wesleynard," she says, her voice steady and calm, concealing the nervousness she feels inside. "I hope you are well rested from the tournament earlier."
She gestures for him to take a seat at the table, which has been beautifully set with fine china and crystal goblets. Wesleynard takes a seat across from Ana Sofia, his eyes never leaving her face. He can sense her apprehension, but he remains calm and composed.
"I am well, Your Majesty, thank you for asking," he replies. "And I must say, the tournament was an exhilarating experience." His voice picked up louder as he recounted the day.
"Mmm" she hums in response as she takes a sip of her wine, her gaze never leaving Wesleynard's. She can see the fervor and passion in his eyes as he speaks about the tournament, and she finds herself being drawn to him. His eyes were always trained on her she felt the pressure to stay still for she knew he would see every small movement. She smiled at him in hopes of keeping the peace for as long as possible but after a few minutes, she felt it necessary to get straight to the point.
She set her glass down and asked calmly, "What made you decide to compete in the tournament, Sir Wesleynard?"
Wesleynard leaned back in his chair, as though he was expecting this answer, "I have always had a love for competition, Your Majesty," he began "Ever since I was a young boy, I was drawn to the thrill of competition, whether it was racing my friends, or practicing my swordplay. When I heard about the tournament in Elynor, I knew I had to participate. It was a chance to prove myself, to show that I am a skilled and capable knight."
Ana Sofia's eyes narrowed slightly, was she misconstruing his intentions? "A tournament to marry me," she repeats, her voice tinged with the verbiage of anger "That is what you mean, is it not? You saw the tournament as another opportunity to stroke your ego and potentially secure a place by my side?"
The energy around the table quickly changed but, Wesleynard's smile faltered for a moment, he quickly recovered, his expression becoming serious. "I understand your concerns, Your Majesty," he says. "But I assure you, my intentions were not driven solely by the prospect of marrying you." Wesleynard takes a deep breath before continuing. "I entered the tournament to prove my worth as a knight, but I will not deny that the thought of becoming your husband also appealed to me. I have come to admire you greatly, Ana Sofia."
Admire me greatly?
"Do not speak so casually to me" Ana Sofia interjects, her voice stern and short, "You will address me as 'Your Majesty' or 'Queen Ana Sofia.' I will not tolerate any disrespect or familiarity."
Wesleynard nods, looking slightly chastised. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Feeling disappointed by his response she continued to press, "What will you do if you win?"
Wesleynard takes a moment to consider the question before answering."If I win, then I would be honored to become your husband and help you rule Elynor," he says, his voice steady and sincere. "I believe that together, we could lead this kingdom to greatness and prosperity."
An influx of anger rolled through her as the weeks of fear and exhaustion reared their head at his simple response, "You fool. Do you not realize there is a war brewing outside my borders!"
Ana Sofia's eyes widen with disbelief and frustration as she hears Wesleynard's words. tears threaten to spill from her eyes. "A war that I must face alone!" she says, her voice rising with emotion. "I do not have the luxury of time to train a new husband or to teach him the ways of ruling a kingdom. I don't have time to listen to a man I barely know speak of his thrills of idiocy!"
Wesleynard listens attentively as Ana Sofia speaks, her words heavy with a feeling he could not yet discern. He could see the weight of the crown beating down upon her and he could understand her apprehension. But he also knows that he has something to offer her, something that could help her in her time of need.
"Your Majesty." Wesleynard begins, choosing his words carefully, "I understand your concerns, and I do not take them lightly. But I assure you, I am not a man to be underestimated. I have faced many challenges in my life, and I have always emerged victorious. I am a skilled fighter, a strategic thinker, and a leader of men." He was almost pleading begging her to meet his eyes,
"It was a mistake to let you In this tournament," her voice filled with regret. "I should have never allowed such a competition to take place. It has only served to complicate matters further and to bring false hope to those who seek to marry me."