"I.. I.." she stammered.
"Matty" he held her hands and pulled her close." You still love me do not you? True love never dies. So if you say you do not love me it only means that you never truly loved me. Do you still love me?".
He stared into her eyes trying to read her . All he saw was a broken woman battling between love and her people.
If she accepts that her love remains he would not let her go, but if she say otherwise then she have no one to run to when she's in trouble.
Either way her people will be in danger. She does not also want to injure Maria's poor heart.
For her, not marrying king Edwin was not a thing of great regret. She had even found comfort in the house of the lord she was betrothed to.
He was an easy going man, to her greatest surprise he was a young man she had thought otherwise.
They had lovely children together, but with the same great surprise everything was taken from her just as they were given.
"Child of sorrow " for so her mother used to call her. She never knew the reason behind it until the day she lost everything.
The day she was born was the same day her grandparents died.
She had lived her life trying to be happy, but she was fine with that now, there was sometime ago when she still had faith that someone was up in the clouds and will always protect her , but after the war , all faith were gone.
"I am in this world alone, no one is there to save or comfort me but myself, and maybe a few friends. But mainly myself ". These were her encouraging words to herself.
Even when she found King Edwin , she still did not put her trust fully on him. That was why she had not felt heart broken for too long. Right now she was taken aback to sometime ago where she had to choose between love and her people.
"I used to love you, but not anymore, time has made empty the feelings which I had for you. So please will you let us go in peace".
King Edwin was dumbfounded for a while before he said.
"You never indeed loved me" a drop of tears fell off his eyes. "It is painful but I am relied I had to learn it now ".
"Edwin" she removed her hands from his." Our life is not about a love story but a story of survival, that is what we must learn ".
"You and your people can go, but must leave before sundown " he said coldly.
"Please Edwin we can not possibly leave before sundown " she pleaded.
"You want to leave? Then that is the only condition, and if you do not , then you shall become slaves, that is final , and also King Edwin not just Edwin" h walked off.
"Your highness I know you are put out with me but you must know that you have given us no choice at all, we can not leave before sundown, it is just an hour before sundown, unless you have always wanted us as slaves ".
"Duchess! I have made my decision ".
"Please your highness, you must make amends. Give us until tomorrow, then if we do not leave by then your slave we shall all become". She knelt begging him.
"You make my conscience judge me,but it is you who have always wronged me" he turned back to her. He walked closer to her and lifted her up.
"You will always have a spot in my heart" he stared deeply into her eyes.
He could no longer resist the sinful thoughts he always has whenever she is around him.
He lifted her chin lowered his head and placed his lips on her tender lips.
He did not wanted to stop , it had been far too long he had tasted these lovely lips of hers, it makes him forget his troubles.
She pushed him gently away from herself.
"We can not ". She lowered her gaze.
"Huh? Why?". He asked feeling a mixture of excitement and annoyance.
"You are married, it is obscene ".
"Then leave me to face the repercussion for my action".
He placed his lips on hers again. This time more passionately than before.