Prime Minister Casar Mareyi almost flinched when Hanson Lorin suddenly entered his chamber without even knocking! Raising his eyebrows, he looked up at the eldest son of the Minister of War with a stupefied face!
Seeing the Prime Minister who was sitting on a chair, working on a desk, Hanson Lorin halted his steps. What his friend said still echoed in his ears, making him unable to think clearly! Then... all of a sudden, he dropped to his knees, taking the Prime Minister by surprise once again.
"Please let me marry your daughter, Prime Minister," he pleaded.
Casar Mareyi wondered what had gotten into this young General. Since when did he become this... brazen?!
"I never think of marrying anyone else other than your daughter and I apologize for taking too long," the General firmly said. "I beg you to change your mind. Please let me marry her."
Change his mind? Confusion was written all over the Prime Minister's face! Did this General hurt his head or what?!
When he saw Arin Helev making his way with a smile on his face, the Prime Minister quickly stood up. "Your Majesty."
"I told you that I will talk to my friend, Prime Minister. And now... " He paused and glanced at his friend who was still on the floor. "You already see the result."
Hanson Lorin turned to him with a dumbfounded face while Vienna Mareyi rushed in, unaware of what the General said to her father. She turned her gaze to her father with a confused face. "Father... " she muttered. She didn't know what to say!
Prime Minister Casar knew the young King quite well and he finally realized that Arin Helev played some trick on his friend. Then he nodded to the King with a relieving smile before he turned back to General Hanson.
"I never know that you are this brazen, General Hanson," he remarked. "How can you barged in and suddenly ask for my daughter's hand?"
What he just did flash in the General's mind, making him hung his low in shame! Did he just make the Prime Minister disapprove of him?!
"I apologize, sir. It wasn't -"
"Seems like you don't catch what I say, young man," Casar Mareyi promptly said. "What I'm saying is that... this type of marriage talks should be done by your father, not you. Don't you even know the marriage procedure?"
Understanding what he meant, Hanson Lorin blinked and quickly looked at Vienna Mareyi who smiled at him genuinely. Did the Prime Minister just gave him his permission?!
"You should be grateful," Casar Mareyi dryly said to the General. "If you wait for a few more days, you might have to watch my daughter marrying another man. I hope this serves as a lesson for you, General. In life, timing is everything.
"Besides, I have no plan to marry off my daughter to a coward who doesn't even dare to ask for her hand in marriage. No matter how much he loves my daughter, I won't be able to be sure that he is capable of protecting my daughter with such a weak mindset," the Prime Minister added.
Vienna Mareyi rushed to her father and hugged him while the General was too amazed to even do anything. He didn't expect things to be this smooth when he barged in here but... he let out a sigh when one thing crossed his mind.
Arin Helev. What a great trick he played!
Casar Mareyi walked to him and then helped him up. He put his hands together with his daughter's hands. "Vienna is my treasure, General Hanson. I hope you look after her that way. Don't make me regret my decision," he calmly said as if he was a father advising his son.
The Prime Minister was well aware of what made the young General hesitate all those times. It used to bother him too. He used to worry for his daughter's future. However, knowing that this man was the only one who can draw a carefree smile out of his daughter's lips... he can't bring himself to stand in their path.
As a father, all he wanted was his daughter's happiness and... this young General was her happiness. He already accepted that and the genuine smile on his daughter's face right now reminded him that he was making the right decision.
"Thank you, Prime Minister. I promise you that I will love and cherish your daughter forever. I won't disappoint you," Hanson Lorin finally said. Glancing at the twinkling eyes of his lover, he smiled, happy and at the same time, relieved.
Just a while ago, he really thought that he will be paying the price for taking too long! That's the scariest feeling for him.
*
The two men walked out of the Prime Minister's chamber while Vienna Mareyi stayed behind with her father. Once they walked far enough from the chamber, Hanson Lorin looked at his friend with a pretty upset face.
"Thanks to you, I embarrassed myself before my future father-in-law," he bluntly said. Recalling how he barged inside the chamber, he shut his eyes out of embarrassment and then heavily sighed.
Why didn't he enter in a proper way?!
"You should thank me instead," Arin Helev shrugged. "The Prime Minister indeed told me that if you don't make a move soon, he will find someone else. I helped you so that you won't regret being late."
"I was discussing marriage with Vienna before you came. I even ask her to marry me," the General said, surprising his friend. "Our marriage procedure starts with a mess, all thanks to you, Your Majesty."
"You asked her?" the King exclaimed with disbelief. Pushing his friend with a little force, he asked, "How did you get that courage?"
Hanson Lorin let out a sigh. "You know that it's about a concern, not courage."
"I always say this, Hanson. Rather than hesitating, you should just take the chance and try your best. That way, you won't regret later," Arin stated.
"Then what about you, Your Majesty?" Hanson Lorin suddenly asked. "Do you have regrets about her?"
Arin Helev halted his steps and narrowed his eyes, thinking of the answer to his friend question. Then he slightly smiled and said, "I had one. However, I already do that too."
It was expected of him. Living to have no regret was always one of his principles in life.
"Is there anything I could do?" the General asked. "If you love her that much and if you want her back, I will do anything to help you."
With a subtle smile on his lips, Arin Helev continued walking again. "Don't worry about me," he said to his friend. "She will be back sooner or later. It can happen anytime."
He made a deliberate pause and added, "When she left, she already show it to me how unpredictable the future is. Who knows, she might suddenly found her way back to me."
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