I come here today, I'm kind of nervous

You know how words get in my way

It should come easy, I've been rehearsing

I don't know why I'm so afraid to say

-Will You Marry Me, Alabama

Remert looked at himself in the mirror. Why was the reflection back so horribly wrong? It showed him standing, calm and collected. Mirrors couldn't show the inside, how scared he was and unsure of what Teresa would say today. He ran his fingers through his hair a final time to make sure he looked fine. What would Teal have to say about this? I know she loves me, he thought, but does she love me this much? Whatever god there is above knows I love her more than my life. Are we prepared to make both of our lives into one?

His mother had Remert at fifteen and was married at twelve. Teresa had Teal at sixteen and that was in Northern Whaye. But Teal had said, "I don't believe I'll be pregnant or married at sixteen." She didn't think. In other words, she did not think that Remert would propose to her. Right? No, probably not. Well, then what did she mean? Who knew anyway? Girls were confusing. And yet he was about to latch himself to one for life?

I wish you'd keep quiet, he thought in response to the things the other part of his brain was saying.

I'm only trying to help, it answered. You know that it's true.

That's probably why I don't listen to you. You always kill my mood.

You can do this. You can do this.

He walked out of his house, every step closer to his destiny.

*

"Teal?" Melissa said as she opened Teal's door. She came to the door.

"Hey Mel. So, what did Remert say yesterday?"

"Oh, just something about a jousting tournament to Seb. I just wanted to show you and your sisters this hiding place I found about a mile out of town."

"All of my sisters? Why?"

"I, um, just wanted to let them get out of the house too," she lied. "They've been cooped up for a while, right?"

"Sure, I guess, but why the sudden interest in my sisters?" Teal seemed confused. That was Remert wanted, correct?

"It's not a sudden interest, I just think it would be a nice girl's day out. We'll stop by Sebastian's house and he can come too."

"I thought it was a girl's day out."

"It is. Sebastian is my best guy friend though."

"Is Rem coming?"

"No, he had to go to some prince lessons with his mom."

"Fine, sounds nice. Allie! Ellie! Is! Ray! Come on, we're leaving!" Melissa sighed in relief. It was going to be a long day.

*

What am I going to say again? Oh, right..yeah, then I...okay, I know. Running through the things he was going to say for what seemed to be the billionth time, he noticed how close he was to Teal's house. His breath came faster with every step he took. Was she gone? Had Melissa ratted him out? He was hyperventilating by the time he got to the front step. Hands shaking like a tambourine, he knocked on the door.

"Who are you?" the woman who answered the door asked. She had some of the facial features Teal had and the hair colour of Elissa and Alicia.

"Are you Mrs. Mynery?"

She seemed puzzled. "Teresa. As I just asked, you are?"

"Remert Ffoi. A suitor of your daughter."

Still puzzled. "Remert you say? Um...which daughter?"

"Teal. Has she said anything about me before?"

Now her eyes narrowed. "She has. Aren't you the desperate little snob prince?"

"No...I just told you. I like, well, really like, or...you and I need to talk, okay?"

"Why should I?" Teresa inquired, venom in her voice. "You're just some silly boy with a crown."

"Actually, a silly boy with a crown who is in love with your daughter Teal. Not your run-of-the-mill variety."

"Okay then, you better get to explaining." She led him into the main room and sat down in a chair. Remert sat in the one across from her.

"Before I begin, I just want to say that I've loved your daughter for a long time now. We mean a lot to each other, and I hope that you can understand this. I know that you are aware of what it is like to be in love at an early age-"

"Who told you?" She seemed agitated. Was he not supposed to talk about that?

"Teal. My mother fell in love at age eleven, so I know from her also how that goes."

"Your mother is a native to Southeastern Whaye, correct?"

"Right, yes."

"And don't mind me asking, but how is their relationship today?"

He paused anxiously. "I'm nothing like that. If you already know that I'm a prince, then you know my parents and my past. There are some wounds I don't like opening again and again. I'm always called off as Caleb's son. Barely ever Marcy's son. I am not anything like him."

"Can you get to the point? I've got to run to the market, and I expect my daughters to be back soon."

"I am at the point. I love your daughter and I want to make sure you know that."

"To tell the truth, I don't care how much you 'love' her. You can admire from afar, but that's about as close as you'll get."

"Has she told you anything?" he asked unbelievingly. "I could bet you anything that you couldn't answer three questions about her!"

"Teal tells me everything. Go ahead."

"First, do you know what her favorite passage in the bible is?"

"Um..."

"John 3:16 because she thinks it's a classic. Next, what's her favorite colour?"

"I know this one..."

"Yellow because it jumps out from the crowd. Her second favorite colour is rainbow. How old was she when she had her first kiss?"

Teresa stared in shock. She shook her head and then smiled in victory. "That's a trick question. Nice try though. She's never been kissed."

"Wrong again." Now he smiled triumphantly. "She was fourteen."

"But she is fourteen."

"Precisely."

Her face turned twenty shades of pink and red. "B-but, that would mean, y-you...you kissed her?"

"We've been kissing for the past two months. We've fell in love through a kissing game."

"No, no, that can't be. Teal would have told me...she always promised...that..." She seemed at a loss for words. Of course, who wouldn't be? The woman just found out her daughter hadn't even said a word about her first kiss! Teresa trusted Teal, that was obvious. It must have shattered her heart to find out that she couldn't trust her.

"I'm sorry I had to be the one telling you this."

"Not your fault," she mumbled. She's softened up, go for it.

"Speaking of us falling in love, I'd like to emphasize how much we're in love. She means the world to me. I would die for her and I'd die without her. It's taken me only a short while to realize this..." The ring in his pocket felt like an anvil. Now. Now. Now or never. His whole forearm trembled as he took the wedding band of his pocket. Teresa noticed immediately.

"What is that?" she asked, blanching.

"A proposition. I am asking you if I can have your daughter, Teal Mynery's, hand in holy matrimony."

She couldn't say anything. And neither could the seven people who walked in a moment later.

All talking halted and Teal saw the ring in Remert's hand, showing it to her mother. Every piece of a large puzzle fell into place. He wanted to marry her. He was asking Teresa if he could. The wedding ring he was going to propose to her with.

And that was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

*

"Teal? Teal?" Teal awoke in her bed thirty minutes later with nine people, her sisters, Melissa, Sebastian, her mother and Remert standing over her. "Are you okay?" She was so dizzy she couldn't tell which of the faces were speaking.

"Hmm? What happened to me?"

"You fainted," Melissa said, squeezing Teal's hand. "I guess the shock of seeing Remert-"

"-Ask a question where the answer is no," Teresa interrupted. All eight of the teenagers glared at her.

"-holding a wedding ring put you into shock and you passed out. Sebastian and I picked you up when you fell. Rem helped a lot. He's been worried sick."

"I really don't want to talk about Prince I-Think-I'm-Going-To-Get-Married-At-Fourteen."

"His name is Remert," Sebastian growled. "And he's my friend. I know that he loves Teal, so why don't you close that ignorant impolite mouth of yours."

"Oh, why, do you want to get married at fourteen too? What a shock."

"I'm not getting married at fourteen, but I'll do this." He grabbed Melissa and kissed her fully on the mouth. They both fiercely latched their lips to each other. Then Sebastian broke apart and smiled smugly.

"Do whatever you wish, she's not marrying him."

"Who says I can't?" Teal asked angrily. "Remert, my answer is yes. I want to be your wife, the one to have your children and raise them, to be a queen and rule over this country. I love you more than anyone in this universe. I want to spend my life with you."

"Teal Ffoi. Nice ring to it," Rayna said.

"I don't recall asking any of you your opinions. I am Teal's mother, and damn it I'm going to show my authority as an adult!"

"Perhaps you don't recall, but Teal's last cycle was a week ago. She's as adult as you are."

"This doesn't matter! She doesn't love Remert anyway." They all stared at her.

"She says his name so loudly in her sleep I think she's awake," Alicia stated.

"Half of the time I can barely spend five minutes around her without her going on and on about him," Isulette added.

"I knew she loved him from the moment they kissed," Sebastian said.

"Teal is my best friend and I can tell her emotions you know," Melissa threw in.

"It doesn't take a three year old to see that she has devoted her life to him," Rayna interjected. There was a pause.

"I got hit in the head with a rock!" Elissa exclaimed. Everyone turned to her. "Well, that should count for something, right?"

"Can I talk to Teal in private?" Remert asked. Teresa looked aggravated, but nodded. He took her hand and led her outside.

"Sorry about fainting in front of you and all."

"That's not what I want to hear."

"Okay. I want to marry you, but if I do we'll be hated by more than one person. Teresa, Joseph, just to name a few."

"You think I care about what they say? That's not it either. I want to make a deal with you. I know that you probably aren't ready for this, and that's fine with me. But I want you to wear this ring as a promise that as soon as you choose, you'll marry me. I don't care if that's next year or twenty." He held her left hand up and slipped the ring on her fourth finger. "And there's one more thing. If it happens that we fall in love with someone else in the time period I want you to take this ring, go to Crystalmir Lake, and throw it as far as you can. I can't control if I or you fall in love with someone else. Does that sound nice?"

"You thought of everything." She had tears shining in her eyes.

"I did."

"Yes. I will be your wife."

"That's all I wanted." He kissed her.

"I love you Remert."

"I love you Bluie. And I mean it."

And that was how it was.

WWWWWWWWHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOO! This is the ending of the first part of Courtly Love. The next part takes place when Remert and Teal are nineteen. Whoo to the hoo! I feel so special and sad at the same time. I don't want this story to end!

I don't think I need a funny quip to ask for reviews because I think finishing the first part of a story is enough of a reward. (Just kidding, I want reviews!!)

P.S. Excuse me for a moment, YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAA!