Hee hee hee! Methinks Erik much to hasty! ;)
Continuing to argue with him in her office didn't seem to help matters much. He continued to be frustratingly calm and unmoved by her arguments in private. She did, however, acquire a decent reason why he proposed directly to her.
"The King has ordered me to marry."
Christine frowned. "Has he?"
He seemed grim now. "I was supposed to choose a wife at the Christmas celebrations, it went... poorly." His hand went up to gesture to his mask, implying why it hadn't gone so well.
Christine laughed, crossing her arms. "I'm surprised there weren't more. Even with- well. You're very rich."
He chuckled with her. "Oh there were many contenders, and they were all very pretty, yes. But they were vain, mindless brats that threw themselves on my arm. Any marriage will be uncomfortable enough for a man like me. I don't want the added stress of having a wife with the emotional subtly of a puddle."
Her lips pursed together. "So I am your last resort."
He leaned forward. "No, you are merely the only woman I have met that I could imagine some semblance of a life with."
"Glorious." Christine said dryly. "I am honored."
He shrugged. "I need a wife, and an heir."
"And why should I marry you?"
"I have money, and power." He said, his voice so quiet she could barely hear it. "Will one of them obtain something you want?" This was an excellent question, two years ago, the answer would have been yes. Now, they were scraping by, even if they did go to bed hungry once in a while.
But there was Mama Valerius...
They couldn't afford to have someone nurse her around the clock, and she needed it. She was prone to wandering, once she had nearly made it outside of the castle. She was prone to headaches, and they couldn't afford the tonics that would ease them.
She admitted. "Yes, yes there is."
The Duke leaned foreward. "Well?"
"A nursemaid, for my Lady." Christine said quietly. "And medicine, for her headaches."
He seemed surprised. "Really?"
She nodded.
"You must be very fond of her."
"She treated me as her own daughter. She was the only mother I knew."
"Ah, I understand."
Christine sat back in her chair, thinking for a moment. "What is it about me that made you... decide to propose?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer.
His hands tightened in his lap, and his head cocked to one side. "You are resourceful, and intelligent, and kind. You talked kindly to me, even if you would have preferred to walk with your friends."
She could feel her cheeks burning. "It's was only simple courtesy."
"You would be surprised how many think it no longer necessary when your customer does not wear a mask. I've been turned out of most inns in my travels here because of it, most didn't believe I was who I said I was." He hand went up to touch his mask again. "Now, will you marry me?"
"It still isn't legal." She insisted, setting her elbows on her desk. "You are a Duke, you were still given a title by the King even if you have no noble blood. I cannot marry you legally."
"We can with permission from the King." The Duke explained. "I'm sure he wouldn't object, considering the circumstances."
"I see."
He leaned forward. "Well, do you accept?"
Christine hesitated. "I-" She sighed. "I don't know. I- we're doing well enough here. And business is only likely to grow, even if I refused... I think I could manage." She smiled a little.
"Of course." His voice sounded hurt behind the mask. She tried not to feel too guilty. "I see."
"I've only known you for a few days, and I have no mentor to rely on to know if you be a good husband."
He hands clasped in his lap. "How so?"
"What?"
"What would you want in a husband?"
"I- I wouldn't want him to be cruel. I'd want him to respect my opinion, and to listen to it." She finally said after a moments thought. "I would be the only woman he would have, I don't want any mistresses."
He nodded. "I can promise you all of that." He said quickly.
"Words are easy." Christine said weakly. "Just wait until five years from now, when you still have no son and you have grown tired of me. Your eyes will turn then."
"I don't want a woman to bed with." His voice was harsh. "If I'd wanted that, I'd have taken one of the woman in court."
"You want an heir. What if I do not provide you with one? I am eight and twenty, I would be much older than most brides."
"I am nine and thirty." The duke answered smoothly. "If we do not have a son than I will pass it to one of the sons of a good friend of mine. Nadir, he is like a brother to me. Now for the last time, do you accept my proposal?"
Christine hesitated. "I- give me a day. I- it is such large decision, if you understand my meaning."
He nodded stiffly. "Of course." He reached into his pocket and pulled out another gold coin before tossing it onto her table. "I will be staying another day then."
Erik did not make decisions lightly. He had learned early in life that hasty decisions led to failures, and failures led to pain. Everything had to be planned in advance. Risks had to be calculated. Circumstances to assessed. Possibly the largest position he had ever had to make was to choose a wife, and that decision had been the hastiest he had ever made.
And yet, after the haze that her voice brought had left him, he realized how advantages having a wife like her would be. She was used to hard work, and had withstood his company. She had the organizational skills to rival Madame Girys, and she was kind.
She did not know it, but he had gone to look over his horse the first evening, when he heard a child's cry.
After investigating, he found Christine comforting one of the girls, who cried that her mother had no time for her after giving birth. Christine had behaved quite well, comforting the child, telling her that though Mary would likely need time with the baby, she would always love her daughter.
This also proved that she was good with children, a skill he was determined to have in a mother. He would not have his child condemned to the hate he had had when he was a child.
This had all rolled through his head while they had walked to her office, it had only solidified his decision.
He wasn't surprised at her arguments, and yet he had grown increasingly worried the more she asked. She did not warm to the idea, in fact she only seemed more nervous and less likely to accept his proposal. He didn't blame her, but he needed a wife, and she was the only woman he had genuinely wanted to marry.
As the night passed on, however, it seemed more and more unlikely to ever marry him. Why should she? She knew nothing of him but rumors, he wore a mask, he was old.
The next morning, while he ate alone in his room, the knock on his door made him jump. He fumbled with the ties on his mask, nearly tripping over his chair to get to the door.
What would she answer? His hands trembled as they pushed the door open. Oh, Saint Mary let her say yes let her say- He froze at the person there instead.
Nadir's brown face smiled deeply at the sight of Erik. "Well, we've finally caught up to you my friend." He said lightly. "You gave us quite the scare, running off like that."
Shortish chapter. *shrugs* that's just how it be. Anyhoo. The conversation between Christine and Erik was a PAIN because I couldn't describe Erik's face. I also didn't expect to get in a chapter today, but here we are. Yay!
