Stand By Me Darling

Fred is finding it hard to be with me; a Princess... Should he grit his teeth and follow me just because he loves me? I want him to be happy and not uncomfortable.

Talia’s eyes clouded as her heart sank. She leaned on his chest and she heard the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was loud and clear and she could sense he was calm.

"Iris?" Arthur didn’t hear her speak for some time and realised she should be sulking.

I really shouldn’t have talked about this today! Or ever! She doesn’t need to know this. She was so happy the entire morning, but I have ruined her good mood by bringing up something insignificant. I’m stupid!

Arthur chided himself and made her look at him holding her chin. He placed a kiss on her lips seeing her eyes clouded.

"Don’t think anything weird, Iris. It would break my heart," he hugged her close. Talia could now hear his heart beat racing.

Is he anxious?

"Almost every day, I would think how comfortable being with you is. I really don’t mind everything else. I mean it. Sure, I find those carriage rides and that big formal ceremony in the Cathedral where I had to follow a million rules a bit... excessive. We couldn’t even hold hands and when I desperately wanted you by my side, I had to stand alone...You know me, right? I didn’t learn dancing because there were so many rules and etiquettes to follow. And there were people standing in the sun waiting by the pavement just to take a glimpse of me...I think they came for you. But still, it was weird to see that much people gathered cheering for me.

But Iris, I learnt dancing willingly for you, and got pretty good at it imagining how I can dance with you if I learn it. I’ll learn to follow those useless and cumbersome rules for spending a lot more time with you too."

Arthur spoke from his heart.

Talia felt her mind clearing up hearing his explanation. He is someone who wants to follow his own path always and he doesn’t like fitting into a box. And he is not very fond of being the center of attention except during work.