After Queen Selene's departure, Orion's encounters grew sparse, limited to occasional run-ins with Conrad and the various Clan Heirs who had seemingly made a swift recovery in time for the closing banquet. He hadn't spotted Maya or Merida, or he would have certainly engaged with them.
Deciding to enjoy the remaining moments of the banquet, Orion immersed himself in the festivities until its conclusion. The King and Queen delivered their speeches, and as the event came to an end, Orion joined the royal family in exiting the grand hall, as a special guest of the royal family.
As they proceeded toward the exit, where their carriage awaited, Orion was suddenly hailed from behind by a familiar voice.
"Wait a minute!"
Orion spun around, his curiosity piqued as he observed Merida sprinting in his direction.
Meanwhile, the royal family had also pivoted to see the commotion. Upon recognizing Merida, Queen Selene quipped, "It seems you have acquired a stalker. We'll be in the carriage waiting for you." With that, she and the rest of the royal family resumed their path, leaving only Princess Crystalia and Flintor casting a few lingering glances behind.
As Merida drew closer, Orion took a few steps toward her, curious to discover the reason for her call.
Merida took a deep, steadying breath as she regained her composure. She inclined her head respectfully toward Orion and said, "I'm glad I made it in time before you left."
Orion nodded and observed her in her new dress, which still exuded the same allure as the previous one. "So, what's on your mind? As you can see, it wouldn't be wise to keep the royal family waiting," he remarked, getting straight to the point.
Merida nodded in understanding and didn't beat around the bush. She explained her reason for seeking him out, "I wanted to inform you that I'll be heading to the castle first thing tomorrow to fulfil the promises I made, considering that I..." She trailed off, her thoughts drifting to her painful defeat.
With a sigh and a rueful smile, she continued, "...Considering I lost the fight."
Despite her initial distress at having lost to someone who appeared no older than herself, and the further blow to her pride that he had bested both her and the Prismaflow twins simultaneously in a crushing defeat, Merida had come to a stark realization.
It wasn't just that they were weaker compared to him; in comparison, he had showcased himself as the true monster.
Therefore, instead of wallowing in shame for losing to a young foreigner from beyond the mountain, Merida felt a renewed determination to face him.
With this resolve, she hastily departed from the room that the Quartzwraith Clan had arranged for her recovery. Merida hurriedly made her way to catch up with Orion upon hearing that the banquet had concluded.
Orion was a bit surprised by the swiftness of her decision. He had anticipated that they would make their way to the castle a few days later, once the commotion had died down.
After all, while the general Prismerian population might remain oblivious to the events in the grand amphitheatre, it was unlikely that those who had been present wouldn't share their experiences among themselves.
However, seeing that Merida still wanted to speak, Orion waited for her to finish.
"I..." Merida began, her voice trembling with uncertainty. She paused, as if struggling to find the right words. Orion watched her with curiosity, wondering what she was about to say.
Then, unexpectedly, she lowered her head and bowed before him.
"Please," she begged, her voice earnest, "I am certain that my sister will want to join me in fulfilling the promises we made due to her competitive nature. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you could decline her request to become your wife." Merida didn't mind having a competitive sister; it often drove her to achieve more. But in this particular situation, she feared that her sister might act irrationally and try to outdo her upon learning that she was going to the castle to fulfil the agreement with Orion.
"I also hope that you would allow me to take her place according to our agreement," Merida said. She had hesitated to bring up this proposal before, feeling irritated by it, but now it seemed like her only option.
Orion furrowed his brow slightly at her request, but he quickly grasped her intention. "That means you're willing to take her place," he clarified.
"Yes," Merida nodded firmly, straightening her posture. "And, as I mentioned earlier, you don't need to worry about me failing to uphold this agreement. Unlike my sister, I have a say in my own decisions. Furthermore, if my clan had any doubts about it before, I'm certain they won't now, not after the King's statement. It's either this or the risk of our clan's heirs losing the opportunity to obtain the throne."
The only question remained whether the man in front of her would accept...
"Alright," Orion interrupted her thoughts, nodding his head in agreement.
He had sensed Merida's willingness to fulfil the agreement, even if it was due to circumstances. Furthermore, he saw her as sensible and caring, especially considering she was putting herself ahead of her sister. Orion had little doubt that she would fit well among the women in his village.
Merida's eyes widened in surprise as she swallowed nervously, asking, "Are you sure?" just to confirm that she had heard him correctly.
"Of course, I am," Orion affirmed. "Since you appear more than willing to be my wife, unlike your sister, and considering she seems like more trouble than she's worth, I see no reason to back out of the agreement we made."
While she nearly twitched her eyes in annoyance at his words, Merida managed to convey her gratitude.
"Thank you," she said. "I will be sure to come to the castle tomorrow so that we can discuss further how the marriage will take place." She bowed her head in relief and happiness.
