Page 23 of Beacon

Though I was tempted to pull away, I remained still. He kept me there not just by his touch but by the earnestness filling his expression. “Please, Marisa. Please help me.”

I risked a glance into his earnest blue eyes, which I quickly realized was a terrible mistake. With a single look I felt my resolve crumbling against my will, and it took great effort to build it back up.

“I can’t marry Lavena.” Prince Owen kept his hold on my hands as he spoke, as if he understood the placating effect his touch had on me and wanted to use all the weapons at his disposal to win this battle. “I know I should have been more vocal with my father…but he’s so pushy in both a fatherly yet kingly way that I have a hard time going against his wishes. Not only do I respect him and want his approval but the situation is made more difficult considering Princess Lavena is already en route. How could I possibly find the words to dissuade him in such a situation?”

Once more my annoyance prickled…but compared to the other moments I’d experienced it this evening, my heated resentment was short-lived. As frustrated as I was with him for not speaking up, I was in no position to judge him, not when I’d chosen to give up my own voice.

Perhaps there were different forms of silence. Until now I’d assumed that those with a voice always had words at their disposal; it’d never occurred to me that there would be situations when speaking up would be difficult. This understanding had greater power than any of the prince’s arguments, leaving me primed for his final attack.

“Of course I wouldn’t ask such a thing of you without anything in return. I’ll reward you, anything you want. Just name it.”

There was nothing I wanted save Father, and if anything had truly happened to him, no amount of riches would bring him back. As to the other thing I desperately wanted….my breath caught. There was one thing I desired that moneycouldbuy…

I glanced out the window where my lighthouse could be seen, my last remaining refuge now that both Mother and likely Father were gone. My beloved lighthouse represented my family, my childhood, my purpose, my independence, and my means for atonement for my past mistakes, all of which I longed for far more than I feared the potential repercussions of the prince’s scheme.

I’d already lost so much, I couldn’t bear to lose my home as well. But the only way I could prevent the lighthouse from remaining in Uncle’s possession was if I acquired the funds to purchase it from him, but to do that…I’d need a substantial amount of money that could only come from a hefty reward from a wealthy prince.

Despite having braced myself to fight against the prince’s proposal, I found myself considering it.CouldI possibly go along with such a ridiculous scheme? It wasn’t as if agreeing to it would force me to remain until its conclusion; should it be worse than I feared, I could leave anytime.

I nibbled my lip before glancing back towards the prince, who waited for my answer with bated breath, his eyes wide with hope, considering I hadn’t outright refused his promise of a reward.

With an inquiring expression, I lifted my hand and rubbed my fingers together to mimic handling money. “I’ll pay you however much you need. Is there something you want?”

I showed him my usual sign for my lighthouse—resting a vertical arm atop the one I kept parallel to the ground, extending and retracting the fingers of my vertical hand to represent the beacon’s light. When his brows furrowed, I clarified the sign by going to the window and pointing to the lighthouse in the distance.

His eyes widened with understanding. “You mean you don’t own it anymore now that your father…?”

I lowered my eyes in response. Prince Owen gave my hands a gentle squeeze.

“If that’s what you truly desire, then I will pay you enough for you to buy back your home. Regardless of whether you assist me, my earlier promise still stands: I will help you find your father, not just to repay you for saving me but because I want to. I promise, Marisa.” And he gave my hands another reassuring squeeze.

I lifted my gaze to meet his. Despite his lie that had led us to this point, I didn’t doubt his word now. Only such a promise was powerful enough to finally persuade me to give him his way. But though I was almost entirely convinced, I still needed more information about the exact nature of what I was getting myself into.

I gestured back and forth between us, pointed to his lips, before curling the fingers of both of my hands in a beckoning motion. He frowned. “Do you need more assurances I’ll keep my word? Or perhaps you desire a greater reward?”

I shook my head and this time pointed to him, then to myself, before holding up my hands in question and repeating my first gesture. His brow scrunched in concentration as he tried to decipher my meaning.

“Do you want…more information about what our charade will entail?” He brightened at my nod. “Does this mean you’re considering it?”

I shrugged before giving him an expectant look for him to fulfill my request. His hope at my acceptance caused him to explain in his usual animated manner.

“I’d only require your help for the duration of the princess’s visit, which I’m hoping won’t be long, considering it likely won’t take long for Father to realize Princess Lavena’s true nature,” Prince Owen said. “Father tends to think the best of everyone, but although the princess can put up an act for a short time, I don’t believe she’ll be able to maintain it the entire duration of her visit. I’m almost confident Mother is against the match, which will help bring Father around, especially once he sees my lack of enthusiasm for the arrangement and my interest towards you.” He cast me a shy, sideways glance. “Once there are no expectations for me to make a match with Lyceria, I will no longer need your assistance. We can part ways as friends, and I will use my freedom to find a bride of my choosing before Father takes it upon himself to find another one for me.”

That still didn’t fully answer my question about what he expected from my role as a fiancée, but it likely wouldn’t be anything beyond the romantic gestures I’d often seen between courting couples in my village. Just to be certain, I gestured from him to myself, grasped my hands together against my cheek, and batted my eyes with a lovey-dovey expression before lifting my hands up in a questioning way.

He snorted with laughter. “I never cease to be amazed by how much you’re able to convey without speaking. Are you wondering what I’ll expect from you during our charade?” His cheeks pinked at my nod. “Oh…just the usual things that couples to do. I’m not exactly sure…” By his blank expression, he seemed just as lost about how to behave as a couple as I did.

No matter, we still had some time to discuss the details, which left one final question. I held up my hand to lift first one finger, then two, and then three, each movement accompanied with an inquiring look.

He scrunched his forehead. “How long will they be visiting?” At my nod, he shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. The voyage between Lyceria and Bytamia is over a week long, meaning they’ll likely stay long enough to make the trip worthwhile…”

He frowned, as if just realizing how long a sentence lay ahead, one far longer than either of us had bargained for.

“I’m hoping that despite the charade, our time together will be pleasant,” he hastily continued. “I will do all in my power to make it so, as well as to continue seeking information about your father.”

While I yearned to learn what had happened to him, it wasn’t Father I was thinking of in this moment, but the thought of spending the next several weeks in the prince’s company. This desire went beyond doing what was required to earn back my lighthouse rather than leaving its important duties to my uncle’s negligence; in truth, a secret part of me yearned to remain with the prince for his sake…and he was providing me an opportunity to do just that.

This unexpected desire was enough for me to completely succumb to his wishes. I gave an affirmative nod, which earned me another of his charming smiles that caused me to wonder if despite the risks involved, feigning a relationship with him wouldn’t be so bad after all…a thought that felt more dangerous than anything else.

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