Chapter 2

My dad smiled, stroked his beard, and shooed away the villagers before heading into the kitchen. "You two catch up. I'll go help your mother."

I looked at Gavin, who had become much more tan and whose features had grown more defined. It was hard to believe this man was the same boy I used to know.

"Gavin, why did you take so long to come back?" I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

Gavin gently wiped away my tears and tucked my stray hair behind my ear. "Pattie, I've come back to marry you."

Looking at the man who had become even more handsome over the years, my heart raced.

"I am now the Emperor's appointed General. Come with me to Jasron and be a General's wife. You'll have wealth and honor beyond your dreams."

Hearing this, I was stunned. I had agreed to marry him back then because we both came from modest backgrounds. He was a peddler like me, and our lifestyles were similar. Married life promised freedom. No mother-in-law to dictate my every move, and I could continue living close to my parents.

But now he had become a general and wanted to take me to Jasron, which meant rarely seeing my parents and losing the free life I cherished. My parents only had me. What would they do if I left?

I shook my head firmly. "No, I won't marry you."

My mom, hearing this, dropped the vegetables she was holding and grabbed a feather duster, ready to scold me. "Pattie, what nonsense are you talking about? Are you out of your mind?"

My dad stepped in front of me. "Honey, Gavin is still here."

I cried out, "I don't want to go to Jasron. I want to stay with Mom and Dad."

I saw my mom secretly wipe away a tear. "You foolish child, who would give up a life of wealth and honor?"

I stomped my feet and wailed, "I won't marry him. I want to stay with my parents forever."

In the end, my mom ignored my protests and forced me onto Gavin's horse. Before leaving, she handed me a bundle of clothes, saying it was my wedding gift.

Gavin was in a hurry to return to Jasron to report for duty, so there could be no wedding ceremony.

I cried as I opened the bundle. Who knows how many nights my mom had stayed up sewing it? Her sewing skills were still terrible; I couldn't tell if the embroidery on the bra was of swans or ducks.

We rode on horseback for half a month, and I vomited until my stomach was empty.

At night, we would rest against the horse, light a campfire, and watch the stars and the moon. Gavin told me about his years in the army.

He said that three years ago, the current Emperor was a neglected Prince, sent to the frontier to lead battles. Once, their camp was ambushed, and the Prince was captured by the enemies. Gavin had sneaked into the enemy camp at night and rescued the Prince. Since then, he had followed the Prince through many battles.

When his two-year term was up, he asked the Prince for leave to come back and marry me. The Prince said, "You have nothing now. Do you want the girl to suffer with you? Why not stay for another two years and help me conquer the country? Then I'll grant you an official position, a mansion, and a fortune. You can marry her in grand style."

Gavin thought it made sense and stayed, but it turned into three more years. He said he thought of me every day in the army but felt he needed to earn his title to marry me in the grand way the Emperor had promised.

He said he wanted me to be the most admired young woman in the world.

I asked Gavin, "What if I had married someone else by the time you came back?"

Gavin said he had asked the Prince the same question. The Prince replied, "By then, you'll be a great general. Just bring her back by force."