Page 78 of Love Me Forever

“Now you wonder if you should believe Royce.”

“He is not who I thought,” she said sadly.

“Who did you think he was?”

“A warrior with a tender, caring nature and a man who simply wanted to love and be loved.”

“Has your opinion of him changed?” Moira asked.

Brianna remained silent in thought.

“Does he not wish to love and be loved?”

“He was not honest with me.”

“He spoke not of his exploits, the battles he fought; he spoke as a man, a man who simply wished to love. Was that wrong of him?”

Brianna had no answer.

“What if he had confided the truth to you? Would you have feared him? Would you have judged him differently? Would you have wanted to remain alone with him in that cottage?”

“When I first looked upon his injured face, I screamed. I thought him a demon. He spoke softly to me and assured me that he meant me no harm. His touch was gentle and now . . .” Her words drifted off and she grew silent.

Moira finished for her. “And now you wonder how a legendary warrior could touch with such gentleness when his hand wields a mighty sword.”

“I sometimes think him two men.”

“Sometimes men must be two men. Your brother must harden his heart at times when decisions must be made, and that is not easy for him, for he is a caring man and loves deeply.”

“Then do I accept the two sides of Royce?”

“I cannot answer for you. I can tell you that it is not easy for them carrying such a heavy responsibility. I would not want to make some of the choices presented to them. I would not want to know that I sent men to die.”

Brianna recalled the story of Royce’s wounds and how he had chosen to chance death so that his men could live. She sighed heavily. “I do not know why this troubles me so. Royce is courageous, honorable, and truthful in his intentions.”

“Then what prevents you from wedding him? You were insistent that you would never again wed a handsome man, and his scars have seen to altering his fine features.”

Brianna immediately defended Royce. “He is a fine looking man even with his scars.”

Moira smiled. “Then what is the problem?”

Brianna did not need time to think. She knew the answer—had known it—but had refused to admit it. She whispered, “Me.”

Moira simply nodded.

“I am stubborn.”

“It is not always easy to admit our own faults, and besides, you are not stubborn, you are?—”

“Determined,” Brianna finished with a soft laugh.

“Why are you determined not to wed Royce?”

“It is not that I do not wish to wed him.”

“Then again, what is the problem? You say you love him and you do wish to wed him, so why do you hesitate?”

Brianna understood that Moira questioned her so that she would question herself, but the answers did not come easily. “I have repeatedly asked myself that.”