'With big pleasure,' I say and bring my horse to a halt. I dismount it and watch the others dismount.
Calem gives all the horses to the warriors and comes to me. He takes my hand and looks into my eyes.
'Here is a cloth for you to sit on, dear Elsie,' I hear Skena's voice, as she comes hurriedly, bringing a rectangle-shaped bright green piece of cloth for me to sit on.
'Thank you very much, Skena, but I prefer sitting on the grass,' I say. 'I like to feel the nature,' I add, as I see the surprised look on her face.
'As you wish,' she says, folding the cloth again and taking it away to put it back into her bag again.
The warriors and Skena leave me and Calem alone on the riverside and go to take a rest a bit far from us. We sit down on the green grass that is full and soft and start looking at the river.
'Elsie, I know that you are not in love with me, but believe me, I will do everything for you to love me as much as I love you,' Calem says, gently taking my hand again. 'You seem to be a soft creature that I want to take care of. I want to protect you everywhere that you go.'
'Calem, I really like you,' I say, as I play with the wrinkles on my tartan earasaid. 'I feel comfortable when I am with you. I appreciate your feelings for me, as well as your readiness to give me home and to protect me. It is really important for me and fills me with positive and warm feelings towards you.'
'You will feel joy and happiness every single day that you spend with me, Elsie,' he takes my both hands into his. 'You will not regret your decision to come with me. I love you so much, that I have never imagined I could love a human.'
I melt with his words. I give his hands a gentle squeeze to let him know how pleasant it is for me to hear those words from his lips. We stay silent for a while, listening to the soft sound of the river and looking into each other's eyes. The more I look at him, the more I feel attracted to him. I am already so much attached to him, that I would never want to let him go. I am happy that I have made the decision to go with him. I think it is the best decision that I have made in my life, including the decisions to come.
'I am sorry to interrupt you,' Skena says timidly, after about an hour has passed in this state. 'But it is almost time for breakfast. Please have something to eat. It will be pleasant to eat by the riverside.'
'Skena, thank you so much,' I say, looking up, as if waking up from a dream. 'If it was not for you, we would have starved most probably,' I add, chuckling. Calem joins in the laughter.
'I will bring your food now,' Skena says willingly and disappears for a few minutes, only to reappear with a tray full of tasty food and beverages.
'Skena, make sure to have some food for yourself and the warriors, as well,' Calem tells her. She nods and goes away.
I take a deep breath, thinking how else happiness is defined. I am thankful to Calem for appearing in my life and making me happy.
'Elsie, please tell me, what is the reason that you do not want to return to your own house,' he tells me, looking gently at me.
I frown for a second, as I remember my uncle. I had totally forgotten about him. I look at Calem and think that I feel I am ready to tell him about my horrible uncle, who was the reason that my sister and I left our own and beloved house.
'Elsie, my sunshine, if there is something that you do not want to tell me, then please do not tell me,' he says. 'I have no idea what may be wrong with your own house, and that is why I am asking.'
'I have no parents, as you already know,' I reply. 'Both of them are dead. I have an uncle, who lives there, at my house.'
'So? Is your uncle the reason?' He raises his eyebrows and looks at me questioningly.
'Yes, he is. Uncle Murgan is the worst person in the world,' I say, getting angry, as I remember Uncle Murgan again. 'He wants the property, and he is ready for anything to get the lands to himself. He tried to do everything, but did not succeed, so he took a horrible step.'
'What did he do?' Calem sits upright, eager to hear the rest of the story.
'He decided to marry Megan by force, so that the property would become his own,' I reply. 'And, to make himself stronger, he decided to get closer with his ally, by marrying me to him, by force, of course.'