Bab 181: Chapter 181
"Wake up, nightingale. We land in an hour." Erik said, tucking Pearl's hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep." Pearl said.
"Never apologize for doing something as human as sleeping." Erik said, kissing her.
The plane touched down in Paris and Pearl was so excited to see the city that she could barely sit still.
Charles helped them off of the jet and a car was waiting for them as they stepped down from the stairs.
The penthouse suite at the Hotel Le Royal Monceau was beautiful. "Wow, Erik." Pearl said as she walked into the room.
"Yes. It is lovely, isn't it?" Erik said.
There were three large vases set up in the suite that were filled with roses. Each vase had a card with Pearl's name on it. She turned and looked at Erik. "Well, better get to it, then." He said.
She took the first card and opened it. It was an invitation to the state dinner hosted by the French ambassador in Erik's honor at the British Embassy in Paris the following evening. She looked at him with surprise. "Erik, are you sure this is something I should go to?"
"You are my plus one. Yes." He said. He knew his Father wouldn't be happy about it but he didn't care in the least bit. He understood tradition but it was the new new millennia and times had changed. Erik had attended these things and did everything by the book for 33 years, his Father could handle it.
She walked to the next arrangement and opened the card. This was an invitation to Buckingham palace to have lunch and meet his and her royal majesty, the King and Queen of England on Friday, before the commonwealth parade and event. Erik smiled at her and motioned her to the next one.
She opened it and found a hand written letter inside. "Thank you for coming to Europe with me. I love you, Erik." She smiled at him and gave him a big hug, and kissing him. A knock on the door interrupted them.
Erik opened the door, and Pearl saw the the stylist from Rome that helped Pearl with her ball gown.
"Your royal highness." She said with a curtsey. She looked at Pearl and bowed. "Madam. Yes. I know. It's me, again." The stuffy British woman said. "We can't have you on a prince's arm without following the code of conduct. This is a different ball game now, or however you Americans say it." She said. Pearl giggled and Erik shook his head.
"These dresses are for your choosing while you are here. These are crown approved, which is necessary. This is an official state visit for his royal highness." She said. Pearl nodded to let them both know she understood. "I will be back tomorrow for the state dinner preparations." She said and left.
"You have to know how odd this is for me." Pearl said.
"Yes. I understand." Erik said.
"But I know it's part of the package." She said, smiling.
"I'm sincerely happy that you understand. However; I wouldn't care if you told me and the traditions to go bugger ourselves. I would still feel exactly the same about you." Erik said. "Let's go over some of the rules and proper etiquette so you will feel more comfortable during our visit."
Pearl listened as Erik filled her in on his duties and rules and things that would be helpful for her to know. It was a quick lesson and Pearl knew she needed much more time to fully understand everything.
Pearl smiled and thanked him and Erik told her to take some time and get settled.
"Get dressed, have a dinner date tonight." Erik said an hour later, kissing her hand. Pearl smiled. "Oh really?"
"Yes", he said. "And he is incredibly impatient to show you off. So you better get to it." He said.
Pearl laughed and told him she would be back in a few minutes.
She looked through the stylish and elegant dresses the stylist had left and chose the Stella McCartney Evelyn dress, a full length, form fitting black sleeveless mermaid dress. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail, added a winged eyeliner and lip gloss and put on a pair of chandelier earrings. She barely recognized herself when she looked on the mirror.
"My god." Erik said, wearing another impeccable tailored suit, as he watched Pearl walk to him from across the room. "You look stunning."
Pearl blushed and put her head down. "Thank you." She said. "You do, too."
"Before we go, I want to talk to you about something." He said, taking her hand and sitting her down on the sofa. "I know you are used to photographers and paparazzi. But here, and in London, especially on official visits, it is so much worse. They will pick you apart and a lot of what they say could be hurtful and ugly. They were awful to my mum for many years because she wasn't from a wealthy family. You, you will be persecuted even more. But I want you to know that I love you. And no matter what happens, I will always fiercely defend you." He kissed her hands and looked into her eyes. "I mean it. You mean so much to me."
"It's ok. I've developed very think skin, I can handle it." She said. "Thank you for the warning. And for caring about me so much."
The arrived at Atelier Maître Albert and Charles opened the door for them. Someone had tipped off the press of their plans and photographers swarmed outside on the sidewalk. Erik took Pearl's hand and led her inside quickly. He had arranged a few tables to be reserved near each other so they would have privacy. They were led into a small area of the restaurant at a table in front of a large stone fireplace. The ambiance was second to none. A waiter approached them and Erik ordered them wine, speaking in French.
"How many languages do you speak?" Pearl asked.
"Five." He said.
"So, tell me Pearl.." Erik began. "Why me?"
Pearl looked at him for moment, checking to see if he was being serious or joking.
"Why you?" She asked.
"Yes. Is that not a common question when one decides to be committed to someone?" Erik asked.
"Yes, but..." she started to say.
"Pearl, I may be wrong, but you give me the impression that my nobility means absolutely nothing when it comes to your feelings for me. So, pretend I am a barista at a coffee shop. That is my job. Not any less noble, I might add, and tell me... why have you chosen me as the man in your life. Why is it me?" He looked as serious as a heart attack. She couldn't imagine him being the kind of man that needed reassurance but he was that, a man, and she wanted to answer him as honestly as she could.
The waiter returned and Pearl was relieved for the moment to breathe before her answer. Erik ordered for them in French and Pearl trusted his taste.
"Where were we... ah yes. Why me?" Erik said.
Pearl took a deep breath and decided to tell him exactly what she felt, even if it freaked him out to the point of being too much for him.
"It's you. You're the one. I feel it in my body and mind, like a chemical reaction. You are kind, chivalrous, intelligent, witty and good and you are a passionate, responsive and selfless lover. You are afraid that you cannot love anyone properly and because of that, you love harder and better than anyone I have ever met. You fought so hard to let someone in and love them, that when you finally did, you fulfilled a promise you made to yourself to honor it to the fullest and I feel it." She began, "And it's not only what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. For the part of me that you brought out in such a short time and that you continue to bring out every single day. You put your hand into my heaped-up, damaged and bleeding heart and passed over all the foolish, weak things that most people can't help dimly seeing there. And you drew out into the light all of the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find. You have done more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You have done it by simply being yourself and giving parts of yourself to me that I have had the honor to know and be privy to, and that is what being a friend and partner truly is. That is what love is." Pearl said. Erik looked at her in complete amazement and shock. "I have been used to people being ashamed or afraid to love me out loud, but you shout your pride in being by my side from the rooftops." She said and then quoted JRR Tolkien,
"And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many."
Pearl looked up at Erik and saw tears falling down his cheeks. He took a napkin and wiped them away and put his hand over his mouth, looking like he had been struck by lightening. He took a minute to compose himself but Pearl could still see him trembling.
"No one has ever said anything like that to me before. No one." He said. "I can't even find words to explain what I am feeling right now, hearing that. That is not the answer I expected."
Pearl looked at him and smiled. "You asked me a question and I wanted to answer it as honestly and clearly as I could. You deserve that." She said.
"No one will ever deserve you." He said.
"Your turn. Why me?" She asked.
Without missing a beat, he answered.
"Why anyone else when you exist?" He said.
And in one line, he now completely owned her,
heart and soul. She felt her heart would burst it was so full of love for the man sitting across from her.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone