Arranged marriage to the princess of the Red Scorpions
Chapter 18 - May I Borrow..

The next morning Samuel woke up early than he had the previous morning the expectation that he was going to have to be ready to make breakfast for Lena and with it only being the second day, he didn't want to make her wait again.

However, much to his surprise once he had taken a shower and made himself presentable, he found himself eating breakfast alone as Lena had early morning matters to take care of and didn't have time for breakfast. Samuel felt some kind of way which he wasn't certain if it was offense or hurt over the fact that she hadn't let him know the might before that he didn't have to worry about breakfast for. Then again though, it was possible that the little queen herself hadn't even know until this morning that she would have to opt out of breakfast.

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Clive was the one who had let him know and presented him with his meal in the dinning room, but when he tried to ask what she was doing, he simply smiled and told him that he wasn't yet able to speak about family business matters with him until after the engagement was determined. Samuel frowned at this response, but his down mood was quickly fixed when he began to eat. Breakfast was far lighter than the dinner the night before had been with it only consisting of a number of different breakfast rolls, savory and sweet and a side of eggs. Before that morning, Samuel never knew that eggs could taste so good. He was going to have to ask Ryan what he did to add such depth of flavor to the food.

He figured that even if he didn't have to make Lena breakfast on this particular morning, there were still five other days after this one that she might expect him to wait on her. Plus, he had an idea to visit Ryan for something else that might become an important part of his plan to ask the princess to do something with him. That was if she would end up having enough free time to leave the Red Scorpion's estate? Grounds? he wasn't sure exactly what to call it but he knew he was probably going to have to also talk to her father about it before he brought it up to her.

He wasn't sure yet how the other might react to the request or if he would even trust him to go off with his daughter for a day without someone tailing them. Samuel kind of understood the need for an escort, Lena was someone very important to the family especially as it was intended for her to take over when her father retired. On the other hand though, he hoped that the older man would approve of them being allowed to go on their own with the agreement of some time of constant contact. He hoped that maybe the little queen would warm up to him a little more if it was just the two of them without anyone from her family/organization around and instead it was a few of his good friends who he was certain would have no problem with her tagging along once they saw what she was like.

After eating, Samuel took a while to rest in one of the guest rooms as he considered his plan after texting his family and Roger to let them know how things were going. He couldn't deny that he missed his family and felt that no matter how much time spent away from them that that wasn't going to change. He had briefly considered asking if they would be willing to move closer to him if Lena went through with agreeing to marry him, but he dismissed this thought relatively quickly when he realized that it wouldn't be a very fair request even though he doubted Zane would have a problem helping support them once they became family. It was more that he knew his parents would probably not feel comfortable being so close to such an organization when considering the risks that it would include. After all, they still had two younger children that they needed to consider and a place such as this despite how nice it was wouldn't be the safest space for them.

He instead just told himself that he would figure things out one way or another and visit them as often as he could if they got married. Although, in the back of his mind when he saw how busy the family around him was, he doubted that once he was in the middle of everything that he would get much of a chance to visit anyone who didn't live near by.

Pushing his thoughts aside he continued to scan through his phone until he found what he was looking for. It was a recipe that he was fairly certain that Lena would enjoy and with Ryan's cooking expertise, he was certain that the other would be able to help him make it. He needed to have a backup to sway Lena's mind if she refused his request. Service through food was something he was really to offer in comparison to some of the other things that he was certain she might request if he offered to do something in exchange that she wanted.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to replace you here this early in the morning." Samuel was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of Zane's voice. The business attire that the man was wearing somehow made him more intimidating in comparison to the casual clothes that he had been wearing the night before. "Are you adjusting well to everything here so far? I know that it is probably quite different to anything you have been exposed to before." Samuel did his best to return the kind smile that the other had offered.

"Yes I am, thank you sir. It is different, but I wouldn't necessarily say that everything about the adjustment isn't bad." He wanted to be honest without being rude, but by the way the other chuckled if he knew what he had meant when he said that. Zane chose to sit down in the chair opposite from where Samuel was sitting. This meant that the younger of the two wouldn't be able to expect to leave any time soon and as the older was expecting them to have a chat.

"I would expect that by the way you speak, you mean that it hasn't been the easier to get used to being around Lena. My daughter is certainly a force to be reckoned with." Zane mused as he opened a door of a stand that was placed near a chair, a marble vase with bright flower arrangement was perched on top of it. He pulled out a pipe and gave the other a small smile. "I hope you don't mind me smoking so early in the morning. The older I get the more soothing I replace it to be." Samuel gave a response that let the other know he wasn't bothered by it. Lighting the pipe and taking a deep breath, he blew the smoke out before he spoke again. "What do you think about the possibility of making the relationship work?" Samuel had certainly not been expecting such a straight forward question from the other.

"Honestly Sir, I cannot say. I have only known her for a little over a day. Even with a week, I don't think I will fully have an answer to that question, but I will go along with whatever Lena's decision is."

"Good answer, but you don't need to keep up with the sir, Zane is fine. After all we might be becoming family soon. If I am being honest, I hope you're able to convince my daughter to say yes. It might sound extremely selfish to say this, but I think it would best for you two to end up getting married."

"Is she that much against it?" the younger inquired as Zane took another puff off the pipe.

"There are reason for it, but yes. If she had her way, I am certain that she would chose to never get married after taking over." The laugh he let out sounded more bitter and humorless than amused. "But, I gave her a condition for taking over that she couldn't refuse. She has to at least give you a chance before she says no right off the bat." Samuel processed what the other said before he aske his next question.

"Is that where this one week trial came from all of the sudden?"

"Very sharp. That's exactly what it is about. She agreed to a week to see how things would turn out."

"What if she doesn't agree?" This was the question Samuel wanted to know the answer to, but at the same time he was concerned about the reply he would get.

"I haven't considered what the end result of that option would be yet." Zane answered honestly, this didn't help the other at all. "I've been betting on the fact that after this week should change her mind or at least agree to scheduling the date for the wedding and everything will move forward from there."

"So everything is still at the wait and see stage." Zane glanced over at the other, he could tell by the way he spoke that he wasn't pleased to hear this or rather worried.

"I'm not an unfair person if that is what you're thinking. I have my reasons for doin certain things, but they aren't always born out of unfair or selfish motives. If they were, I could've easily forced your parents to pay me back and demand that their first born married my daughter along with at if that was what I really wanted. My wife didn't exactly approve of my terms, but she didn't dissuade me from my decision either."

"My parents have never talked about being resentful over the situation. I don't know if that is just because they wanted me to not come into this situation with a negative perspective or what the reason is." Samuel admitted as Zane continued to smoke the pipe thoughtful.

"It isn't easy to give up a child, but the situation that they were in would've been far worse if they hadn't accepted my offer. I am sure though they have their own mixed feelings about it. While I asked about you myself, except for name, I never told my daughter anything as I didn't want her to formed any opinions about you before she met you."

"Should I have expected that her reaction would've been worse to me if she knew what I was like beforehand?"

"That's a good question. She probably would've threw out a number of excuses why it wasn't worth her time meeting because based on one of many reasons she'd have said she already knew it wasn't going to work." Zane put out the pipe and carefully wiped it off and make sure it was clean before he returned it to the draw. "I wouldn't say that the situation is bleak however, just difficult to navigate. I am sure that if everything works, she'll explain some things to you." As he seemed like he was getting ready to leave, Samuel thought this would be the best time to ask his question.

"Actually, there was something that I wanted to ask you. Would it be alright if I borrowed Lena for a few hours tomorrow or the next day, if she and you both agree of course?" Zane didn't say anything in response to the question, but by the raised eyebrow he was given, he took it to mean that the older man was waiting for him to explain why exactly he wanted to borrow his daughter.

"I was hoping that she might agree to go and do paintballing with me and few friends. It's a little ways away from here, and I'm not sure if she'll actually agree, but I think she might replace it fun. Especially if we can go on our own."

"You mean, you want me to entrust my daughter to you entirely without anyone tailing you." It was a statement, not a question from Zane and he crossed his arms when he spoke which made him that much more intimidating to Samuel.

"If you're okay with that." rather than responding right away, the other chose to fix him with a strict stare. He wasn't sure if this was because Zane was considering his request or if he was waiting to hear something else from the other.

"If you can get her to agree, I'll say yes. But in return, you need to stay in touch with me, let me know what friends you'll be with and tell me the location." He finally replied after what seemed like forever. Samuel released the breath he had been holding back once it seemed like the other wasn't upset with him.

"I can provide that information once I talk to Lena and if she agrees." the younger of the two replied.

"Good. Then you just have to make sure nothing happens. Because if its does, I will hold you responsible." With that, the other stood up and left.