Apologies

“Grandfather...!”
The words were flung into the dimly lit room, disrupting the otherwise pleasant ambiance exuded by the merry reflection of the dancing flames against the dark finish of the cherry wood floors and walls.
“Not so loudly my dear child,” the words originated from the far side of a large armchair in front of the hearth. “I am not so young as I once was, true, but my hearing, I can assure you, is as keen as ever.”
“Yes, Grandfather,” the young woman bowed slightly in deference causing her straight brown hair to fall in her face, “I apologize.”
“Well now,” there was a slight chuckle in the words, “there is no need to apologize. It is not quite so heinous an offense, speaking loudly, that is.”
“...”
“Come, child. Join me by the fire. I have no patience for these family gatherings, but it is still lonely in this study with no one to keep me company,” a wrinkled hand reached out to the side of the chair and beckoned for the girl to step forward.
Without hesitation, she complied, moving to plop herself down on the carpet in front of her grandfathers cushy armchair.
He was an ancient man, her grandfather. A man whose face seemed to hold thousands of wrinkles for every sorrow he had experienced, and a twinkle in his eye for every joy. It was a peaceful face, whose owner exuded a sense of wisdom that only those who truly know themselves hold. Besides, noted his granddaughter as she took a look around the room before truly settling in, the books on his shelves weren’t to impress his visitors. She was the only person, aside from her grandmother, who dared to disturb him here without fear of his wrath.
“What seems to be the trouble, my dear?”
“Zorion is out there.”
A small smile crinkled the lines around the old man's lips. “Have you gone and gotten yourselves into yet another fight? Never mind,” he waved his own question aside, “of course you have.”
“I don’t see how I’m supposed to become the wife of such an immature brat,” the adolescent looked downward, to the rug beneath her grandfather’s chair.
“I will admit to not being entirely sure myself. You are, after all, a rather willful young woman who rarely takes no for an answer, as evidenced by your regular escapades into my study. However,” here her grandfather frowned, “you were given a chance to back down from this arrangement quite some time ago, and if I’m not mistake, you chose not to. For whatever reasons seemed important to you at the time.”
“I was guilted into it by grandmamma.” A rather sad but defiant look crossed the child’s face as she added, “All I ever really wanted was a beautiful wedding with friends, family and the man I loved, but I suppose all I’ll get now is a wedding with family at it.”
She seemed rather sullen about that final point.
“You know,” the elderly man smiled gently, “all girls dream of a romantic wedding. It seems to be the core of all childish fantasies for them. However, very rarely does it occur, and even less likely is to last.”
“But grandfather,” the young woman protested, her eyes shiny from unshed tears. This was not exactly how she had wanted this particular conversation to go when she had come here.
“Enough. Listen to me my child,” gently he held his granddaughter’s chin in his hand, forcing her to look him in the eye. “A marriage of convenience this may be, but do not be disheartened. You are young, and if you are never in love with him you may yet still come to love him for who he is.”
“I will never love him,” the girl shook free of her grandfather’s grasp. Wet droplets dashed on the elder man's shirt as her tears were sent flying by the violent motion. “Not like that...” the last words came as a whisper.
The old man look reprovingly at his decendent, “Never say never. It is a very long time, and only one may see the end of it. You are not she...”
“No, but neither are you.”
He smiled, “True. If I were, then I would not be your grandfather, would I, Aundrea?”
Aundrea shook her head, “No. But grandfather...!”
“Hush...” strong arms enveloped the young woman, drying her eyes on a handkerchief, “I see that my teasing has not appeased your heart, however, this is neither the time nor the place for this conversation.”
“When then?”
“After you have apologized for the remarkable harsh words I’m sure that you spoke in your heated anger.”
Aundrea had the grace to blush at her grandfather’s gentle rebuke, “Yes sir.”
“I thought as much,” the words seemed innocent enough but the twinkle in his eyes led Aundrea to think he might be perfectly aware of what had transpired.
She got to her feet slowly, giving her grandfather’s hand one last squeeze before she exited his study.