
Farida looked the other way. Looking far ahead. It is as if we are recalling a past time.
"It's not easy to forget everything. The ridicule, the verbal and non-verbal torture, the abuse they were doing, as well as the hurtful words, all still vividly remembered in my eyes. I'm still trying to forgive, even if it's hard."
"However, I will never forgive what they did to my mother. Killed him. Mother and child are the culprits" Farida said with teeth clashing against each other.
"I wanted to kill and finish them off, but Brother Hanafi prevented me from doing that. He told me what I would do if it wouldn't make me happy. It's just dirtying my hand and it's going to affect Lana's happiness. Everyone will say that Lana's mother is a murderer" Farida said.
"Because of Lana, I'm still holding myself back. Just because of Lana, I'm trying to stay calm. Just because Lana ...."
"You accepted this marriage?" ask Emperor.
Farida remained silent. The emperor cupped Farida's little face.
"Have you never loved me for a moment?"
Farida looked down unwillingly to look at the Emperor's face.
"I don't know what love is. All I know is that love only makes people stupid. Just like my mother who became a fool for loving my father."
"I'm willing to be a fool if I can be with you" said the Emperor.
Farida's head was raised, she stared into the Emperor's eyeballs. Find the truth there.
"You're just obsessed with my body, not me."
The Emperor took Farida's hand and placed it on his chest.
"Oh, come on, Farida. How can you believe that I love you, should I give my life to you so that you understand how deep my love is for you."
"I'm sorry, I don't believe this love and marriage is just a compromise for me" Farida said.
"Compromise, you call our marriage a compromise?" The Emperor could hardly believe hearing that from Farida's mouth.
"You got me cornered, you had no choice but to marry you."
"What's so true, Farida, after everything I've done and you call this sacred relationship a compromise?"
"Yes, you have the advantage of marrying me. I'll be a good wife as long as you're good to me. I will be a faithful and obedient wife as long as you can be a good priest to our family."
"Then what's your advantage?" ridicule Emperor.
"Lana can live together with a whole and happy family."
"Damn! You ruined our first night's pleasure with a word of compromise" the Emperor said.
"If you don't like it, we can get divorced." The word was so easy to glide from Farida's lips.
The Emperor stared intently at Farida.
"Until any time I will never let you go" said the Emperor. "If you exchange my love for a word of compromise. For now I accept it, but I'll make sure next time you'll tell me you love me so much."
"Why should we talk about love if marriage without love alone can. The important thing is that we can work together to form this family."
The Emperor was very worried by Farida's words. However, he did not want to be rash by hastily pressuring Farida to love him. Let that love grow with the time together they go through. Everything will happen in its time. Just waiting for that time to come.