The Lady or the Tiger?

He walked confidently toward the two doors. His love would not let him down. In that brief instant their eyes had met, he knew what she had planned. He looked up at her and enjoyed her heavenly beauty once more. Oh, how he loved her! He watched as her golden hair swayed softly as a light breeze moved through the arena. Her eyes glittered blue-grey like the sea during a mighty storm. When she smiled, she looked like a majestic goddess, but now her sensual lips were pursed with a seriousness he had rarely seen in her. Her eyes blazed with the passionate fire of jealousy, and for one moment, he doubted her decision. As quickly as the doubt had appeared, it disappeared, leaving in its place a feeling that he could trust the object of his passionate love. He would continue to love her even if a malicious tiger came bounding out of the door she had chosen for him.
He closed his eyes, breathed in the dusty air of the arena as if it were his last breath, and slowly walked towards the door the princess had indicated. The arena was silent as the grave; no one breathed or dared to break the sacred quietness in the moments before the young man decided his fate. He opened the door quickly and then jumped back, prepared to fight the tiger if he must. Instead of the expected beast jumping out of the door, a young woman walked out of the door and shyly crept up to her groom. Her dark hair had been swept up and woven with pearls, and she wore a light pink gown that brought out the timid blush in her cheeks. The self-proclaimed innocent man looked up at his princess and saw her already glassy eyes begin to fill with unbidden tears. Just as quickly, her face suddenly became a cold mask of revulsion. She whispered something to the young servant girl at her side, who immediately got up and left to do what she was told. He knew what he must do, though it grieved him so. He ceremoniously led his bride to the middle of the arena where the priest waited. After a few words were said, the almost-condemned criminal was now a married man. He deliberately walked his bride to the exit on his left arm.
He observed her and saw that her radiant smile beamed with happiness that he could not even begin to imagine feeling at that moment. As they approached the exit, he felt guilt. This girl had done nothing to him or the princess. She had been chosen to be his bride, and he was not about to let her suffer the consequences of a barbaric princess’s jealousy. He inconspicuously switched sides with his bride and put his arm around her to protect her from anything that would harm her. As he did so, she looked up at him with eyes that brimmed with youthfulness and innocence. When he saw her large brown eyes, his heart almost burst with love and compassion. He would have learned to love her, this young doe who was so ready for a life with a loving husband of her own. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the confused look of the hired killer as well as the sharp object that glittered in his hand. He could not let this innocent girl die; neither could he live as her husband for the jealous princess would certainly kill her. Thoughts reeled through his mind until he finally came to decision. With a swift, almost imperceptible movement, the groom grabbed the knife and jabbed it into the flesh near his own ribs. Incredible pain blinded him as he fell to the ground from whence he had come.
The young bride gasped in horror as a crimson stain spread on her husband’s silk shirt. Was she to be widowed the very day of her wedding? She heard screams and looked up just as the king fell from his seat, an arrow protruding from his wrinkled forehead. She grew faint as she saw her husband’s blood pool on the dusty ground. With whatever strength she still possessed, she dragged the deadweight body of her Prince Charming to the carriage.
He awoke to a searing pain near his ribs, and slowly blinked open his eyes. He saw a young woman seated above him, her eyes closed as she silently breathed a prayer of thanks to her Creator for sparing her husband’s life. A smile graced her tender lips, brightening her tear-stained face. She slowly leaned down and planted a sweet kiss upon his cracked lips. The love and devotion she had shown him in caring for him far surpassed the petty infatuation which the princess had felt for him. He unexpectedly realized that he already loved this woman! His eyes weighed heavily, and he slowly closed them as he began to dream of a wonderful future with his breathtaking wife.
She looked down at his peaceful, sleeping face as her heart overflowed with love for him. He knew nothing of the troubles that would come now that the barbaric princess was queen. They would be running for their lives, but she knew they would be together; that was all that mattered.