“I informed Tyka of my choice this morning,” Belle whispered to Bran. “I chose you, if you are willing…”

Bran’s brain didn't immediately comprehend what the young woman was telling him; his thinking was still wrapped around King, Annie, and the latter's apparent infatuation with the former. 

When Belle's words finally penetrated his thick skull, Bran felt an anxious chill run up his spine. Without realizing he was doing it, he asked with shock, “[i]Me…? Really?[/i]”

Bran really shouldn't have been surprised. As Tyka the Matchmaker had told Belle, Bran really was a good choice to father a child with her. He'd fathered 16 children across five villages over the past two decades, and with the exception of three who'd died young of accidental causes, all were living healthy lives. Four of them – 3 young women and 1 young man – had even had children of their own, making him a grandfather. 

Bran’s surprise had nothing to do with whether or not he was a good candidate for passing his genes onto another generation. No, his surprise was simply that Belle, a beautiful, 19 year old virgin who was well-chased by every horny young man in this village and several others, had picked the 43 year old father of her best friend to [i]make a baby[/i]  with her.

Bran suddenly realized that his cock was getting hard. [I]Arranged breeding[/i] wasn't about sexual pleasure, of course. It was about bringing forth the new and healthy generation of Human Beings. Still, how could a man look at  beautiful, sexy Belle, knowing he was going to soon be inside of her, and not get hard. C’mon, [i]really?[/i]

“You accept,” Belle tempted as Bran’s brain was still wrestling with the reality of it all, “and I'll tell you what your daughter said about the stranger.”

She giggled, which made Bran smile, then laugh. He told her with a sincere tone, “It would be my honor, Belle.”