Written February 7th 2022 7:53 PM
It was Xiv who prompted Ailith to finally make a move, and they had a point. Ailith had brought up wanting to ask Feyra a question weeks ago, but the timing never felt right. Really, Ailith kept coming up with excuses to not ask Feyra her big, important question when she should have been focusing on all the reasons she should ask. Like the fact that she couldn’t picture her life with anyone else, and that Feyra had changed her life for the better in so many different ways, and Ailith just wanted Feyra to know how devoted she was to her. Reasons like that.
When everyone was making their way to bed, Ailith pulled Feyra aside. “Walk with me?” she asked, painfully aware of just how sweaty her palms had become.
“Sure, yeah.”
They walked in silence away from the house, into the trees. Moonlight lit their way, allowing Ailith to lead Feyra to a small clearing. She stopped then, nervously turning to face the redhead where she stood with an expectant look on her face. Ailith reached into her pocket, running her fingers over the edge of the folded piece of parchment she had been carrying with her for weeks now. Feyra’s eyes tracked her movement, her eyebrows pulling together. Ailith pulled out the parchment and unfolded it with a deep breath.
“Feyra. Love,” she began, her voice shaking. “I wanted to write my thoughts down because I know that if I tried to do this without planning it out I would get lost. So here we are. I know before we fought Hostrasz I had this big dramatic moment where I told you I had a question to ask you after everything was over, and that I wanted to hear your answer.” A quick glance at Feyra revealed her to be nodding her head in exasperation. Ailith’s mouth quirked into a small smile as she continued, “I meant that, but it just never felt right. So much happened in the aftermath of that fight, and I wanted this to be perfect but then I realized it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if this is perfect, because life isn’t and we sure as all the hells aren’t either.
It’s no secret that my life hasn’t exactly been normal, and neither has yours. I’m thankful for that for so many reasons — number one being it means I got to meet you in the first place. And that chance meeting in the woods is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. For once though, I want something normal for us.” Ailith paused, reaching into vest pocket and bringing out the ring Xiv had helped her make all those weeks ago. Feyra let out a shaky breath, her hands raised to her chest. “I made this ring from the bone of the goddess of love — I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, given what I intend it to be used for.” Ailith smirked at Feyra, who gave a wet laugh. The half-elf’s eyes were tear filled, and Ailith rushed to keep reading before she couldn’t see the words through her own tears.
“Marriage seems like such a silly notion, given that we’re in the business of saving the world. So, I don’t want to ask you to marry me. Instead, I’m asking you to choose life with me. To show everyone that you are mine and I am yours. Through this life and into the next. Because nothing would make me happier, truly. So, Feyra Amberwood, reluctant Lady of Dragontower. What do you say? Will you do forever with me?”
Ailith looked up, still holding the ring in her hand, twin tears making tracks down her face. Feyra moved swiftly towards her, her own face wet, and freckled, and beautiful. She grabbed Ailith’s face in her hands and pulled her down to her level, pressing their lips together. Ailith tasted the salt of Feyra’s tears mixing with her own and hummed into the kiss. She pulled back, moving her hand from where it was trapped between them.
“So… is that a yes then?” She murmured, reaching out to take Feyra’s left hand. She waited, the ring hovering at the tip of Feyra’s finger.
“Yes, it’s a yes. Of course it’s a yes, you perfect, beautiful idiot,” Feyra replied, shaking her hand impatiently. Laughing, Ailith slid the ring onto Feyra’s finger, not at all surprised to find it fit perfectly. Xiv was good. She took a second to admire the sight of the emeralds glinting softly in the moonlight, the way they contrasted with Feyra’s skin. Ailith shook her head slightly, hardly believing that this was her life, that she could be so lucky. Feyra didn’t let her sink too deeply into her thoughts, however. She was already threading her fingers into Ailith’s hair, using the leverage to tug Ailith down to her again.
They woke in the clearing to the sound of birdsong as the sun rose. Feyra’s arm was thrown over Ailith’s shoulders, and the first thing Ailith saw as she opened her eyes was the ring. The carved vines were clear in the daylight, and it looked even better than it had the night before. She couldn’t help the huge grin that spread on her face as she rolled over to face Feyra. The redhead was watching her with a soft smile.
“Good morning,” she whispered, moving to card her fingers through Ailith’s hair.
“Good morning,” Ailith murmured back, grabbing Feyra’s hand and kissing it gently. This was the first day of their forever and it stretched before them, shining as brightly as the sun.
Here, There, and Everywhere 