The proposal
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Part 22: A Promise Beneath the Stars
The night air was cool and crisp as Darion paced nervously beneath the lone tree just outside the barracks. He had faced battlefields, defied a king, and shouldered the weight of impossible decisions, but this… this made his palms sweat.
"Calm down, Darion," he muttered to himself. "She's just Lira. The same Lira who's yelled at you for snoring and outshot you in training. Nothing to be scared of."
He glanced at the small silver ring in his hand, the modest blue stone catching the moonlight. "Except, you know… everything."
"You're talking to yourself again."
Darion nearly jumped, stuffing the ring into his pocket as Lira emerged from the shadows, her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips.
"I wasn't—" he started, then sighed. "How long were you standing there?"
"Long enough to wonder if you've finally lost your mind," she teased, stepping closer. "What's got you so worked up?"
Darion ran a hand through his hair, cursing his inability to keep his cool. "Nothing. Just… thinking."
Lira raised an eyebrow. "You? Thinking? Should I be worried?"
He rolled his eyes, a reluctant grin tugging at his lips. "Funny. You'll be even funnier in a minute."
"Oh, I doubt that," she shot back.
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The Setup
Darion cleared his throat, suddenly serious. "Come with me."
Lira followed him to the tree, her curiosity piqued. She leaned against the trunk, arms still crossed, watching him with that familiar mix of amusement and exasperation.
"So, what's this about?" she asked.
He hesitated, his carefully rehearsed speech evaporating the moment her eyes met his. "Uh… okay. So… you know how you've… uh… been by my side through everything?"
She blinked, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "Is that a question?"
"No. I mean, yes. I mean…" He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I'm really screwing this up."
Lira tilted her head, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "It's kind of adorable, honestly. Keep going."
Darion glared at her, but there was no real heat in it. "Fine. What I'm trying to say is… I wouldn't be standing here without you. You've kept me sane. You've kept me… me."
Her teasing expression softened, and she took a step closer. "Darion…"
He held up a hand, cutting her off. "Let me finish before I lose my nerve."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the ring, holding it up between them. "Lira, will you marry me?"
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The Reaction
Lira stared at the ring, then at him. For a moment, she didn't say anything, and Darion's heart began to race.
"You're serious?" she asked finally, her voice laced with disbelief.
"Of course, I'm serious!" he said, a little louder than he intended. "What kind of idiot would joke about this?"
Her lips twitched. "You, apparently. You're sweating like you're about to charge into battle."
Darion groaned. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"And you're terrible at proposals," she shot back, a grin breaking across her face.
He sighed, shaking his head. "Is that a no, then?"
She laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Of course not, you idiot."
Darion blinked. "Wait… is that a yes?"
"Yes, Darion," she said, taking the ring from his hand. "It's a yes."
He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, relief flooding through him. "You could've just said that from the start, you know."
"But where's the fun in that?" she replied, slipping the ring onto her finger.
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A New Chapter
They sat beneath the tree for hours, teasing each other and talking about the future.
"I can't believe you were nervous," Lira said, leaning against his shoulder.
"I wasn't nervous," he lied.
"You were muttering to yourself when I walked up," she pointed out. "What were you even saying?"
"Nothing important," he said quickly.
"'She's just Lira'?" she mimicked in a mockingly deep voice.
Darion groaned, covering his face with his hands. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Not a chance," she said, her laughter filling the air.
As the first light of dawn painted the sky, Darion felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in years. For the first time, the future didn't feel like a looming shadow—it felt like a promise.
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