He found her in the parlor, sitting near the window that faced the old oak tree. He imagined her as a little girl with braids in her hair and scrapes on her knees as she scrambled up the friendly giant. He sees the mishchivies glint of that little girl whom now, fully blossomed, sits by the window with a book in hand.
She hasn't looked up. He doesn't want her to.
She's a vision he must commit to memory. She, his muse, remaining perched as he brushed broad strokes in his minds eye. The painter's brush blends the drizzles of chocolate brown, the shine of copper and the glittering flecks of gold that together become the crown of hair perched atop her head. The painter takes gentle care to add the faint splotches of light brown flecks, a constelation on an alabaster sky. The painter pauses to mix the white and red pigmants upon his pallette to create thin, ever smirking lips.
She cocked her head to the side as her brows creased ever so slightly. Her audience assumes the story in her mind must be teasing towards a climax.
The painter dipped the tip of his brush into obsidian, he must accentuate the shadows casted by the muscles in her long, elegant neck.
He leaned forward as once more the beauty of the muse has bestilled the painter's heart. The floor boards creaked and the observation had ended. Blue eyes dart from the page to the man.
"Oh" she released a sharp gasp
"I wish not to frighten you" he assured quickly
She stands.
"I apologize Commander, why did Kes not introduce you? I…" The Lady searched the room as she listend for the bustling about of her dutiful maid.
"Please, My Lady, do not be cross with the girl. I asked her to leave you be. I wished for privacy along with your audiance. May I?…" The Commander gestured to the window sill.
"Oh, please" Lady Janeway replied quickly before the two took perch side by side, bathed in the midmorning light.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" The Lady inquired
A pause. A breath. A silent prayer.
"My Lady, I am not a man of great wealth but I make a decent living. I am not a pious man but I can comfortably say that I am in good standing with my God. I am not a perfect man but I pray you may consider me a good man, a noble man."
"Commander Chakotay, I consider you a great man of honor."
"To hear such words give me great joy I…" The Commander stands deep in his unassuradness as he turns away "Forgive me. Very rarely do my words fail me."
"Commander" Lady Janeway replied softly "You will only find kindness in my counsol."
Commander Chakotay, leader of the Maquis Twenty Fourth Regional Army had faced the demons of war and returned victorious. Commander Chakotay had been described as unfathobly unshakable and known for his incredible stoicism. This dark haired stranger rarely fell to weakness no matter the cruelty or cunningness of his enemy. Yet, naturally, with the humor of the Lord, the unshakable Commander Chakotay found himself breathless in the presence of the fair creature before him.
For a moment, Commander Chakotay turned to look out the window as once more he pondered the large oak, towaring over the Janeway estate.
"You spoke of this tree in your letters" he stated softly "You spoke of climbing it as a child. I very much adored your letters, I savored your writings, your thoughts. I have witnessed the chilling acts of war and for a time I feared the evils of what I have witnessed would consume me. But then…I would recieve a letter and from that I remained willing to go forward….."
His eyes drifted down to the woman staring up at him.
"I am in awe of you, Kathryn. Your mind, your soul, your beauty is the garden of Eden. Kathryn. I am bound to you. To be frank, Lady Janeway, you bewitch me and I can not…I will not survive another day if I do not ask for your hand in marriage."
"Chako…" the words she wished to speak were lost in a gasp for air as tears glittered against sapphire eyes.
Slowly, Commander Chakotay sank to bended knee.
"Lady Janeway, if you agree to be my wife you will take my name, bear my children and join my house. But I beg you to understand, I will forever be a wretched soul helplessly under your spell. I am yours completely until The Lord may claim my soul. Yours, Kathryn. If you agree, I promise you that."
"I agree" Lady Janeway wept "with all that I am, I agree."
With the promise of the union sealed in their hearts the lovers kissed and the heavens sang.