The Most Challenging Battle

By: Sorano and Allen

Introduction: Back from a wearisome campaign, valorous Prontera Knight Rhei Tavandil initiates a challenge that would decide his fate once and for all. He's armed and he's dangerous… dangerous at least, to the beautiful smith's heart.

Author #1's Note: This was done a while back and since it's a co-op, it's not up to my (Sorano) usual standards. It's unusually short for my average, but I thought it was cute so I put it up here.

Disclaimer: I don't own any company, nor do I collect royalties for Ragnarok Online. Fanfiction is nonprofit.

He paced back and forth in his quarters endlessly, the white cloak signifying him as a knight of Prontera fluttering out behind him. As a knight, it was his duty to be at the vanguard of every assault, at the end of every retreat. He had faced down wave after wave of undead, orc, and demon in more battles than he can possibly count; yet he was more nervous at this time than he had ever been in his life. The helm he always wore now rested on the bed, watching his every move. The many dents and scratches on its surface told of the rough life it had lead, and now it sat stoically, useless in the skirmish Rhei was about to enter.

He was to propose to Kityana when she returned from her forge.

The room seemed to close in on him as he dropped himself onto the massive four-post bed.

He knew he was just imagining things, the room itself was well furnished; a couch to one side on which a person can rest while reading a novel from one of the many bookcases situated about the room, a large table upon which were strewn various maps of the land, and a set of doors leading out to the balcony. It was a nice room, even among the other officer's quarters, though quite possibly it was given to him because of the fact that he was with Kityana. He remembered the quartermaster's knowing grin quite vividly as the man gave him the key to his new room. "I think this room will do you two a lot better," he had said. Well, to tell the truth, the man had been right. The only downside was that everyone else viewed the two as a married couple even before this day. That was four months ago when she had moved in with him.

Footsteps rushing down the hallway making a slight slapping sound as they went made him tense up; she was a little late getting home, so if those steps were her now… The doorknob fumbled and he launched himself at it to help the door open. A sopping mess fell into his arms as it tripped over the threshold.

"Rhei!"

Deceptively strong arms caught him around the neck and hugged him close, pressing him against Kityana's rather soaked body. She threatened to squeeze the air from his lungs until he caught her up too and hugged back. Now they were both wet. "Why do you look like you just climbed out of the water fountain in the city square?" He stepped back to look at the blacksmith who had charmed him.

Water dripped down from the locks of chocolate brown hair that had escaped the confines of her beloved goggle headgear. More water dripped from her frayed shorts to the floor. "Um…"

Rhei narrowed his eyes. He knew that look on her face. When she stared at the ceiling and chewed on her bottom lip, it was normally the sign that he had guessed right. "You did just climb out of the fountain, didn't you?"

She nudged away his hands from her waist and went to wringing out the ponytail that held her hair in something resembling control. She wouldn't look at him. "Well one of the merchant apprentices came in with a message that the knights were back from the Glast Heim Chivalry Campaign and I couldn't very well clean up properly before making sure you came back with all limbs intact." Now her sepia colored eyes met his own steel gray optics with challenge. "So… I dashed through the fountain on the way here. And see, it paid off, no soot on your nice tunic." She quirked an eyebrow just as she stepped back toward him to peer at the clasp holding his cloak to his shoulders. "And I know you've been here long enough to get cleaned up all that monster blood, so why exactly do you still have your cloak on?"

Unperturbed with her blacksmith's perceptiveness for irregularity, he reached over her shoulder and shut the door. Being in the position to do so, he took the opportunity to kiss Kityana soundly before allowing either of them to step away from the door. He smiled as she ran her gloveless hands through his frost-white hair and pulled him a little closer. This was good, actually great after the campaign where a Blood Knight tore into the company. Proposing wasn't going to be so hard, just as long as he remembered the woman he was proposing to.

"You're dodging the question." She smiled at him knowingly as he turned and walked over to the couch. He had just enough time to settle himself in when she dropped herself into his lap. Until that point he had forgotten she was wet. Now she squirmed a bit to make herself comfortable before resting her head on his shoulder. "You've only just come back, you don't have another campaign to go on, do you?" He held her close as the words began to formulate in his mind. Kit...we've known each other for how long now? Well...after knowing you for so long...I just feel that...will you marr-

Even his years of training and mental focus couldn't have kept the sentence in his head as she kissed his neck. "What is it Rhei?" She watched him quizzically as he fumbled with something in his pocket. After a few moments in which he mentally cursed at himself, Rhei finally presented her with a small jewelry box. "Oooh, another gift?" Calloused hands opened the small container with loving care as he watched on anxiously. "Hmm...excellent craftsmanship...white gold, is this a 3 Carat Diam-"

"Kityanawillyoumarryme?" It all came out in one breathless rush as Rhei charged headlong into battle. Now the question was whether or not he would experience his first defeat. She looked at him blankly, slightly baffled by what he had just said. "Will you marry me?" He managed it much more calmly this time, hoping with all his heart that she would say yes.

After the shock, her gaze started to dart from the ring in the jewelry box, to him, and back again. She knew Rhei would be anxious for her answer, and already she felt him tensing up as he waited patiently. Her gaze stayed on the ring after the silence deepened and a blush spread across her cheeks. She had no clue how to say what she wanted to say, but if Rhei could ask, she could answer.

Trying not to fumble, she put the box back in his hand and did her best to ignore the dismayed look on his handsome face as she did so. Shifting, she straddled him and then lifted her left hand, the ring finger easily accessible. "I think you should put it on for me." A loving smile came back to her lips as she suggested it.

Dismay turned to joy as he opened the box and gently slipped the ring onto her finger. Perfect. They kissed each other again lovingly. A moment lapsed in silence as they gazed into each others eyes, enveloped in an overwhelming sense of joy and happiness. "So now, my husband, what shall we do?" She asked, still admiring the ring on her finger. He thought for a moment, gathering his thoughts before answering, and then she shifted in his lap.

A roguish grin broke upon his face as he leaned back and looked at her. "How about we get you out of those wet clothes?"

Sorano: And he thought it was going to be such a battle.

Allen: Well, I've had experience with your mood-swings…

Sorano: -thwack!-

Allen: X.X