So. This came from a lack of inspiration for other storylines and a thirst to write something related to Deltora Quest. Well, that and I'd been binge-reading a lot of other Deltora Quest fanfics at the time I wrote this and wanted to write something about it for myself.

Disclaimer - My name's not Emily Rodda, and I'm definitely not Australian (actually, I'm a New Zealander, there's a difference). I don't own Deltora Quest.

Set sometime between the destruction of the Grey Tide and the epilogue-like ending.

~3 years ago~
"And when the time comes, I will follow Adin's example, and marry for love".
Lief cast a sidelong glance at the raven-haired girl beside him before continuing with "If the woman I love will have me, that is".
Jasmine gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure she will. When the time comes".
~Present Day~
"Mother, have you seen Jasmine anywhere?"
Sharn looked up at her son, the current King of Deltora. The Belt he wore around his waist suited him more than it had his father on his coronation day, that much was for sure. "The last place I saw her was in the library. That was about thirty minutes ago. She mentioned she was planning on going for a walk in the gardens though, so if she's not in the library, then she'll be out there instead".
"Thank you".
Sharn smiled. "You're welcome".
As Lief turned to leave the kitchen and continue looking for the young woman who had become one of the two closest friends he could ever ask for, his mother called after him. "Lief?"
He turned to face her, nodding. "Yes?"
"Good luck".
The king paused to let this sink in, and for a moment she could see the face of the (so much) less-worldly boy that had readily left home on his 16th birthday, eager to get underway with a quest that would question everything he knew about himself and his family, instead of the nearly 21-year-old king that he was. "Thank you, mother. I appreciate it"
And with that, he left the room, eager to continue his search.
~A short time later~
He found her in the gardens, sitting on a bench between two immense oak trees, talking idly with Kree. "Hey, Jasmine. Hey, Kree".
The little grey creature on Jasmine's shoulder chattered indignantly, and Lief quickly added "And hello to you too, Filli".
His closest companion looked up curiously at the sound of his voice, her smile broadening as she saw him. "Lief. What brings you out here today?"
"I was looking for you, actually. Mother told me you were either in the library or out here, and since you weren't in the library… Well, I knew you'd be out here somewhere, and I know that this bench also just so happens to be one of your two favorite spots in the garden. It didn't take long for me to figure out which one you'd have gone for".
She really wanted to kiss him. She seriously did. Instead, she merely shifted to make room for him. "So, why were you looking for me?"
He sighed as he sat down beside her. "I'm in love, Jasmine. I'm in love with this really amazing girl, who has long, luxurious black hair and the most stunning green eyes that I have ever seen. Whenever I'm around her… well, I can barely stop myself from telling her how much she means to me. How much I need to have her in my life. How much I want to be with her forever. How much I love her".
Jasmine's heart sank instantly. Determined not to let her emotions get the better of her in front of the man she loved more than anything, she made to stand up, but Lief reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Don't go. Please".
"Let me go, Lief" she snarled.
"Not until you sit down and listen to me. I'm not finished saying what I had to say yet" Lief responded calmly.
Jasmine sighed, throwing herself back onto the bench. It creaked under the sudden addition of her weight, but did not collapse, something Lief was grateful for. He'd had enough of a long week already, and a bill for a new garden bench would just be the straw that broke the camel's back. "Who is she?"
"She's the best friend I could ever ask for, Jasmine. She was there at my coronation. She was there when the prisoners in the Shadowlands were returned to Del safely, when I announced that Marilen was to be the heir if I happened to die childless, and when I said that someday I would follow Adin's example and…"
"Marry for love" Jasmine finished.
She was beginning to suspect that she knew where this was going. Lief merely nodded. "If the woman I loved would have me, anyway. And finally, she was there during the quest to destroy the Four Sisters. Every single step of the way, Jasmine. Every single step of the way over the past five years, every time I needed someone to talk to, she was there. You were there".
The last three words hit her hard. Was Lief hinting what she suspected he was hinting? Seriously? She could feel the things she had left unsaid for the past few years welling up inside her, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Lief stopped her by gently pressing one finger to them. "Not yet".
He sighed. Sometimes the best way to say something was to just come right out and say it, and to let the consequences be damned. To rip the bandage off - figuratively, of course. To be impulsive. "Jasmine, I meant every word I said. You are absolutely amazing. I love your long, luxurious, black hair and the way your green eyes sparkle when they catch the light. I love the way my heart seems to skip a beat whenever I see you. Whenever I'm around you… I can barely stop myself from saying the things I want to say, but know I could never actually do so unless I knew that you felt the same way. I love you, Jasmine. More than anything else".
She forced back tears. Dammit, she was not usually this emotional. Why the hell had a sudden declaration of love got her so worked up? "I love you too, Lief. I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, but it never seemed to be the right time to say anything" she responded after considering her words carefully.
He leaned in, kissing her tenderly. She rejoiced in the sensations of his lips finally pressed against hers, and eagerly reciprocated by putting both hands behind his neck, using them as leverage to pull them closer together. This was probably why she was so stunned when Lief pulled away, a guilty expression on his face. "Ah… To be honest, I've actually got one other thing that needs to be said right now, before we get carried away and totally forget about it" he said quickly.
"Fine. But get it over with quickly, so I can get back to kissing you. Or I may have to say it for you. That would definitely mean that things would get interesting" Jasmine responded, though he could see from her sparkling eyes that she had definitely regained her sense of humor.
"Of course".
Lief reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, velvet, box. As he slid off the bench to land, kneeling, on the ground, he held it tightly in his right hand, knowing that what he had to say would irrevocably involve the little box. "Jasmine. You mean more to me than anyone I have ever known before. I want to be with you forever, and I want… no, I need… you in my life more than you could ever know".
Jasmine felt her breath catch in her throat as the young king quickly flicked the lid back, revealing a beautiful-looking golden ring. The design of the ring was fairly elegant, though at the same time, simple enough, with the band consisting of twin golden birds, whose beaks were touching at the very bottom. The gemstone was a small diamond, set in the exact centre of the ring. "I know we've been practically engaged for three years, since we returned after our second quest, but I think that it's time we made it official. Will you marry me and rule Deltora as my queen?" he queried.
She stared at the ring again in disbelief, then back at the man holding it, before she broke into a smile. Instead of replying right away though, she reached out and gently took the ring from the box, admiring it. "The Diamond helps the cause of true love…" Lief whispered.
She'd been so wrapped in admiring the ring in her hand, that she hadn't even noticed as her best friend… officially her fiancée, she realized now… sat back down beside her. "It's beautiful, Lief" she whispered in return as she slid it onto her finger.
"Not as beautiful as you, though. So, what do you say?"
"Isn't the fact I'm wearing it, combined with the fact that I basically said yes to you asking me the same question three years ago, enough of an answer for you?" she queried impishly.
"Oh, it is definitely enough of an answer for me. I just want to hear you say it" Lief admitted, smirking.
"I will".