Author's note: This is the Engagement Gala for Dan & Asariel. Enjoy.
Asariel had borrowed a dress from Dan's sister's closet. She hadn't brought any formal dresses and there had been no time for them have one made for her. She fidgeted again in front of the mirror before being pulled by the maid to the chair where she sat as her hair was styled and pinned up. She had been against the party, saying that they could have easily just sent out notes announcing their engagement. But Lily had put her foot down, sending the invitations out. Everyone had RSVP-ed with no delay.
She'd be meeting probably the whole entire Angel community tonight. The black sheep as she would be seen. The maid left her to sit in front of the mirror. She quietly admired herself before looking down at her engagement ring. She'd soon be Lady Rhodes, Asariel Airlia Humphrey... She smiled before taking a deep breath. A knock came at her door before Dan entered the room. Lily had separated them for the purpose of the guests.
"You look... Breathtaking," Dan said as she walked over and kissed her neck, careful not to mess up the elegantly pinned curls. "I have another gift for you."
"Daniel," she whispered turning to face him. "I don't need any more gifts... Isn't your proposal enough?"
"You'll like this present." He said smiling before going to the door and opening it. In walked Avivah, dressed up for the gala.
"Avi! How are you here?" Asariel asked standing up and going to her cousin.
"Lily and Dan sent for me... I had to be here to keep you safe from the wolves." Avivah laughed hugging her cousin tightly. "Now I'm going to go ahead and head down. I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes."
Asariel nodded, watching Avivah leave. She never knew how she would be able to thank Dan for this.
"Don't tell me there is more." Asariel said staring at him as he pulled her close.
"Just one more little thing." Dan said before he slipped from the room and brought in a red cocker spaniel. They were her favorite breed of dogs.
"Daniel!" Asariel cried as he carried the dog over to her. "She's precious... It is a she right?"
"Yes," Dan said smiling as the dog looked up at Asa with her big brown eyes. "Mother's early wedding gift to you."
"She's so beautiful." Asariel said smiling. "I take it I get to name her?"
"Yes," Lily said coming into the room smiling. "I thought you would like her. Dan said you were wanting to get some pets when you two returned home to Virginia."
Asariel nodded, petting the top of the dog's head. She whimpered only resulting in Asariel taking the puppy from Dan. The way she looked made Asariel tremble with excitement.
"I think I'll name you... Elizabeth." Asariel said dropping a kiss on the top of the puppy's head. "Liza for short."
Dan laughed before taking the puppy from her and placing her on the floor.
"She's already been house broken. And she's used to large crowds. So I thought maybe you would like to take her downstairs to the party." Lily said smiling. "It's not traditional, but she is a darling little thing."
Dan already had the black leash on Liza's matching collar and handed it to Asariel. He had to admit as big a smile the proposal had put on her face, the puppy had to be second best.
"So shall we go down?" He asked kissing her gently. "Or do you want to wait a few more minutes?"
"No better time than the present," Asariel said as she picked Liza back up. "I don't want her to trip on the stairs."
The party was beautiful and wonderful. Of course, Asariel was going to have to have Dan make a whole chart with pictures, names, and titles so that she would get everything right for their invitations to the wedding, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the night at his side.
They were sitting on one of the couches, Liza curled up in Asa's lap when the night took a turn for the worst. There she was, the woman Asariel had seen in the portrait.. The one who's wedding dress she had tried on. Liza picked up on the hostility Blair had apparently because when she approached Liza began to growl.
"Daniel, darling, I've missed you so much." She said moving to sit herself down next to Dan. Liza growled again, even as a puppy being protective of her owners.
"Darling?" Asariel asked, an eyebrow arching up in question.
"Blair, what are you doing here?" Dan asked looking up at her. Asariel saw the pain flash through his eyes before it disappeared. "I thought you might not have received an invitation."
"I didn't.. I just... I wanted to stop you before you ruined your life with this.. This little minx." Blair said glaring at Asariel. "Honestly, a mutt."
"Well this mutt could easily kick your as... Butt in no time, gold-digger." Asariel said glaring at her. "I think you should leave before you have to be escorted out on a stretcher."
"Daniel wouldn't let you hurt me." Blair said glaring at Asariel even more.
"Wanna bet on it?" Asariel asked about to get up when Lily came over.
"Daniel, Asariel, what is.." She drifted off seeing Blair. "I believe you were informed you were no longer welcome in this house the day you left Daniel."
"You're really going to let him marry this little mutt?" Blair asked angrily.
"Yes, I am. She's a great deal better for him than you ever were, Blair." Lily said. "Now, I suggest you leave before I do let Asariel step in. And I won't stop her. You will leave here. Either by your own will, or on a stretcher."
Asariel knew she must had had a smug look on her face by the way Blair glared before making her way out of the house.
"I think I'm going to step outside for a few minutes," Dan said getting up and leaving Asariel on the couch with Liza.
Lily sat down next to her, patting her hand.
"You handled her well enough." Lily said smiling. "Better than I would have imagined."
"It took all I had not to attack her the second she walked over here.. But I didn't want to make a bad impression on anyone." Asariel said petting Liza who was now calmed down.
Twenty minutes went by and Dan still hadn't come back to the party. Asariel had started to worry and left Liza with Lily before going in search of him. She found him out on the terrace, a bottle of bourbon and a glass on the table he sat at. She made her way over to him, her heels clicking on the granite.
"Daniel," Asariel called out gently.
"Go back inside to the party," he slurred. he'd been drinking a lot in the little time he had been gone.
"No," Asariel said going to sit in front of him. "Dan, what's wrong? Is this about Blair showing up?"
"Go back to the party, Asa," Dan said looking at her. The tears were trailing down his face.
Asariel shook her head, wiping his tears away. She knew that this would probably cause problems, but not this bad.
"Baby, I can ask your mother to end the party now.. We can go upstairs to your room and talk.. Baby, please?" Asariel asked kissing his hands. "Baby, it'll be okay. She's a bitch for coming here and digging up old horrible memories. We're happy, aren't we?"
"Yes, we are, Asa... But I really just need to be alone right now." Dan said looking at her. "Just.. Go back inside.. I'll be there in a bit."
"Okay, love," Asariel said kissing him, ignoring the taste of alcohol in his mouth. "I love you."
"Love you, too," Dan said smiling a little.
Dan never returned to the party. Asariel was curled up in bed with Liza snuggled up under the covers next to her, when she heard the door to her room open. She peaked out from under the covers and saw it was Dan. He was still in his tuxedo.
"Asa," he whispered stumbling over to the bed. Asariel sat up, being careful not to disturb Liza. She got up and out of bed, going to Dan. "I wanna stay in here with you tonight."
"Okay, love," Asariel said leading him to the bed. She quickly began stripping him of his tux, leaving it laying on the couch. She tucked him in the bed next to Liza, who snuggled up next to Dan and began giving him wet puppy kisses.
Asariel smiled and curled up on his other side, kissing his shoulder.
"I love you, baby," she whispered smiling. "She won't be coming back here.. And if she does, she'll be wishing she hadn't."
"Okay," Dan said as Liza rested her head on his chest. "I love you, too, Asa."
"Go to sleep, love," Asariel whispered, drifting off herself.
She wasn't going to let him pull away and he wasn't trying to. She knew he knew that she wasn't leaving and that she wouldn't let anything ruin their happiness.