String tied to his Katana

"Luminary uppercut!" Ophelia shouted. A large blue bolt of Lightning magic sped right towards the attacking archer, knocking him to his backside before he could get off a single shot.

"Allow me!" Hisame shouted, before rushing past Ophelia and finishing the bow-wielding poacher off with a single strike from his iron sword.

"Thank you, sir Hisame of pickles," he heard Ophelia say as he ran back to her position, "I am quite sure we've finished dispatching the brutish lot of them."

"I think you're right," Hisame said, wiping his brow, "How many have you taken out?"

"Six. You?"

"Tch, blast. That was my fourth."

Ophelia giggled, "Well, between us that's ten. Not worthy of song, but still a fine day's work."

"Good. I'm sure we'll beat my parents, at least. No doubt mother got herself caught in a fish trap, and father's fishing her out."

Ophelia's giggles turned to laughter, "Oh gods! With a string tied to the end of his katana?"

Hisame let out a little chuckle at the thought of his father tying a string to his sword to rescue his wife. It was no doubt a genuine possibility. After they started off for the meeting point, he asked, "What do you think you're parents are up to?"

Ophelia rubbed her chin, as if in deep thought before replying, "No doubt making waste of these dastard ruffian poachers, who have no chance against their undying love."

"Hm. Suppose so…"

Ophelia sighed, longingly, "Someday I hope our love can be that unstoppable, resilient to mere blades and magic."

Hisame nearly tripped over his own feet in complete surprise, his cheeks turning bright red. "Erm, yes… perhaps."

Without much warning, Ophelia stopped walking, appearing to be deep in thought. Hisame stopped right next to her. "Is something wrong, Ophelia?"

She turned to look at him, an unusually serious and determined expression on her face. "Hisame, may I please take your hand?"

The swordsman's eyes widened, "E-excuse me?!"

"Please? This is of the utmost importance," Her voice was stern, but still noticeably caring.

Reluctantly, he held out his right hand, Ophelia holding it in both of her own. As a mage, her hands were noticeably softer and thinner than Hisame's own, but he was well aware of the power behind them. Ophelia's next move, however, was even more shocking than her request.

She took a deep breath, got down on one knee, and gazed directly into Hisame's own. "Sir Hisame of Hoshido; as we have been courting for almost two months now, I feel that I must ask of you the most ultimate and sacred requests one human can ask of another."

Hisame swallowed, "Yes?"

Ophelia shut her eyes tightly, "Will… you do me the honor of being my husband? So that we may further to nourish our love even beyond courtship?"

Hisame's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, his mouth agape, as his mind tried to comprehend the words she'd just spoken. "You...what?!"

Ophelia got up from her position, frowning upon releasing Hisame's hand, "I'm asking you to join me in the union of marriage. Is that difficult to understand?"

Hisame closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This is rather sudden, yes."

"Perhaps a bit, but I simply cannot wait any longer. Milord's aunt was wed at fourteen years of age, and you will be fourteen this very month!"

"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to be married," he sighed, clutching his sword, "I am fond of you, Ophelia. You're the most dear thing in the world to me. But I…" his brow furrowed, "I refuse to marry you until this war is over. I dread to think what would happen if one of us came to fall in battle."

"I see…" Ophelia sighed, biting her lip.

"But…" Hisame's lips curled into a grin, "I thank you for the proposal, though. I'm quite flattered."

Ophelia grinned, "Then perhaps someday, after this war is over, we may truly be husband and wife? And combat the forces of evil and fight in the name of delicious pickles?"

"Absolutely."