Epilogue- Three Years Later
NICKO'S P.O.V.
I used to look at women as a different species, a different race. It was always them and us. From a young age, I swore that I would never understand the opposite sex. And I was okay with that. As far as I was concerned, the only women I needed to worry about understanding were Jenna and Sarah. No more, no less.
Snorri Snorrelson changed that.
After meeting her, women didn't seem so different from me anymore. She was like me; we had so much in common. But Snorri was stilldifferent from other women in her own special way. Snorri was something wonderful.
Whenever she walked into the room, my heart skipped a beat. Whenever she smiled, it was like the sun's first morning rays. Her scent was as sweet as honeysuckle, and I always longed for it. Her eyes, pale blue, looked like ice, but they warmed my heart.
I was in love with this girl. Truly, madly, deeply in love. Life didn't get any better than this. And I never wanted it to end. So, somewhere along the line, I decided I was going to marry this girl.
I wanted all of Snorri. I longed for her imperfections, her soul, her heart. Without them, life would be unbearable. I needed them forever. 'Til death do us part.
I began planning my proposal to Snorri soon after I realized this. Everything needed to be perfect, and I narrowed down the day as best I could. And as I set up dinner for us (the second-to-last phase), I pulled out a piece of paper with all the steps on it. Quickly, I consulted the list:
1) Ask Snorri's mom permission for her daughter's hand in marriage.
I had taken care of that two weeks ago. Snorri once told me that she always wanted the right one, whoever it was, to ask her mother's permission for her hand. Her father was gone, but she really wanted the tradition of the parent's blessing to be held true. I felt obligated to obey Snorri's wishes. And it was worth it. Snorri's mother gave her daughter to me willingly.
2) Buy the ring.
Snorri's mom had accompanied me to a jewelry store just a week ago. We--though I would like to say "I"--settled on a white gold ring with a sparking pale blue stone. The gem reminded me of Snorri's eyes. Instantly, I knew it was the right one.
3) Bring the family up for the occasion.
This was easier said than done. Septimus's schedule is as chaotic as his hair. He had to cancel numerous lessons with Marcia, much to her dismay, in order to make the week sail north for the occasion with Silas, Sarah, and Jenna. My other brothers and Wolf Boy couldn't bring themselves to leave their forest home. I didn't mind that much, though...As long as they came to the wedding.
4) Plan the day.
This also proved to be a difficult task. I couldn't figure out exactly how I wanted to do it. Eventually, I decided on something plain and simple, yet memorable--a romantic dinner under the stars. But I would need the whole day to cook the food and set up the location--a hill that she once said was her "favorite place to think." This led to...
5) Find a way to get rid of Snorri for the day.
As much as it pained me to keep her away, it had to be done. Her mom and I planned it carefully. Snorri would spend the day shopping for the perfect dress, accessories, and shoes. Then her mom would make her get dressed up and bring her here. Should they find the right ensemble early, Snorri's mom would stall the rest of the day, bringing Snorri to numerous stores pointlessly. They would only stop for a small lunch, allowing Snorri to be hungry enough for dinner when she got here.
6) Dress for success.
In more recent steps, my choice of attire was simple. I stuck to my usual mess of hair and wore my best tunic. I refused to be anything other than myself.
7) Figure out the right words to say.
I know what you're thinking: Why is it double-crossed through? The answers simple, I decided to improvise. Improvisation would let me say the words as they came, and there was no doubt in my mind that they would be the right words. If I over thought this one I would surely screw up.
As my eyes met the next phase, I pulled out a pen and slowly crossed of the sentence:
8) Fix the dinner.
Then my eyes fell to the very last phase, the phase that would forever change my life. One simple word...
9) Propose.
SNORRI'S P.O.V.
It wasn't the first time Mother dragged me all across town for no apparent reason at all. She had done it numerous times before. We did the same things every time--buy come clothes, get new shoes, get cheap jewelry. Then when that was done we'd go see horses and walk up and down the aisles of a dusty bookstore, get something to eat, check out the pastry shop without buying any. It was really annoying, actually. But it made my mom happy. Besides, she told me this shopping trip was on Nicko.
When we finally got back home, it was past sunset. I had two things on my mind--get something to eat and spend time with Nicko. But as I called into the darkness of the house for my boyfriend, all was silent.
"Nicko?" I called again.
No answer.
"Actually, darling, Nicko's been spending the day on a wonderful surprise for you," my mother told me in our native tongue.
I answered, abandoning English. "Really?" My cheeks turned hot as I put two and two together. It all clicked. "The shopping was to get me away, and the clothes were for the occasion." So Nicko...
My mom practically put my new dress on me herself. She insisted on doing my hair, which was quite annoying. After all, when you're eighteen, you kind of expect your mother to never touch your hair again. I was surprised when she actually let me put my new shoes and jewelry on myself.
After getting changed, my mother covered my eyes with a blindfold.
"What the--"
"Please, Snorri, don't be stubborn. Not today."
"But a blindfold, Mother?"
"If you won't do it for me, do it for Nicko. Just relax and follow my lead. Think of something else, if it helps."
I knew what I would think about--his strong arms holding me close, his mess of a hair on my cheeks, his gentle hand engulfing my own. And his green eyes. They looked like freshly cut grass, or green leaves on a spring day.
The bond Nicko and I shared was like any other. I could be whoever I wanted around him, yet I chose to be myself...my flawed, imperfect self. And he accepted me that way. I could ask for nothing but him in return. I wanted all of him.
"Snorri...? Snorri, we're here."
I snapped out of my trance and realized the blindfold was gone now.
The sight before me was breathtaking.
We stood on my favorite hill, the full moon directly overhead. The moonlight shined on a small table below. Plates of my favorite food covered the table. On the floor around the table were candles, all smelling of my favorite aromas--cinnamon, lilac, vanilla, gingerbread. The candles formed a walkway before me, leading to the table. And there at the end of the walkway was the love of my life.
It was a fancy date, I could tell. Yet Nicko stood before me, looking like he did ever other day. His hair was a tangle of straw, and his eyes were still a piercing green color. A crooked smile was formed on his lips; it was my favorite smile. The only difference was his new tunic. It was midnight blue with gold trimming. It made him look older, sophisticated.
"Nicko," I breathed.
"Hello, my love." He gave me a crooked smile again. "You look beautiful."
"Nicko," I repeated, but with more adoration this time. "You guys did this..." I turned to face my mother but she gone.
"Come." Nicko gestured to the table. "You must be hungry."
I sat down and Nicko pushed my chair in for me. I ate ravenously. Nicko watched in admiration, yet he seemed to be in his own little world. He barely touched his own food. I wondered what his problem was. But I knew Nicko, and he hated when someone interrupted him when he was deep in thought. I loved that about him. At least he actually thought about the world and life and existence. Most guys didn't even do that.
I set my fork down, contemplating whether or not I should say something anyway. We hadn't said one word to each other since we started eating. I chose a light topic.
"So what's the occasion?" I asked.
Nicko jumped a little, as if he were returning from the universe in his mind. He recovered quickly and smirked. "What? I can't surprise you every now and then?"
"No...You just surprise me often."
"It's not easy."
"I can tell." I looked around at the table, the candles, the hill. "It must've taken forever to plan this."
"Your mother helped out a lot."
I thought for a moment. "You still haven't answered the question."
Nicko sighed. "You want the truth? The whole truth?"
I nodded. "Mm-hm. No more, no less."
"Funny you should say that." Nicko scooted his chair around the table until he was directly next to me. "Snorri, I love you. And I want all of you...No more, no less." He waited for me to say something. I didn't, so he continued.
"You're the most amazing person I ever met. I see you everywhere I go. When I look up at the sun, I see your smile. When I see the sky, I remember your eyes. The wind blows, and it feels like your gentle touch on my face. A bird sing its first song of the day, and I can hear your voice clearly in my mind. Everyday these things follow me...And I never want it to stop.
"I know we're young--I'm seventeen, you're eighteen. We have our whole lives ahead of us to maybe fall in love with someone else. But I don't ever want to be with someone else. I know I can only feel this way about you. The last thing I want is to be separated from you. I've lost you once, and I will never lose you again...Not when it's my fault.
"I want you...all of you. Your imperfections, your heart, your soul. Every last bit of you. I need it to belong to me. And I know I don't have much to offer. But I can offer all of myself. I've given you my heart, my soul, my imperfections. I want you to have everything else. And I want you to have all me forever. I want all of you forever."
It all moved slowly then.
Nicko stood and went around to the other side of me. He knelt down, holding out a small, velvet box. Gracefully, the box opened, revealing a beautiful white gold ring.
It dawned on me then. The distractions, the special dinner, the declaration.
He was proposing
Instantly, I thought of married life with Nicko. Would I be the housewife who only cooks and cleans all day? Who takes care of the children?
Children. I imagine little Nicko Juniors and little girls that looked like me.
Would I be happy?
My hand caressed Nicko's cheek.
I would be with Nicko the rest of my life. He would be mine, and mine alone. How much better could life get than that?
This would be a big step in my life. A lot would change. First off, Nicko and I would have to move out of my mother's house. Living with her any longer would be a big no-no. And imagine, Nicko and I wouldn't be sleeping in separate rooms anymore. He could hold me forever if he wanted to after we got married. And I would be okay with that.
"Snorri Snorrelson, will you marry me?"
Without hesitation, I kissed him with as much force as I ever had before. ThenI whispered the word that would forever change my life...our lives.
"Yes." A/N- TA-DA!!!! Throw the confetti! Start that cheesy music that comes up during movie credits! Cry in pain! 'Tis is finished!!! Congratulations, people. You no longer have to listen to me demanding (yes, demanding not asking) for your reviews. (Seriously, people, you have noticed the caps and triple exclamation points, right? Sorry about that...) Well, now that it's over I have a lot of people to thank for reviewing and reading.
Special thanks to my reviewers: Love Da Bunnys, Emmaplease, SylviaVail, Keiri Bradon, Violetbreeze, Books to the Ceiling, Baratsuki, Stardawn, Sora the Taske, fourthelement, krushtime, ME LOVEY JAZZY, broken beyond repair, and Sunfire248. Thanks so much for your opinions and helping to make the story the best it could be. You guys rock!!!
Special thanks to the peeps who made the story their favs: Books to the Ceiling, Jacob's-One-Girl-, Keiri Bradon, ME LOVEY JAZZY, RhubarbTehPirateNinja, SeptimusHeapPiczo, SylviaVail, Violetbreeze, broken beyond repair, hopelessromantic101, and krushtime.
Lastly, thanks to everyone who story alerted FHYA: Emmaplease, Keiri Bradon, RhubarbTehPirateNinja, SylviaVail, That-Alien-Thing, Violetbreeze, fourthelement, idkaname, and natsumi456.
I promise to write another Septimus Heap fic soon.
Yours,
durangokid03