AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi, everyone! First off, thanks as always for all of you sticking with the story. It means a lot to me. And I can't respond to all of you leaving anonymous reviews, but I hope you know that I do really appreciate them.

Second, just as a warning, this chapter has a little time skip (two months), so the beginning is a bit slow while I try to catch you all up with what's been going on.

(Chapter title inspired by the song "Never is a Promise" by Fiona Apple.)

Chapter 25 - Forever Is a Promise

Leo had never been one to actually enjoy being outdoors.

That was pretty common for a Nohrian, but also somewhat ironic considering his ties with Brynhildr. Regardless, being inside always seemed to be the vastly superior option, as that's where he was more likely to find the two things he appreciated most - agreeable temperatures that could be controlled through the use of wind and fire magic, and books.

And yet, at the moment, it was hard not to take in the breathtaking sight before him. Caer Pelyn might be lacking in a lot of things, but since the small village was tucked away in the side of a mountain, scenic views were always available in abundance. That was especially true at this time of day, when the sun was disposed to start its journey toward the mountain peaks, sinking slowly out of view and causing pretty shades of orange and pink to paint the sky.

Incidentally, and for reasons completely unrelated to this spectacular sunset that he was currently witnessing, pink was quickly becoming one of Leo's favorite colors.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" the man next to him asked. "Ollie and me just love it up here. Although Ollie - that's my wyvern, see? - likes to complain about the thin air sometimes. It can make flying difficult, t' be fair. But I'm tellin' ya, I've seen it all, and there ain't no better view in all of Magvel."

Leo sighed, partly with annoyance and partly with disinterest. He certainly didn't have time for some long-winded small talk, at least not now. Sakura was probably already on her way to his cottage, and he still had some work to finish up before he could meet her there.

"You said that you had a letter for me?" he prodded, trying to cut to the point of this encounter. Perhaps he could have been kinder to the eccentric messenger, but his evenings with Sakura were what he most looked forward to every day, and knowing that he'd be late always made him surly.

That was especially true for this night in particular, considering that he finally planned to-

"Oh, right, m' sorry 'bout that," the man said sheepishly, breaking Leo from his train of thought. The messenger then grabbed a piece of rolled up parchment from the satchel on his wyvern. "Here ya are."

Leo took the letter unceremoniously. "You're the only messenger that will come to Caer Pelyn, then?" he inquired, and the man nodded. That made sense - most messengers probably didn't possess the skills needed to fly their mounts at such high altitudes, where the air density was too low to generate reliable lift. In that case, they wouldn't want to risk their beasts just to come to a village that offered objects for trade instead of gold.

"When can you return?" Leo pressed, anticipating that he'd have a letter of his own to send soon.

"Well, I s'pose that depends on what you're willing t' offer," the man mused through his nearly toothless grin.

"Gold," Leo told him, noting the man's skeptical look. "I can assure you - gold won't be an issue. How soon?"

"Hmm. Ya know, you do seem like one of them fancy types… not at all like most of the folk here." But at Leo's glare, he then added, "Um, two weeks from now, I reckon."

"Come back in one, and I'll make it worth your while." Without another word he then turned away from the messenger and headed toward a nearby cottage, one that belonged to a mage named Saleh.

At some point mid-stride he glanced down at the letter in his hands, immediately recognizing its seal to be Ephraim's. That was truly a welcome sight, especially considering that he hadn't heard from his friend since he and Sakura first arrived in Caer Pelyn over two months ago.

Gods, their arrival… what a trying day that had been. He, Myrrh, and Sakura had been forced to stop and rest several times during their trek up the mountain so that he and Sakura could catch their breath, and the higher up they'd climbed, the worse they'd felt. They'd finally reached their destination, of course, but during the first few days in Caer Pelyn when he'd struggled to breathe comfortably, he feared that he'd made a terrible mistake in choosing this place.

Fortunately it hadn't been long before they'd acclimatized to the altitude, making it a moot point. And as for obtaining the necessities that they'd needed to survive, such as shelter and food, bringing Myrrh to the village had certainly helped in that regard. The villagers were so thrilled to see the dragon that they'd welcomed Leo and Sakura with open arms, providing them with all the food they'd needed until they were able to sustain themselves through work and trade.

But even that generosity had somehow been topped when the village elder, Dara - whom everyone simply referred to as "Grandmother" - had allowed Leo to claim an abandoned cottage on the far side of the hamlet as his own. The last person to live there had died several months ago, and although the small house had required some repairs due to its neglect, it was more than Leo could have hoped for.

Sakura, on the other hand, was staying with Dara for the time being. That worked out well, as she was assisting the old woman with her duties as the village healer. Still, Leo considered it to be just a temporary living arrangement. After all, once he and Sakura were wed, then it would be deemed acceptable for her to move in with him.

And with any luck, that would be sooner rather than later… the one hitch being that he had yet to propose.

If they'd had a formal royal courtship, Leo would have been expected to make his intentions known months ago. Betrothals were necessary to preserve the reputations of noble ladies, as well as to prevent either party from trying to maneuver into a more politically advantageous union. Yet, due to the unorthodox circumstances surrounding his relationship with Sakura, Leo hadn't felt the need to adhere to royal protocol.

It wasn't because he didn't want to marry her… gods, that couldn't be further from the truth. He loved her, and more than anything, he hoped to have her by his side forever. But forever was a promise, and he needed to be sure that it was one he could make good on before he offered it to her.

That was somewhat difficult due to their family situation, which was… rather complicated. Considering that Nohr and Hoshido had been on the verge of a full-scale war when he and Sakura had been transported to Magvel, Leo wanted to be careful. He needed to be sure that their relationship would be viable once they returned home, that they had a future together outside of Magvel…

…and that his father couldn't tear them apart.

But he'd had enough time to think things through, to work things out in his mind. The time for planning was over, and now… now he was finally ready to ask her for her hand.

In fact, the only obstacle remaining was his work for the day, which he needed to finish so that he could meet up with her. And with that in mind, he entered the small house before him.

"Ah, Leo, is everything all right?" a man named Saleh inquired as Leo closed the door behind him.

Saleh knew that Leo was a prince, as did everyone else in Caer Pelyn, but no one ever addressed him or Sakura with honorifics. They esteemed only the Great Dragon, and therefore, princes and paupers were considered equals. That might have bothered Leo once, but now, it seemed so trivial. Instead, he was just grateful for everything that the villagers had done for them… it was a debt that he could never repay.

"Yes, everything is fine, Saleh," Leo told him, brandishing his letter for the man to see. "The messenger just had a letter to give to me. But I apologize for the delay… I know that there's still much to be done."

"It's quite all right," Saleh promised. "It's growing late, anyway. Aren't you almost done for the day?"

"Almost," Leo confirmed. "I just need to get started on a new text for tomorrow."

The man nodded and returned his attention to his own work, concentrating deeply on a large book before him that was filled with draconic runes.

Saleh was the grandson of the village elder, Dara - her real grandson, as far as Leo could tell. He was kind, but serious, and also something of a scholar. His home consisted of piles of scrolls and books, mostly ones that had been written by Myrrh's father, Morva. Leo was helping Saleh translate the texts since they were written in Dovahzul, the language of the dragons. It was a slow process, especially because Leo was only learning the language as he went, yet thanks to his impressive intellect he was picking it up rather quickly.

Truth be told, he rather enjoyed the work. The knowledge held by the dragons was vast, and for an academic like Leo, it was like being a child in a confectionery. It was therefore with a sense of eagerness and excitement that he pulled another text from the nearest bookshelf, one that he recognized to contain Morva's scrawl.

The Astral Dragons, it was called.

Hmm… perhaps it was about the constellations of this world? Well, Leo only needed to translate a few sentences to get himself started on it, and then he could finally leave to meet up with Sakura.

Sitting down at the table across from Saleh, Leo started to decipher the runes.

The vastness of our universe is a humbling thing. Remembering that we are only a small piece of this giant puzzle is important in keeping us grounded, although it's something that's easy to forget as we get wrapped up in our own circumstances.

I was reminded of that today by a strange visitor. She was a dragon, but not a manakete, and not even one of our world. My own vanity never even allowed me to fathom the existence of other worlds, and yet, as the humans like to say, seeing is believing.

I saw this dragon emerge into our world from a purple, vaporous ring, as if it were some kind of door from her world to ours.

Leo nearly dropped his pen. A portal?

Was… could this be it? Would he finally find the clues that he was looking for, the ones that would enable him and Sakura to return home?

Eagerly he continued translating. He had no sense of how long he was absorbed in the book, losing all semblance of time, until he heard Saleh's voice calling to him.

"Leo," Saleh repeated, and Leo tried to ignore the thoughts that were racing through his mind so that he could focus instead on the man's words. "I'm sorry to disturb you, and I greatly appreciate your dedication to your work. However, I must request that you leave now. It's growing late, and I prefer my solitude at night, as it is required for my Valega meditations."

"Right, of course," Leo responded hurriedly as he scrambled to stand, although he felt a pang of regret at leaving the book behind. "My apologies, Saleh."

"It's no trouble," Saleh assured him. "But you may want to borrow one of my lanterns for your walk home. It'll be rather dark by now."

Gods, how late was it? He'd apparently gotten wrapped up in that book, but for good reason. If he and Sakura could really find a way to get back, then…

… Sakura!

Damn it, he was supposed to meet up with her. But how long had he kept her waiting? Would she even still be at his cottage?

With a quick thanks and goodbye to Saleh, Leo grabbed one of the man's lanterns and practically bolted out the door. It was only then that he realized he'd never read Ephraim's letter, and he opened it up hastily. It was somewhat awkward to read the letter with the lantern in hand, all the while keeping up his brisk pace, but somehow he managed.

Leo,

I hope that this letter finds you well.

I know that only a few months have passed since we last saw each other, and yet, much has transpired in that time. Caer Pelyn is so remote that I'm not sure how quickly news travels there, but I suppose that I'll start with the obvious. Shortly after returning to Renais, I had my coronation and was crowned king. It may seem slightly unorthodox, but Eirika was also crowned queen during the ceremony, and we are now joint rulers of Renais. To be honest, I feel much more comfortable knowing that we share in this responsibility to govern our kingdom. The war has taught me much about what it takes to be king, and yet, deep down, I worry that my true talent lies in being a soldier. I can only pray that I'll be the kind of king that my people deserve, and the kind that would make my father proud.

Yet, I digress - there is, of course, more to tell you, and you may want to sit down for what's next. Not long after my coronation, L'Arachel and I were wed. We opted not to prolong our betrothal because she had to return to Rausten, and we didn't want to be parted for long. That might seem strange to you, but I find that the days I spent without her feel heavy and dull. Although, just to clarify, this means that her title is Queen Consort of Renais, since Eirika is the queen… but I'm sure you're familiar with just how silly and confusing royal politics can be.

Speaking of annoying politicking, the people of Rausten now despise me for stealing away their beloved princess and future ruler, which is… unfortunate. I didn't predict that they would object to our union so vehemently. I admit, I haven't spent much of my life being openly disliked, so my own vanity may have blinded me to their feelings. Yet L'Arachel insists that she can get her people to come around, and since she's too stubborn to not get her way, I don't doubt it to be true.

Oh, and on a personal note, I must say that marriage is quite… agreeable. Perhaps you should try it?

Now, onto more dire news… it's likely that you've heard already, but the earthquake in Grado that Lyon foresaw has finally come to pass. I'm in Grado now with L'Arachel and some of my soldiers, and I must say, the situation is very bleak. We're doing all we can to rebuild their shelters and provide food and water rations, but it just never seems like enough. I'll have to entreat some of the other monarchs to offer aid as well, but considering how Grado devastated their lands during the war, it may not be an easy sell. Gods, how I wish that Lyon had listened to you and prepared for this day rather than succumbing to the wills of the Demon King…

And I hope that you can forgive me for saying this, but I wish that you were here. I know that you would have some brilliant ideas to help the people of Grado, and Sakura's healing talents would also be most welcome. I curse that stupid exile every day, but I hope that you've at least managed to find the happiness that you were seeking with Sakura in Caer Pelyn.

Finally, to end this letter with good tidings… this may surprise you, but Seth and Eirika are betrothed. I'll admit, it certainly surprised me when Seth told me of his feelings for my sister. It may take some time for L'Arachel to accept the fact that Eirika has fallen for a "commoner," but truthfully, there's no one that I'd trust more with Eirika's happiness than Seth. I love them both dearly, and I couldn't be happier for them.

Well, that's all I have to report for now. Rest assured that I do plan to bother Innes incessantly until he agrees to lift the exile, but until that happens, I'll make it a point to visit Caer Pelyn soon. In the meantime, please take care of Myrrh for me. (I'd also request that you take care of Sakura, but I'm sure that's already your top priority.)

Your Friend Always,

Ephraim

Leo quickly shoved the letter behind Brynhildr's cover for safekeeping, intent on penning his response in the next few days. Since he was nearly at his cottage he didn't have much time to react to its contents, but he certainly noticed his friend's cheeky comment about marriage.

Ephraim was gifted in many things, but the art of subtlety certainly wasn't one of his talents.

Well, maybe after tonight, Leo would have some interesting news of his own to share with his friend.

Although… why did he suddenly feel so nervous? Was he really doing the right thing? And what if he never did find a way back to Nohr, and had nothing to offer Sakura except for life as a pauper here in Caer Pelyn? Could she still… love him?

As he stood at the doorstep to his cottage, Leo almost felt paralyzed by his uncertainty. With shaking hands he opened the door…

Yet, once he caught sight of Sakura, his fears soon subsided.

Yes, there was no reason to be nervous… this was right. In fact, nothing in his life had ever felt more right. And Sakura didn't love him because he was Prince Leo of Nohr. She just loved… him.

"Leo!" Sakura called out once she noticed his entrance. She sounded slightly surprised to see him, but more than anything, he could hear the relief in her voice. "I was starting to get worried. Welcome home."

Home… that word still sounded strange to his ears. After all, his house was just some dilapidated shack, really. The simple wooden-framed cottage that had been made with wattle and daub was hardly impressive, and it was small… quite small. There was just one room, and although it was adequate enough to service his needs, it only consisted of some shelving and storage, his bed, a modest table for dining, and a fireplace fitted with a chimney. To describe such a dwelling as a home was more than generous.

And yet, even still… maybe she was right to call it that. Whenever she was there, at least, it sure felt like home.

"Hi, Sakura," he greeted in return, hanging the lantern on the wall before he removed Brynhildr from his belt. He then unlatched the small coin purse that he carried, the one that used to be Sakura's, and put the two items carefully on a nearby shelf.

As Leo closed the door behind him he was hit by a wave of sweltering heat, but that was only because Sakura was cooking. That was a bit unexpected… normally if she got to his cottage before him, she would wait for him to return so that they could prepare dinner together.

Then again, he'd kept her waiting longer than usual today.

That realization put him on edge for a moment while he tried to discern if she was angry with him, yet he soon realized that wasn't the case. Because she was tending to a small cauldron that was suspended over the fire she'd only been able to spare him a few swift glances, but even so, he could tell that she was happy to see him.

That thought warmed him even more than the nearby hearth. Was it possible, then, that she missed him during the hours that they were apart, just like he missed her? He was almost tempted to ask her, but stopped himself once he realized that he was being utterly foolish - after all, how could you miss someone that you saw every day?

For him, it was almost a paradox… somehow, the more time they spent together, the less he could bear to be away from her. It simply didn't make sense, although he'd acknowledged long ago that his feelings for her weren't governed by any kind of logic.

"I'm sorry that I'm late," he offered. He flirted briefly with the idea of telling her about the book he found, but decided against it until he had more information. He'd hate to get her hopes up about returning home if it was only a false lead.

"Have you been waiting here long?" he asked instead.

"Oh, no! It's fine," she insisted. "I figured that you got caught up, so I thought I'd go ahead and m-make you some dinner. I hope you don't m-mind... "

Leo's eyebrow quirked in concern as he picked up on her stutter. Her shy stammer had mostly subsided during their time in Caer Pelyn, or at least it had whenever she was talking directly to him. Still, it hadn't disappeared completely… especially at moments when she was feeling particularly nervous or unsure.

"Mind? Why would I mind?" he wondered. Did she think he'd be upset that she was making herself at home in his cottage?

She only shrugged before returning her attention to the cauldron, choosing to bury herself in her task rather than answer his question.

Leo bit back a sigh. As much as he loved Sakura, one trait of hers that he found incredibly frustrating was that she was constantly underestimating her own worth. For some reason, she still had it in her head that she wasn't a suitable match for him, and that made her second guess herself at every turn.

But he was willing to spend the rest of his life proving to her that she was wrong, if that's what it took.

Determined to relieve her of her current distress, he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them lightly.

"Thank you for cooking for me, Sakura… you're too good to me. I'm so lucky to have you in my life," he told her sincerely. He then bent slightly to kiss her on the crown of her head.

"It… it's nothing," she returned, but he could see the shy smile forming on her face, and he matched it with a smirk of his own.

But he was so close to her now that he was starting to grow distracted, and he soon pressed his nose into her hair, taking in its floral scent as he did so.

"It smells good," he noted, and even though the soup that she was making did smell delicious, that wasn't what he was referring to.

His hand soon found its way to her pink tresses, which had grown longer and almost reached her shoulders. Brushing one side of them back, he placed a few soft kisses on her neck. "Ah. Tastes good, too," he murmured into her skin.

"L-Leo!" she sputtered, tensing beneath his touch, and despite his proximity to the fire, he could still feel the intense warmth radiating from her cheeks.

With a chuckle he pulled back and released her. Honestly, he knew better than to embarrass her like that, but he could never seem to help himself. Her reactions were simply too adorable for him to resist.

He was prevented from teasing her any further, though, as she hurriedly informed him that dinner was ready.

During their meal, he shared the news from Ephraim's letter. He watch her face light up when he told her about Seth and Eirika, only to fall when she heard about the updates from Grado. Leo knew how badly she wanted to go to Grado and help - they'd discussed it when they'd first heard about the earthquake - but the rules of the exile had given them little choice in the matter.

And after they were finished eating, she readied the cauldron and wooden bowls to take to the nearby spring for cleaning the next day.

"Well, I guess that I should go now," Sakura said softly once everything was in order. "Grandmother doesn't like it when I'm out late…"

Go? But he hadn't yet asked her if…

"Wait," Leo protested, despite the nerves that were once again gathering in the pit of his stomach.

"It… it's a beautiful night," he continued, trying to find a way to convince her to stay. "Won't you sit outside with me for a moment?"

Sakura hesitated, but when he unleashed the most charming smirk that he could muster upon her, she blushed and nodded in agreement.

He grabbed a lantern and a nearby quilt before taking her hand and leading her outside. After he placed the lantern on a patch of soil, they laid the quilt over the grass and sat down together. Wanting her closer, Leo guided her to him so that she was sitting between his legs with her back leaning against his torso.

She sighed contentedly as he then put his arms around her, apparently enjoying being held while she gazed up at the stars. It seemed like she was completely at peace, but knowing what he was going to ask her, his own anxiety was again running rampant.

Inadvertently he tightened his hold on her, but not even the nearness of her could seem to relax him this time.

"Leo?" Sakura asked, turning her head as much as she could so that she could look up at him, albeit from an awkward angle. "Is everything okay?"

Ah, so she'd noticed that something was amiss. Maybe she could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest as she rested against him?

Yet as he looked into her eyes, so full of love and concern for him, he soon calmed once more. Perhaps the road ahead of them would be difficult, especially if they returned to their homelands… but the prospect of facing it together, united by marriage, made everything seem much less daunting. Besides, with her by his side, he felt like he could accomplish anything.

"Everything's okay, Sakura," he quickly promised, grinning down at her. "In fact, everything's perfect, because I'm with you."

"O-oh," she shyly replied. She quickly turned her head so that she was facing forward again, but he could tell that he'd made her blush once more. "I… I'm glad."

Her reaction was almost predictable, and he wondered if she'd ever get used to his compliments. Yet, although he wanted her to realize how truly special she was, he selfishly hoped that he'd never stop having this effect on her. Even far into the future, when they were one day old and gray, he wanted...

"Sakura?" he then spoke, resting his jaw lightly on her head.

"Hmm?" she responded, prompting him to continue.

"Marry me?"

He felt her body tense in his arms, and aside from the loud chirping of the crickets around them, only silence followed his question.

Well, this was certainly awkward. He'd simply assumed that her thoughts had mirrored his own with regard to sharing a future together, but perhaps she wasn't ready yet to make such a commitment?

"Sakura, please say something," he pleaded after she continued to remain mute. Even if she were to turn him down, surely the rejection couldn't be as excruciating as this.

"Leo…" she finally started, drawing out his name slowly. "Have you… have you given up on us ever going back to Nohr and Hoshido, then?"

"Given up? No, of course not," he told her.

She didn't respond, and he would have given anything at that moment to be in a better position to read her face. But he at least was astute enough to realize why she was suddenly so hesitant. She must be under the assumption that they'd have to part upon their return, and considering that he'd constantly reinforced the notion that their relationship was "impossible," he couldn't blame her for thinking that.

"Sakura," he sighed. "I know what you're thinking. And I can't say with certainty where we'll be tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. But what I do know as an absolute, indisputable fact is that I love you now. And I'll still love you tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. You deserve more stability than that, and I wish I could promise that you'll have it… but no matter what happens, and no matter where we are, I promise that you'll always have me. Can that be enough?"

"But can you really promise that? What will happen if we do go back?" she asked, and he could hear the fear in her voice. "Leo, it will be hard enough to lose you if we were forced to say goodbye someday. But if we were m-married on top of that… then it would be unbearable."

"Funny. And here I thought being married would help keep us together when we return," he replied dryly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if we were married, then our families would be forced to acknowledge our relationship," he explained. "Now, if the war is still ongoing when we return, I know that won't count for much. Neither one of us want to choose a side, as that would mean we'd either be pitted against our families and homelands, or each other. But things have changed, Sakura, and it hasn't been as easy for us to get home as we once thought. Assuming that we do figure out how to return, it's been long enough now that we can time our usage of the portal with the war's conclusion."

"You… you mean, you know when the war will end?" she inquired curiously.

"Not exactly, no. But knowing Nohr like I do, I can make some logical deductions," he told her. "At the very least, the fighting should be over within the next year, since Nohr isn't built for a long siege due to our lack of resources. Of course, I have no doubt that after the fighting concludes, relations between the two kingdoms are likely to be tense at best. And I wouldn't expect you to live in Windmire until I find a way to… deal with Iago. Yet, the most important thing to note is that with our marriage having already transpired, there's not much that either of our families could do at that point to part us. Even my father would have to accept the union."

"Really?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

"My father is many things, Sakura, but he's not above the law, and marriages are legally binding contracts," Leo explained with a scoff. "I suppose that any protesting parties could make the argument that a Magvelian marriage isn't legally binding in Nohr or Hoshido. But, according to the Property and Securities Act that was passed in Nohr two centuries ago, our union would at the very least be considered a common-law marriage by virtue of us having a ceremony and living together. That in turn would give us certain legal protections, enough to safeguard us from the ire of our families… namely, my father. Now, it's possible that once we return I'll have to draft up some affidavits for us to sign attesting to our circumstances, but…"

He trailed off as he felt her body begin to shake. At first he thought that she might be crying, but he then heard a giggle escape her lips, followed by a cute little snort.

"Sakura, are you… are you laughing?" Leo inquired with complete bewilderment.

"I'm s-sorry," she apologized as she continued to giggle, and this time it was her laughter, not her shyness, that made her stammer. "I just… I n-never thought that I'd hear about the Nohrian P-Property and Securities Act, or about signing a-affidavits, during a m-marriage proposal."

Leo humphed, feeling embarrassed and also a little affronted. How was he supposed to know what a marriage proposal was supposed to sound like, anyway? It wasn't like there were books on how to propose to someone… well, at least not the kind of books based in fact that he was inclined to read.

Perhaps she would have preferred, then, if he'd simply answered her question with some romantic nonsense about love conquering all obstacles? And maybe she'd been expecting him to get down on one knee, like the men that the Nohrian women gushed about when they spread news of their engagements at court.

"Just forget I even said anything," Leo muttered, and since his pride was significantly bruised, he gently but firmly pushed her away from him. Yet before he could get up, she scrambled onto her knees and turned so that she was facing him.

"But I don't want to forget," she told him seriously, with all traces of laughter gone now that she knew she'd wounded him. She then leaned forward and kissed him on the lips sweetly. It was only a chaste kiss, but just the nearness of her was enough to begin to soothe him once more, and his hands instinctively found their way to her shoulders. "I'm sorry that I laughed, Leo. But I do want to marry you… please believe me. You mean everything to me, and all I want… all I've wanted since I fell in love with you… is to be with you forever."

The way that she was looking at him made any damage to his ego instantly disappear, and he soon found himself smirking at her. "Ah, is that so? Even though I completely botched the proposal?" he asked playfully, raising an eyebrow.

"You didn't botch it," she assured him, giggling slightly again. "It was so… you. I thought it was perfect," she admitted. "Besides, it's really sweet that you put so much thought into how we'll stay together if we ever return home…"

"Of course I did," he responded with a slight scoff. "I love you, Sakura… more than what should even be humanly possible. I'm never going to let anyone, or anything, ever keep us apart."

"Leo…" she whispered, glancing away shyly. But he put a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him, bringing his lips down to hers in the process in order to kiss her.

After a few blissful minutes they finally pulled away from each other, and this time, it wasn't the altitude that made them feel breathless.

"Are we really going to get married then?" Sakura questioned, sounding slightly in awe. "Is that… is that truly what you want?"

"More than anything," he vowed, smiling ear to ear.

She laughed happily and launched herself at him, taking him by surprise and effectively tackling him to the ground.

"Oof," he grunted, soon emitting a laugh that echoed hers. "Gods, Sakura… you're heavier than you look."

"L-Leo!" she protested, completely horrified. She went to pull away from him, but he wrapped his arms around her to impede her escape.

"Come here," he demanded lightly with a chuckle.

Despite her evident embarrassment she eventually settled down, curling up on her side while her head rested on his chest. He moved one of his arms so that his hand splayed across the back of her head, almost as if he were hugging her to him.

"I love you, Leo," she then told him, her soft voice barely loud enough to carry over those of the relentless crickets.

Ah, those words. He could hear her say them a million times and still never tire of them. Maybe once they were married, they'd be the last ones she'd say to him every night before they went to sleep. And how many words would pass her lips before she said them to him in the morning?

"I love you, too, Sakura. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much," he replied. He then sighed with slight frustration, knowing that his time with her tonight was coming to its end. "But for now, I should probably walk you home…"

"Please… let's stay like this for just a little bit longer," she implored. "I know that it's selfish of me to want that, and I know that Grandmother will scold me for it, but I… I don't want to go yet."

He considered her request. On the one hand, he wanted nothing more than for her to stay so that he could savor this occasion with her. But on the other hand, he could still remember her tears from the last time that Dara had reprimanded her for coming home after curfew. To know that she'd disappointed someone who'd shown her nothing but generosity had wounded her tender spirit for days.

Besides, there was no real need to prolong this moment. After all, once they were married, they'd have an entire lifetime for moments like this.

And yet, even knowing that, he found it nearly impossible to let go of her. Surely Dara would forgive them for making her worry just this once, considering the circumstances…

"Okay, Sakura. Just a little bit longer," he finally agreed, securing her to him a little more tightly.

Truly, it was hard for him to believe that she'd soon be his wife, but the thought made him happier than he ever thought he could be. Somehow, a future that had once seemed dark, bitter, and lonely now seemed bright and filled with the tantalizing promise of a forever with the girl that he loved.

Yes, as far as Leo was concerned, forever couldn't start soon enough.

Unbeknownst to the happy pair, a hidden figure watched them quietly from a distance. The observer's skin was translucent, making him nearly invisible in the darkness, but still, he covered himself in a cloak and hood.

The girl... she was his daughter. He knew that to be true, but she meant nothing to him. She wasn't even a warrior, and were they to battle she would offer him no resistance, no real opposition…

How disappointing. Looking at her only made his head hurt… probably because she was so pathetic and weak.

But he wasn't here to challenge her, anyway. He had other reasons to seek her out, reasons given to him by his lord, Anankos.

It had taken him a long time to find her… too long, in fact. The man that Garon had ordered to possess his daughter had predicted that she'd be in the kingdom of Renais once the war against the Demon King had ended.

He'd been wrong, the worthless fool.

But that wasn't the only thing he'd been wrong about. Apparently, the boy was still alive, too… Garon's son. And although Sumeragi's own daughter was weak and worthless, the boy was bound to cause some problems with his divine tome. Especially if the Dark Stone was still in that pouch he always carried, the one that matched the description given by Garon's man…

Anankos needed to be informed of this development immediately.

But perhaps this meant that Sumeragi's thirst for battle would finally be quenched. After all, as things stood, there didn't seem to be any other way around it…

If he was going to obtain the Dark Stone, then the boy would have to die.

Underneath the cover of his hood, Sumeragi smiled.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Dun dun dun.

So, apparently between this story and another story of mine, Practice Makes Proposal, I headcanon that Leo is terrible at proposals. Oops!

I hope that all the fluff was okay and not overly cheesy. Writing fluff is never comfortable for me... I definitely prefer flangst.

And the word "Dovahzul" was shamelessly stolen from Skyrim.

Next chapter: A wedding?