Chapter 24 - "Will You Marry Me?"
"Many Things Are Allowed In Love."
...
The second firework performances is starting soon and will bring a continuous delightful atmosphere around major cities of Papunika. The night is still going on with celebrations among public and tourists. No one, even any media, is aware of bad moments certain people in the Royal Palace are going through.
"Her Majesty must have been in severe pain at the trauma site before she passed out." Physician to the Queen informs them. "However, this is a compound skull fracture, the skin is broken and causes the bone emerge. Injuries are not extended. There's no excessive leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the nose and ears, very unlikely pressure is caused to the brain. Sirs and madams, you can rest assure... I don't see a requirement for surgery, we have done antibiotic treatment in addition to tetanus toxoid. Normally for compound fracture, the skull will heal itself after a while."
That's a relief for all. The Homi spell can't work on bone fracture. And earlier they had no ability to judge how bad the fracture was.
"Now we need to examine areas around any lacerations for bony stepoff that would indicate another possible underlying skull fracture. Shaving of hair is required to avoid missing fragments that are lodged in the long blonde hair of Her Majesty ... However, I'm afraid this action would disappoint Her Majesty. I'm grateful if you can give me an advice."
"Her Majesty would understand that health is more important than the outlook. Please do what is better for the examination." Larhalt says.
"Yes, Sir."
Major authorities of Papunika and organizing parties of the Birthday Parade are called for an urgent meeting in the night, including Larhalt and Hyunkel.
"Hyunkel, before that, you... may want to visit Marm." Furora runs to Hyunkel. She only realizes how absent-minded she is when seeing Hyunkel leaving the room. She should have informed the news to him hours ago.
Hyunkel doesn't question Fufu any further. The intuition tells him there is a bad reason behind the weird feeling he has been having during the night. He disappears at one with the teleportation.
"You forgot to tell him about Marm?" Avan is surprised at Fufu's unexpected ability of forgetting things.
"It was so bad of me. Avan, don't ask me to convey any message again. Oh... what happened to my memory?"
'It's ok dear, you need a rest, too." Avan hugs her. Now he knows, that's because Fufu is already exhausted after everything she experienced and saw tonight.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to ask you where Marm is." Hyunkel is back.
"She is at Avan's place. My apology, Huynkel."
"Please don't mind, sensei Furora." He manages to smile so Fufu would feel better.
...
"Ms Marm, we need to change the wound dressing for you." The nurses gently wake Marm up.
They are not informed why someone like Marm got into such injury. But being staff of the Royal Medical Household, they know to conduct the job perfectly while keeping no interest in any other matters.
Their patient has a severely opened wound on her shoulder, where she was stabbed multiple times. They need to help her change the wound dressing when the fluids soak through.
"Oh... Ok. What time is it? What is this sound?" Marm gets up easily. It has been difficult for her to be asleep recently.
"It's almost three in the morning now, Miss. There's a firework outside soon. Let me open the window for you."
"Thanks." Marm says softly. So she has slept for almost two hours. Seeing the lively nightlife outside windows, to Marm, peace and joy seem still remain in Papunika.
She lays on one side and has the nurse remove her robe to clean the wound. It causes more pains than her assumption.
"Would it leave a scar?" Marm asks.
It's funny how she managed to not get any serious injuries after those tremendous battles, and now being stabbed this badly by an unskilled knife user.
A silence is kept in the room, making Marm think negatively about the consequence the wound leaves on her.
However, the nurses are not answering Marm's question because of the sudden appearance of Hyunkel.
They have no idea who he is. But from the way he looks at their patient, they guess he must be in a relationship with her.
"A long term treatment would be required." Marm hears him saying and knows that he is coming close.
"It's not painful." She turns back and rest assures him.
"Ok. But just bite my finger if it is." He sits down next to her and gently kisses her cheek, places his hand on her lips. "Please carry on. Thank you for taking care of my wife." He tells the nurses. He doesn't normally express his affection in front of others but seeing Marm laying on the bed as a patient, he has a strong urge to love Marm more.
Marm's face turns red hearing it and he can notice. His facial expression remains calm while his body languages are gentle and sweet.
Marm won't bite his finger, it would hurt him. She is fine to endure the pain herself. She just holds his hand really tight.
As soon as they are alone in the room, Marm asks.
"Who is your wife?"
He doesn't answer, but he takes out a little velvet box.
When the box is open in his hands, Marm can see a ring placed nicely inside it. And when he starts taking the ring out, Marm is speechless.
He holds her hand in his and goes down on a bent knee. The ring is elevated between their eyes levels. She finds heat on her cheeks immediately. Her whole body seems trembling because of the delighted surprise.
"Marm, will you marry me?" He asks.
Marm, will you marry me?
For years and years and many years later, she does not only remember these five words, but also his voice when he spoke them out, his eyes that showed the sincerity and expectations, his breaths that revealed a little bit of nervousness. She can not remember her own reaction. He says she cried a lot, but she nodded her head, so he took the answer as a Yes. Then he carefully wore the ring into her slender finger. Only at that moment, he could hear she said "Yes, Of course."
"Yes, of course." Marm murmurs. She is holding his hand tightly and looking at him with tearful eyes. "I love you." Her lips give a beautiful smile and she is going to cry again.
"Me too, I love you." He stands up and embraces her. He doesn't know the moment will be emotional. He doesn't know Marm will cry. Holding her in his arms, he hears Marm saying "I thought we need more time for marriage commitment, but I also dream of our family."
"I know you do." He smiles. His angel is so adorable.
"In my imagination, we will live in Romos as your plan, sometimes we travel because we both like traveling. We can have either boys or girls, their genders are not important. You are a good father, like your adoptive dad. But I have no idea yet about what type of mother I am." She tells him excitedly.
"How many children will we have?" He asks, being drawn into her imagination.
"Our first baby is so cute that we decide to have the second baby. But raising a baby is time consuming so we puts the plan on hold until probably three years later. Three, we have three babies."
"Ok. I agree." He nods and smiles. He places kisses on the her cheeks, her ears and trace down to her neck before locking her lips with a deep kiss. His Marm, he loves her so much, "Remember the promise to take care of me?"
"Yes..." She is hugging him tightly, breathing in his good smell. "You are taken care... well... especially on the bed..."
"Can't be happier." He nods. "The promise now becomes a lifetime one. Marm is taking care of me for the rest of our lives."
"Feel stressful now." Marm looks at him, slightly shakes her head but her hands never leave him.
"There is no chance to run away." He lifts her chin up and tells her.
"Don't want to run... just want to tie you over and over."
Hearing that, he smiles with satisfaction and sweetly kisses her again.
Outside the window, the firework performance has started and is looking splendid in the sky. It seems like a congratulation from Papunika.
"Are you planning for this timing because of the firework?" Unaware of what happens in the palace of Papunika, Marm enjoys the amazing view and asks him.
"It's a coincidence. Furora sensei asked me to visit you, otherwise, I thought you were sleeping."
"So if you didn't plan to propose tonight, what was the original timing?" She is curious.
"It'a supposed to happen after Leona's birthday."
"Then why tonight?"
"For another coincidence, I bring the ring along. And with the chemistry of tonight, I can't wait."
"You can't wait?" She giggles. "If I had known earlier, I couldn't wait, too. My ring fits me so well..." She who is over the moon now, leans forward and gives him a kiss on his cheek.
"I have been holding Marm's hands for long enough to get it right."
"When did you buy my ring?"
"Last week. Leona accompanied me."
"Leona... She never told me anything..."
"Yes, that's her." He strokes Marm's hair, pulls her down on the bed and sits next to her, keeping her whole body is his lab.
"Marm, at the moment Leona is in coma. But she should get up soon. So don't worry, ok?"
"Coma? What...happened in the East Tower?" The news is shocking to Marm.
"It's unknown. She was that badly injured when we came in. She fight with the guy alone."
"How long will she be in coma?"
"The physician to the Queen has confirmed the skull fracture doesn't affect brain functions. So they leave her in coma in purpose for the examinations and treatment. Let's hope it goes well and she will get up by tomorrow afternoon."
Marm leans into Hyunkel and tells him, "Hyunkel, I've seen Ella's real face. She shares a lot of similar traits from Leona. She has the same colour of hair, eyes and even the skin."
"That's why Leona mentions about a cousin before passing out."
"Ella owns a royal knife of Papunika, too."
"It's the knife she used to stab you, didn't she?" His poor Marm, the deep cut must cause so much pain until now. "Show me the wound."
"The wound is still dry, no worry." She confirms.
"Let me take a look."
She lets him loosen the robe and pull it down to her shoulder. It causes him pain to see the severe injury on Marm's skin. "How did it happen?" He asks softly.
"Ella hurt herself with the knife, so I rushed to heal her with the Homi spell. And I didn't expect her to stab me when I was trying to heal her. It was careless of me. I'd pay more attention next time."
Next time. Yes. He knows there'd be next time. Because she is Marm and he is himself, they'd never stop involving in social matters.
"Ok, be careful next time."
She hugs him completely. "Thank you."
Feeling the softness of her body, he knows he can simply loosen the wrap more to undress her completely. He looks at Marm and is tempted.
"I wanna examine other parts. But I have a bloody meeting at the palace to attend."
"That's too bad. But the good news is other parts are fine." She smiles at him.
"How fine?" He breathes into her skin, and he drags her mouth into his before she replies anything. He lays her on the bed and deepens the kiss, unwilling to let it go.
He tastes so, so good, just like his smell. She is excited by the hardness rubbing on her, burning heat inside her. "Let me...show you..." She looks at him with a sweet gaze that fires his blood.
"Hi Marm, how are you?" Pop opens the door and asks out loud. Together with him are Menru, Fufu and Avan.
Hyunkel quickly pulls Marm to him and covers her fully with the blanket.
"Oops... Sorry." Fufu smiles.
"Shall we come back later?" Avan asks.
"Just a second, Sensei." Hyunkel fixes Marm's robe and moves out of the bed. "Please come in."
"Don't you have a meeting in the palace?" Pop teases Hyunkel.
"Everybody, we are engaged!" Marm tells them and showing her ring.
That creates an immediate cheering atmosphere in the room.
"Excellent!" Avan looks at them, full of delights.
"Congratulations!" Fufu walks to Marm and Hyunkel and hugs them.
"Congrats!" Pop and Meneru can't hide the happy feeling she has for her friends, too. They exchange hugs and Pop asks if the newly engaged would like to have a champagne.
"I wanna wait for Leona. She accompanied Hyunkel to buy the ring for me. The celebration can't be without her, and Larhalt.
"Yup. She is expected to get up tomorrow noon." Pop grins.
"Sure it was a big shopping for you on that day when you were with Leona, Hyunkel." The Queen of Carl knows everything.
"Yes..." Hyunkel admits. Marm doesn't know she also has the matching earrings, necklaces and bracelets, all were from the recommendations Hyunkel received from Leona.
"When is the wedding date? I'd be the wedding minister as usual. And I'd advise you guys on the menu." Avan is extremely excited.
Hyunkel and Marm burst into smiles. They share a same thiking. In the picture of their family, Avan sensei is going to take a major role in nurturing their children.
End Chapter 24.