"How are you with a needle and thread?" Warren asked, sitting down next to her on the couch.
Roselynn looked up from the book she had been reading, confusion on her face from Warren's question. "Fairly decent, I believe." She answered, curious as to what he was up to. "Why?"
"I just had a great idea for what our costumes could be for your birthday party." Warren announced.
"Oh really?" She asked interestedly, placing her book in her lap. "And what, pray tell, did you come up with?"
"Well it was kind of inspired by the night we first discussed your birthday." Warren admitted, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck, "I thought we could go as Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf."
"Do you really think that is such a great idea? Considering the history?" She asked.
"Over here, no one really knows the depth of the history, just the little bit that was published in children's stories." He explained, sitting sideways on the couch to face her. "Not to mention that the story has been romanticized over the years. Would you at least consider it?"
"I'm not going to have to slice you open, will I?" Roselynn teased, cocking her head to one side.
"Huff puff, I hope not!" He laughed, "It's just for fun."
Roselynn sat back and thought about it for a moment before turning back to Warren, "Okay, I'll do it. I don't have my hood with me though."
"That's why I asked about your sewing skills." Warren smiled, "I thought you could make your own; If you can't, I might be able to sneak back to the rooms you used at Wendell's castle and get it for you."
"No need, I think I can handle making a simple hood." She smiled back, "I'll go find some material tomorrow, I saw a craft and fabric store a few weeks ago, I think they'll have what I need."
"Excellent." He nodded, "Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to wear. I'll leave what goes under the cape to you." With that he got up and nearly bounded down the hall towards his room, leaving Roselynn to shake her head and chuckle at his antics.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Roselynn called towards the door behind her as she finished tying the stays on her bodice. Making her cape hadn't been so bad, and she even had found a cute pattern that looked similar to the outfit that Warren's mother had worn in Little Lamb Village all those years ago. It had a white blouse with a deep neckline and a red bodice, the combination of which accentuated her curves. The black skirt fell just above her knee and had a pattern with vines and deep red roses on it. She had pinned up the top skirt a bit on one side, to reveal the matching frothy red petticoat beneath, which ended just shy of her knee. Along with the blood red hood that she had trimmed with satin, she wore black, high healed knee-high boots.
"Yes, it's fine." Warren insisted from the hall where he was waiting for her. "Can I please see your costume now?"
She grabbed her cape and draped it over her shoulders, fastening it with the antique broach she had found in Mr. Grant's pawn shop before making one last adjustment to her hair which had been partly pinned up, the rest hung in curls over her left shoulder. Knowing he was probably getting impatient, she turned and opened the door to him. She smiled a bit at Warren's sharp intake of breath. "Cripes, if your great grandma looked that tasty, no wonder she got eaten."
"Well, let's just try to keep me off the menu for tonight." Roselynn teased, giving him a coy smile as she pulled the hood over the crown of her head and let the rest of the fabric drape elegantly over her shoulders as she walked towards the living room.
She heard him growl faintly in his throat as he followed. "I make no promises." Warren hadn't been lying, she looked good enough to eat, not that he ever would, of course. As he joined her in the living room, Roselynn pointed out that he had forgotten to tuck in his tail, he quickly dismissed it, explaining that since he was going to be The Wolf, he preferred to use his own tail. "Dressing in a 'costume' is the only way I can get away with having it out in public. Besides no one would even think it was real, they'll just assume it's a really good fake."
He pulled on his navy suit jacket with the silver pin-striping as he mentally ran down his check list to make sure he had everything. Feeling the faint bulge in his front pocket he took a deep breath that was a mix of relief and anticipation. "Shall we go?" he asked, handing the basket with Roselynn's items to her, he guided her out the door.
Before they could head downstairs to meet their car, the door across the hall swung open revealing the older couple they'd come to love. "You two look absolutely fantastic!" Ruth enthused, "Somehow this is so fitting for you, especially once you see what we got you."
"No, you didn't have to get me a gift." Roselynn protested.
"Nonsense," The older woman countered, handing her a small rectangular box as her husband nodded his agreement, "We wanted to get you a little something, and that's all there is to it."
"Thank you," Roselynn smiled, hugging them both before gently removing the ribbon which held the box closed. Inside on a delicate silver chain sat a cameo pendant depicting the pale outline of a wolf baying at the moon set against a black background. "Oh, it's lovely." She sighed.
"I saw that in Maury's store and I immediately thought of you." Ruth informed her, "Well what are you waiting for, Little Red? Put it on."
Roselynn lifted the necklace from the box and handed it to Warren with a silent plea to help her. He gently lowered her hood and draped the necklace over her head before fastening it at the nape of her neck. The pendant looked at home, nestled in the curve of her bosom, almost as if it had always been there. "Thank you," Roselynn repeated, hugging the older couple "I love it."
"You're very welcome." Ruth smiled gently at her, "Now you two crazy kids have fun."
"You take care of our girl," Maury added, giving a pointed look to Warren.
"I will," Warren assured him, "You have no idea how good," he murmured softly enough for Roselynn to hear as they made their way down to their waiting town car.
The party was in full swing when they arrived. Roselynn could hear the music streaming up the stairs that led to the lounge; taking Warren's proffered arm, they descended. Roselynn wasn't sure what to expect of the party but was impressed when she started to look around. There was low lighting, and a smattering of black lights throughout the space, giving some costumes a glowing effect as party-goers passed beneath them, there were black, and red streamers hanging from the ceiling and draping out towards the walls where the ends hung down. Each table had table cloths the same color as the streamers and each had a small bud vase with a single rose in each.
"'A Rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.'" Warren quoted to her as she gently touched the dark red petals, smiling. "Would you like a drink?" He asked softly in her ear.
"I would love one." Roselynn smiled back at him as he guided her to the bar. James, the bartender for Luna, was dressed as a pirate and was suggesting rum to anybody, and everybody, asking for a drink.
Warren and James exchanged pleasantries as James set to work making their drinks. A few moments later he presented them with Warren's usual cola-based mixed drink, and a frothy liquid in a martini glass that had layers of pink and purple swirls in it. Roselynn laughed a bit and looked up appreciatively at Warren, "He knows how to make Some Enchanted Evening?"
"Yes," Warren smiled back, guiding her to a nearby high top table, "I spent a summer working in Kissingtown, I learned all the drinks they served there, since most of the liquors there are the same or at least very similar to ones found here, I was able to bring the mixes over here. The critics here think we're 'revolutionary mixologists,' I just never set them straight. They never would have believed that these drinks are old favorites from a different dimension anyway."
Within moments of them sitting down, their friends started coming by and visiting. While she enjoyed being able to relax and enjoy time with her friends, she found it even more fascinating to people watch. The interactions at this party were so different from what she was used to. Back in the Kingdoms everything was so regimented and formal when it came to social interaction whereas here, there seemed to be no formal structure at all. People would bump into each other, hug or kiss, have brief conversations over the music and move on to do it again. The music was so different too, here it was loud, albeit entertaining, and had a mix of fast and slow tempoed songs that were often played by what Warren called a deejay from a computer, and back home the music for parties were pretty much the same 6 or 7 classical pieces played by a live orchestra.
Dinner was served shortly after they were seated, and cake had been passed. Roselynn, Warren and the Grant Ladies sat back in the booth they had claimed for themselves. The girls had been asked to dance a few times and Warren had led Roselynn around the floor a couple times himself, but now they were comfortable to sit back, enjoy their drinks and each other's company.
"Present time!" Maureen sang as she pushed a square box across the table toward Roselynn, "I know Mom and Dad already got you something, but we thought you would like this too." She explained as Roselynn opened the box to reveal a charm bracelet, with charms for New York, the Theatrical Faces to commemorate the Shakespeare Festival as well as the handful of Broadway shows they'd seen, Fireworks, and lastly a baying wolf because it just spoke to them.
"Did you know about this?" Roselynn asked, looking up at Warren as he fastened the chain around her right wrist.
"Yes, and I have another one to add." He smiled down at her, pulling a small silver box from his breast pocket. Inside on a small satin pillow was a ring charm.
"What's this?" She asked puzzled as he pulled her toward the end of the booth and knelt before her. "What are you doing?"
"Proposing." He replied. "Roselynn, ever since the first time I met you, you have been my best friend. That friendship grew into love and admiration, that day we spent reading in my uncle's garden all those years ago, I started to fall for you, whether I wanted to admit it or not." The admission making the women chuckle appreciatively. "It wasn't until your first night here, seeing you wear one of my old shirts as a nightgown, that I finally realized you were it for me, but I stupidly resisted a while longer. Well I say no more; I would love nothing more than to live happily ever after with you. Will you be my wife?"
A chorus of "Awws" came from their friends as Roselynn looked in shock at Warren for a moment before smiling warmly at him and nodding.
"Yes, I would love to be your wife and live happily ever after with you." She smiled as he slipped the ring on her finger before standing and pulling her into an embrace. He howled excitedly drawing the attention of some of the party goers. His crow of "She said 'Yes!'" drew the attention of the rest as he dipped her and planted a kiss on her, causing the crowd to explode with laughter and applause. The rest of the night was spent receiving congratulatory hugs and handshakes.
Maureen and Evelyn were quickly at her side, "Can I see?" Evie asked. Roselynn quickly raised her hand to be seen by her friend, many women gathered to take in the beauty of the ring that shone brightly from her finger as they remarked on how beautiful it was. Roselynn gave Warren a private smile, knowing that the ring couldn't have possibly come from this side of the mirror. He must have snuck over to a jeweler in the Kingdoms at some point to pick it out.
"We'll add the charm later." Warren promised, "I didn't want to seem too sure or else I would have had the girls add it on before they gave the bracelet to you.
"You did perfect." She assured him, kissing him softly. "I love you, my wild man."
"I love you too, my sweet Rose." He smiled lovingly down at her before leading her onto the dance floor and pulling her into his arms for their first official dance as an engaged couple.