CHAPTER 13: GOLDEN HEARTS.

(POV: Mysterious Narrator.)

As Thomas, Lux-Aurea and her daughters were leaving her realm, Billster, Timothy, Jackland, and Proteus were now fighting alongside one another, since the number of guards were now very much overwhelming. All four of them were just about to give out, when...

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone looked over, to see Lux-Aurea standing on the other side, looking very much cross.

"All of you guards stand down now!" The goddess barked. "Allen is now defeated and in the custody of my own guards! You all lost."

As the guards murmured to one another they wisely dropped their weapons and darted off. As the goddess then looked towards the king, she gently placed her hand on his cheek and began to heal his wounds.

"Um... Hello again, Lux." Jackland greeted, trying to make things just a little less awkward. "I see Liza is doing quite well in her recovery."

"She is indeed." Lux-Aurea replied with a smile. "Just please ensure that you don't get injured. I really want you to last, you know?"

Jackland gave a smile, as he then brought his wife closer to him.

"I've missed you so much." He then said to her. "To be honest, I was worried that the conditions that were wrought upon Liza and Lady would tear us apart."

"And they didn't." Lux-Aurea replied. "Now then, I think it's time that we all head home."

"Agreed." Jackland concurred, as he, his family and the Billinton Brothers went back to Sodor.

Days passed and Thomas's 17 birthday came and went, and all the Allcrofts were reconnecting with one another. Then, as it was just a few days away from the new school year, the day came.

(POV: Thomas.)

As I got ready in my suit, I thought back to the explanation of the marriage ritual that I was to go through with Lady. It indeed has some aspects of a normal wedding, but it's differences too.

"It's going to be something alright." I thought. "But I'll be with the girl whom I love in the end of it all, and that was fine with me."

As I then straightened my tie, I looked at myself in the mirror to see if I needed to do anything else.

"Alright, everything looks in order." I remarked as I then turned heel to head down stairs.

When I got to the lower floors, I found my family all waiting for me. Timothy placed his hand on my shoulder as he gave me a smile.

"Good work, Brother." He said to me. "You listened to my advice, you admitted your feelings, now you're going to marry Lady. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Replied, as my mother and father then looked at me.

"Alright, son. It's time to go." My mother said to me.

"Right." I replied. "See you later Timothy."

"Sure thing." My brother replied.

As I then headed out the door with my mum and dad, I looked back at my siblings, wishing that they could come. But with what all the rules state, the only ones who can witness my ritual with Lady are those who were my guardians. As I then sighed, I hoped that nothing would go wrong. When we arrived at the Palace, we followed one of Lux-Aurea's guards to a special room which was very clean and had a few seats. As I then looked over, I gasped in awe because there at the podium was Lady, and she was wearing a white wedding styled dress, as a smile was across her face. As I then stepped towards her, I couldn't help but smile at her. No sooner had my parents come up to the seats, did Lady's parents enter into the room. As we then looked at him, King Allcroft began to speak.

"Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs. Billinton." He greeted my parents.

"Not a problem, your majesty." My father replied. "Thomas loves Lady dearly, and so we won't say no to coming here today."

"Glad to hear it." The king replied. "Lux, care to do the honors of starting the first part of this ritual?"

"Of course." The goddess replied. "Howard and Tanya Billinton, do you both accept and consent to the conditions and the terms upon the contract of the committed?"

"Yes." My parents replied, as they then signed their names upon the contract.

"Thomas." Lady's mother when on. "Do you accept and consent to the conditions and terms upon the contract of the committed?"

"Yes." I replied, as I then proceeded to sign the contract. "And I vow that Lady will have a safe and happy life with me."

Knowing Lady, she'd smiled as I said that last sentence.

"Lady..." The queen went on. "Do you accept the contract's terms, and adknowledge Thomas as your spouse of choice?"

"Yes." she then replied, as she then signed the last spot on the contract, and handed it back to her mother.

"Excellent." She remarked. "Now then, time for the second stage of the ritual."

As Lux-Aurea then activated a sigil within her left hand, she placed on the contract that we all signed and it then began to burn away and reform into a pair of rings. As she then handed them to us, Lady's mother explained about them.

"These rings are the very things that will help you find one another as well as tell you one's level of life. If the usual glow starts to fade on your ring, it usually means that your life is too. So it's important to keep an eye on each other's rings."

As we both nodded, Lady slid the one that was meant for me onto my finger, as I then did the same with hers. As our rings then glowed brightly, Lady's mother gestured to King Allcroft, signifying that the second stage was done. Knowing now that there was only just one stage left, Lady and I watched, as her father stepped towards us.

"Thomas.." He began. "Do you accept and acknowledge that you're going to be succening me in the role of a king once you're both 18?"

"Yes." I replied.

"Lady.." Lux-Aurea began. "Do you accept and acknowledge that you're going to be succeeding me in the role of queen, once you're both 18?"

"Yes." Lady replied, as we awaited for the final instructions from her father.

"Then by all means, let you both be now known as spouses. The ritual is now complete."

As Lady and I smiled at one another, we couldn't help but share a kiss, for that was the kind of couple we were. We loved each other very much, and nothing, NOTHING, was ever going to change that.

THE END...

OR SO YOU THINK...