Chapter THIRTY-FIVE: Blissful Torment-TALIA

...

They reached the common room again. A large backdoor had been opened, unveiling a view of the soaring trees and dazzling pasture. Warm air swept inside, and the afternoon light now glowed elegantly, beautifying all.

Talia looked out to the beautiful but secluded lands outside.

"We really are far from the castle," she said, less than thrilled.

"Do not worry, my love. The Druid of Agriculture, Armaiti, lives just a little while away, and traveling between here and his Shrine on the Western Isle frequently; perhaps, others now too since I have been away from this place for so long...He was friends with father and I'm sure he'll be friends with us as well," Aydan assured her.

Talia smiled, happy to know that they had a neighbor-somewhere. The whole realm felt very empty most of the time. Though, she soon felt uplifted with everything that was happening.

Silent, Aydan stood in front of Talia as he continued to pull out dandelion burs and bits from her red hair. She, too, looked down at her druid gown that had specks of white on it and started doing the same. Dameon, having nothing else to do, sat alone in an area full of toys, amusing himself.

"I take it that our son was a handful?" Talia spoke softly, not wanting the boy to notice them. "I can help you with the rest of the housework if there-if there is any?!" she trail off, suddenly realizing that mostly everything was already taken care of. She glanced around at the immaculate space, with everything in perfect order as if someone had always lived there.

The furniture was now uncovered and dusted, and vases of cream colored roses now decorated the mantelpieces and corners of much of the room, and even the outside terrace, as though they were celebrating a special occasion of some sort. It's all so romantic, Talia thought to herself in quiet bemusement and awe.

Aydan chuckled, "Our son was actually quite helpful, my love. I'm giving him much of the credit for finishing up most of the chores. I did nothing more than sit and watch."

"Hah! That would explain why he is running around like a dirty little piggy and why my hands are dusty..." Talia stopped suddenly as Aydan drew her close to lead her towards the doorway.

They inched outside onto the terrace, ending up between the opening and manor. After a sweet moment of blissful silence, they gazed up into each other's eyes.

"Aydan…tell me that I'm the woman of your dreams…am I not?" she suddenly whispered, taken by the moment.

"'Beware lest the dreamer wakes.' You're the woman of my dreams and also in the wake. I love you, my Talia," Aydan lovingly whispered back.

"I love you, too. You're the light that fills my days," Talia said as his lips closed on hers, "-I'm so glad I became the Dreamer and we have each other forever."

Aydan grinned and looked down at her hand and held it. His heart palpitated from anticipation.

"My love, you said our son soiled your hands? I believe he has also dirtied your ring. Let me clean it for you," he said as he pulled his promise ring off her hand. "Oh my, there isn't enough light here, my love… I'll be back..."

Talia's lips quivered as he walked outside, nearly out of sight. Is he doing what I think he's doing? she pondered, trying not to get her hopes up again. But it all seemed too suspicious. She looked over at Dameon who appeared to be dozing off on a nap now, before she deciding follow.

..

Outside, Aydan found a garden pillar and placed the promise ring on top of it. He worked quickly knowing that he was still in sight as he pulled out his staff and a gem and welded the ring and gem into one band, being very careful with his craft and secretive at the same time.

The wind shifted a little behind him suddenly. There was a fading light and portal on the ground beside which took him by surprise.

"W-what are you doing?" Talia asked as she saw the ring in his hand. Tears began to flood her eyes as Aydan embraced her, "A-are you going to…"

"I love you more than anything, Tal.—Marry me," Aydan panted, surprisingly nervous.

"…Aye...Aye!" Talia cried. "Oh course I'll marry you. I would have a long time a-ago," she gasped as Aydan returned the-now-engagement ring to her hand and kissed her with heavenly passion.

"…Talia…I've wanted to marry you for so long..." he confessed, too sudden, without thinking.

Talia pulled away. His words almost seemed cruel to her after all this time.

"Then why didn't you?! Why did you wait so long?" Talia demanded for an answer. "I've cried so much over this. You were wrong to think having eternity together replaces tradition... "

"You...you were crying because of…" Aydan fell speechless, suddenly feeling terrible as he wiped away her last teardrop. She had kept her feelings hidden so well. He had thought she was upset over the oaf marrying. He had been so blind and fearful of the truth and telling the truth, but now, he just felt foolish for ever doubting their love because of a potion: their love was real.

After a moment, not waiting for an answer, Talia smiled again and rested her head to hear his heart beat, realizing that the answer was that they were already, in every pretense, married and very much happy and in love. In spite of being servants to the gods, and fully devoted to their eternal duties, Aydan had pledge eternity to her, after all. Their immortality was a reminder that they no longer followed all mortal traditions.

"I will be able to call you husband now," Talia giggled softly, after the brief joyous silence.

"And I will be able to call you my wife, my love," Aydan said ecstatic. "And Dameon will have my given name. So, do you like the ring, love?"

Talia looked down at her hand, realizing that she hadn't really fully seen the alterations he had made. It was beautiful. A striking diamond that was out of this world, now rested in the center of her beloved promise ring shining like a bursting prism.

"It is wonderful! Where did you get it?" she asked, awestruck as she tried adjusting it with her fingertips.

"…Love, it's a little too big. I melted the ring too much...But to answer your question, it was no easy tasks getting it. I battled a few dragons-the usual. But for the woman of my dreams, I would do it a million times," he said in a joking tone (though, he really did have to fight a dragon to get it). "My love...I can make it smaller, if you'll like."

Talia look at her ring again. He would have to adjust it again, but for now she just wanted to hold on to it. "Aydan, its fine. Do it later. I have become rather attached to it."

"Are you sure ,Tal? It won't take long."

"Yes. At least for now I want to keep my treasure," Talia replied and smiled. "So...when exactly are we to have our mortal marriage? And where? I always thought that I would just marry in a chapel."

"Do not worry, I have everything planned, my love. We can either wait for other druids to have time and attend a ceremony or we can marry immediately, if you desire?" Aydan said, prepared for either choice. He was ready to take her to the world for a quick ceremony if she wished.

"I don't care, Aydan!" Talia said as she jumped from excited and clung to him. "Just marry me soon. Anything will be special. But...we're getting married! At last! And that is all I want right now!-All I want is you, my dear husband to-be!"

"...Talia, dearest, I believe our son is coming to congratulate us," Aydan interrupted, a little disappointed that their moment alone was about to end. Dameon peeked out the door a few times, and was now stumbling and rushing to get to them.

"I knew we should have left him with Leana," Talia said as she picked Dameon up.

"Ha ha, I now wish the same now," Aydan mumbled. "My love, I will make you anything you want for dinner to celebrate."

Talia put Dameon down who stormed away to play nearby before answering, "No. Let me make you dinner and anything you want. You have spoiled me enough today as usual my 'husband'."

"Anything you wish, love. I still have to look through a few more rooms…But Tal, I can do dinner. I insist. You'll have to go to the Dreamlands soon enough—"

"You do spoil me too much!" Talia said as she held his hand to go back inside. "But I will be a wife today, and do as I please."

...

Talia went to prepare their dinner and made Dameon followed her since she insisted on watching him as well.

Aydan hurried down the hall to the last few rooms he needed to clean out. One of the rooms, in particular, he was not very keen on entering and set aside for last.