The Heart of a Lion
Epilogue: Additional Promises
[All standard disclaimers apply.]
Allura and Keith snuggled close on a bench in one of the castle's gardens. The Arusian sky was ablaze by the setting sun, enriching the area's beauty. Still awed by the planet, and its ruler, Keith pulled Allura tighter against him.
"You look pretty smug at the moment," Allura quipped, causing Keith to smile.
"Actually I feel very grateful," he answered, stroking her hair.
"I know the feeling." She paused studying the sunset. "Nanny took the news better than what I thought she would," she commented, opening the subject Keith had been avoiding for her sake.
"Yeah, she did." He searched for the right words but couldn't find anything. "Have you had any second thoughts?"
"About us?" She was rewarded with a nod. "No," she said, pulling herself into an upright position to face him. "Keith, I meant it, being with you means more than Nanny's blessing. Have you had seconds thoughts?" Her blue eyes searched for an answer.
"No, Allura. I love you. Nothing changes that." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "In fact, I have something to give you, if you will accept it."
Allura studied Keith as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box tied with a blue ribbon.
"There is a note inside," he joked, "but I hope it doesn't upset you."
Allura took the box and carefully untied the ribbon. She looked up at Keith's expectant face before she lifted the lid. Inside was a silver ring engraved with intertwining lines. Looking at him, she opened the note.
"'My dear Allura,'" she read. "'Please accept this symbol of my undying love for you. Know that I will love you always. Keith.'"
She looked up at him, the ring, still in the box, sitting in her lap. "I don't know what to say," she whispered, eyes welling with tears.
"Let me explain," he said, taking her hands in his. "I wouldn't feel right asking you to marry me without both Coran's and Nanny's blessing. But, I want to give you a symbol of my love." He removed the ring from the box. "Will you wear it?"
"Of course I will, Keith," she cried, wiping away tears of happiness. "I wish I had something to give you in return."
"Believe me, Allura, you have given me more than I have dreamed of."
She smiled evilly. "Wait until our wedding night," she said.
"If Nanny had only heard you say that." They laughed. Then, his eyes locked with hers and both became serious. Taking the ring, Keith slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand.
'Next to where her wedding ring would be,' he prayed. Raising her hand reverently, he kissed it and then her face.
Allura pulled away from the kiss and saw the surprise on Keith's face. "Wait," she explained, reaching under the collar of her shirt. She pulled out a necklace with a small medallion, which was the seal of the royal house of Arus. She put the necklace around his neck, watching the gold gleam in the light of the dying sun.
"Will you wear it as a symbol of my love for you and of our future?" she asked, never looking away from his deep brown eyes.
"Always," he vowed, pulling her towards him for another kiss.
Epilogue: Additional Promises
[All standard disclaimers apply.]
Allura and Keith snuggled close on a bench in one of the castle's gardens. The Arusian sky was ablaze by the setting sun, enriching the area's beauty. Still awed by the planet, and its ruler, Keith pulled Allura tighter against him.
"You look pretty smug at the moment," Allura quipped, causing Keith to smile.
"Actually I feel very grateful," he answered, stroking her hair.
"I know the feeling." She paused studying the sunset. "Nanny took the news better than what I thought she would," she commented, opening the subject Keith had been avoiding for her sake.
"Yeah, she did." He searched for the right words but couldn't find anything. "Have you had any second thoughts?"
"About us?" She was rewarded with a nod. "No," she said, pulling herself into an upright position to face him. "Keith, I meant it, being with you means more than Nanny's blessing. Have you had seconds thoughts?" Her blue eyes searched for an answer.
"No, Allura. I love you. Nothing changes that." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "In fact, I have something to give you, if you will accept it."
Allura studied Keith as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box tied with a blue ribbon.
"There is a note inside," he joked, "but I hope it doesn't upset you."
Allura took the box and carefully untied the ribbon. She looked up at Keith's expectant face before she lifted the lid. Inside was a silver ring engraved with intertwining lines. Looking at him, she opened the note.
"'My dear Allura,'" she read. "'Please accept this symbol of my undying love for you. Know that I will love you always. Keith.'"
She looked up at him, the ring, still in the box, sitting in her lap. "I don't know what to say," she whispered, eyes welling with tears.
"Let me explain," he said, taking her hands in his. "I wouldn't feel right asking you to marry me without both Coran's and Nanny's blessing. But, I want to give you a symbol of my love." He removed the ring from the box. "Will you wear it?"
"Of course I will, Keith," she cried, wiping away tears of happiness. "I wish I had something to give you in return."
"Believe me, Allura, you have given me more than I have dreamed of."
She smiled evilly. "Wait until our wedding night," she said.
"If Nanny had only heard you say that." They laughed. Then, his eyes locked with hers and both became serious. Taking the ring, Keith slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand.
'Next to where her wedding ring would be,' he prayed. Raising her hand reverently, he kissed it and then her face.
Allura pulled away from the kiss and saw the surprise on Keith's face. "Wait," she explained, reaching under the collar of her shirt. She pulled out a necklace with a small medallion, which was the seal of the royal house of Arus. She put the necklace around his neck, watching the gold gleam in the light of the dying sun.
"Will you wear it as a symbol of my love for you and of our future?" she asked, never looking away from his deep brown eyes.
"Always," he vowed, pulling her towards him for another kiss.