They stopped after some time by the edge of a small stream, and like Myst had suggested Dawn came down with a head-ache from the heat and refused to let anyone to see her. Save her parents and Myst himself who kept dropping in on her to report how Terry was taking her sudden illness Dawn saw no-one that day.
"He's very cross." Myst reported during one of his many visits. "He says someone's plotting against him and that I've put something in your water so you're not able to talk to me."
"Hahaha!" Dawn laughed sarcastically at that remark. "You're joking right?"
"No."
"Oh crap." She frowned. "Doesn't he know I've no interest in him. I don't know how many times I've tried to blank him so he'd see it. I didn't know he'd be able to think I had interest if I kept acting like I have been." He looked over at her, realised she was holding back tears and then came over and took her in his arms, realising as he did so that this woman meant more to him than any other person alive.
"Don't worry, please." He whispered into her shoulder as he held her tight against him. "I'm sure he'll come round and understand soon enough. I'll say one thing for Terry, and that's that he's very good at understanding this type of thing. He'll be fine with it once you explain to his face."
"I know." She replied, and he felt her tears seep through his tunic onto his should. "I just don't know how I can tell him that I don't love him like her loves me."
"It will be hard, even I can tell that, but if it's what you need to do then you're going to have to do it. There's no exceptions in life Dawn, you know that as well as me."
"I know like you know Myst. There is no way you can change what you need to do in your life, it's just my luck that what I have to do will mean hurting someone dear to me."
"Everyone must hurt someone they love at one time or another, I don't know why but I feel you should be grateful to get that chance when you're young and it won't affect you too bad in your later life."
"I suppose. At least if I've had to let someone down while I'm still barely more than a child then I hopefully won't have to go through it again. it feels hard now, but I guess you're right."
"I never thought I'd hear that one. Me being right."
"Don't me stupid. Of course you're right. You're always so sensible."
"You're the only one who thinks that."
"I'm not, most people just don't bother saying anything cause they're too busy trying to live their lives."
"You're just saying that to be nice. You know you've got to talk to Terry and you want all your friends you can get."
"Yea, I guess. I've got to tell him though; it just feels so hard. I don't know how I can do it, not to him anyway, not after he's been such a good friend." She felt herself begin to break down and wrapped her arms around him in return to his hug.
"I know, I know, but it will be fine. You're strong; you'll be able to cope. You're able to cope with everything."
"Hahaha, I don't think. God Myst, you're the best friend anyone could ever wish for. I'm so glad I've still got you." Myst nodded and pulled her closer, holding her against him as if he was afraid to let her go.
"Whatever happens, wherever you go, whatever you do, I will always love you." He whispered, hardly daring to get the words out, and pulled her close, wondering at the softness of her voice and of her touch of her fingers on the tips of his as she replied with the response he now realised he had longed to hear for many long years.
"And I you, since forever, now and until forever. Wherever you go I will love you, whatever you do I will love you, whatever happens to us in the world I will love you." She pressed her lips to his and he drank in the warmth of her kiss, knowing that from that moment he had found the woman who was to be his wife, who he was made to be with. He knew from then on that whatever he had felt for her before it was nothing, nothing compared to this. This was love; this was what humans were supposed to feel and the height of the power that was given to them so many years ago.
The two people, boy and girl, stepped out of Dawns wagon in the gathering dusk and walked across the grass towards the fire hand in hand. Around them people continued with their work, it was nothing new to see Dawn and Myst walking like this as everyone knew they were more than close, they were like twins. The only people to notice anything different about their relationship were Dawn's parents; Myst's parents and a certain young man named Terry. He noticed because for many hours now he had been looking out for any sign of Dawn becoming well again and coming out so he could talk to her and ask her for her hand in marriage. He had been becoming considerably more suspicious of all the time Myst seemed to spend in with her at all times, and today he had been positively fuming when she let him in to see her but refused flatly to have him anywhere near them. As they drew closer to the fire and the light several more people noticed the change in their posture, and as it was almost time for the evening meal the gathered in towards them. Dawn looked at Myst, and grinned. They both understood that now was the time for them and that today before the evening meal they would request to be married.
Dawn stopped nervously before her parents and waited to be spoken too, she could tell from their faces that they knew what had been happening in her wagon.
"Mother, father, I come before you wishing for your blessing." She knelt before their feet and waited with nerves for them to show their reaction. Her mother took her in for several minutes, and then reached down and pulled her to her feet.
"My daughter." Her father began, smiling sadly. "When I first set eyes on your beauty you were the smallest of the small, the youngest of the children, the essence of young life as a baby. Now you stand before me a grown woman asking for my blessing for you and yours in your married life, and I am filled with a huge sadness. My little girl, my daughter Dawn who I cared for with all my heart, of course you shall have my blessing. Go live your life my darling, live it to the best of your abilities." There was very little to add to that speech but Dawns mother hugged her tightly and spoke a few well chosen words before leaving her go.
"No matter where you go, you shall always be our daughter." She whispered gently to her middle daughter who was no longer a child. "Wherever you go, whatever happens, our blessing shall always be with you. You may not need us any longer but your parents will be here with you, so long as you live and we live too." Dawn wrapped her arms around her mother and father tightly, realising that this would be the last time she did this as a child under the protection of her family.
Wow, that chapter only took me one day to write, and its not too bad. I'm going to write a few Will and Lyra chapters now, but when I come back to Dawn's story its going to be her wedding. I've just been looking over my story and I haven't got a clue how many more chapters I'll need. I'll just wait and see and write until it feels finished… Love, Stargazing Maiden.