Takes place in my "Dawn of a New Age" Future AU.
Day 7 - Future AU
"Do you, Willow Park, swear to lead and govern the coven to the best of your ability as if each member were flowers under your care?" Head Witch Daphne asked.
"I swear," Willow agreed resolutely.
"Do you swear to support all peoples of the Boiling Isles of any and all covens, or none, to guide us all into a brighter future?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear fealty to the Titan and to the Emperor, to provide wisdom and strength in return for unity and protection?"
Willow smiled wider and her gaze flicked to the Emperor, feeling his gaze upon her even from behind his mask. "I swear to my dying breath," she replied, her eyes no less wavering than mountains.
Head Witch Daphne lifted an eyebrow at the faint breach in tradition, but otherwise left it uncommented. "Then rise, Willow Park," she said, removing a hand-woven green shawl decorated with floral and ivy needlework that she draped over Willow's shoulders — taking care to avoid covering her palisman, Clover — before spreading her hands in a welcoming gesture, "second Head of the Plant Coven."
Willow did so and the trees that stood behind the stage in the audience chamber of the main Plant Coven bloomed, their flowers opening to release shining pollen and aromatic fragrance into the air. The massive gathering of witnesses — scores of Plant Coven members and representatives from all of the other main covens, including the Emperor and members of his coven — all broke into thunderous applause. Unheard by all of them, those who were watching on scrolls and crystal balls across the Isles were celebrating the new head witch as well.
Daphne gave a warm smile to her apprentice of five years before conjuring a tree shaped into a chair and settling into it with a heavy sigh. "Finally, I can stay home and rest," she said.
"You mean you won't come around every now and then to check in?" Willow asked as she crossed the stage and descended the steps.
"I will, Dear," she assured with a flippant flick of her wrist. "But nowadays it'll be by choice."
Willow rolled her eyes and smiled widely as she greeted each of the delegations from the main covens, her smile widening when she came to Amity, who had attended in place of the newest Abomination head witch, and Luz in her Silver Spectre mask, who was attending in her official capacity as the Emperor's right hand.
After some time, the crowd stilled somewhat and parted to allow the Emperor himself, Hunter Wittebane, to step forward. He placed his hands on Willow's shoulders and nodded formally. "Congratulations, Ms. Park," he said in a stately fashion. "I can't think of anyone else more suited to lead than you."
"I'm sure you can't," Willow said, her cheeks pinking.
With that, the Emperor left her to her first evening in her official role. To all observers, it appeared he had done his duty to support one of his highest vassals and moved on. But an onlooker would not feel the spark between the Plants head and the Emperor. Few knew of their deeper connection.
The Emperor melded into the shadows at the back of the audience hall, his hands behind his back. His palisman, Lil Rascal, emerged from his robes' cowl and twittered something. "Shut up, Bird," Hunter groused affectionately.
"My Emperor," Luz said as she approached and turned to face the rest of the hall with him, her staff — carved along the haft with glyphs and capped with her bat-styled palisman — armed and ready for anything.
"Spectre," he greeted back.
"You know, you are the Emperor," Luz said pointedly.
"Yes, I am very much aware," Hunter replied. "What's your point?"
"That you make the rules," Luz explained, "and therefore this whole 'distant, stately, neutral' act is kind of pointless. You can technically throw it all out and congratulate Willow as her boyfriend and not her Emperor."
Hunter scoffed. "That's one reason I keep you around, Luz," he said. "Your naivate is refreshing." He sighed. "As Emperor, it is crucial that I appear neutral between the covens. I can't have them crying favoritism." He clenched his hands into fists for a moment before relaxing them. "And I won't have people slandering Willow with rumors of nepotism."
"They already do that," Luz said, her teasing tone gone and replaced with distaste.
"Then I refuse to give them more ammunition," Hunter elaborated. A smile entered his tone of voice. "Besides, there's plenty of time for personal congratulations after all of this official nonsense."
Luz snorted behind her own silvery mask. "As you wish, my Emperor."
It was well after midnight when Hunter guided his staff to land in a clearing before his and Willow's secluded getaway. Built by Hunter himself on a horn of the Titan and against the rise of its skull, the wood-and-brick cabin was their refuge from the stress of their duties where they could be alone together.
Hunter landed as gently as he could and patted Lil Rascal's statuette form at the head of the staff before carefully turning in his seat without disturbing the other passenger. Willow had ridden with her head against the back of his shoulder and her arms tight around his waist. Hunter took a moment to just sit on the staff and admire his love, brushing some hair out of her face before kissing her forehead. "Willow, we're here," he whispered.
Willow breathed deeply as she woke up, lifting her glasses to rub at her eyes. "Already?" she asked blearily.
"Yeah, already," Hunter chuckled. "And I think Lil Rascal's tired, too."
Willow nodded jerkily, hopping off the staff and teetering before leaning against Hunter's taller frame. Hunter put an arm behind her waist and guided her up the steps while Lil Rascal fluttered to his shoulder. He let them in and guided Willow to sit on the couch in the small den before locking the door back.
"What time is it?" Willow asked, her voice more stable than before.
"I'm not sure," Hunter answered honestly. He took a small pen from his pocket and traced a fire glyph on the pre-prepared logs in the fireplace before rushing his thumb against it to produce a crackling fire.
As she woke up a little more, Willow blinked as something occurred to her. "I'm on the couch," she noted.
"Mm-hmm," Hunter agreed, sitting next to her and putting an arm over her shoulder as she settled into his chest.
"Normally you take me straight to the bed," Willow pointed out before looking up at him through her lashes with a sly smile. "Which means you have something planned."
"Why must you be so smart?" Hunter sighed with a grin of his own. The grin faded into faint nervousness. "Look, Willow … I know you've had a full day today, but … I feel like I have to do this now."
"Do what?" Willow asked.
"Ask you something," Hunter said cryptically. He gently extricated himself from Willow and stood before turning on his heel to kneel before her. He shifted so that he was kneeling on one knee before he fished a small box from his pocket.
"Willow Park," he said seriously, his eyes steady. Willow gasped and placed her hands against her lips in shock. Hunter opened the box to reveal a simple gold band set with a red stone carved in the likeness of a rosebud. "Will you marry me?"
Willow dropped her hands to reveal the joyous smile she wore. "Yes," she breathed. Then she squealed and stood, lifting Hunter up by his shoulders and crushing him in a hug. "Yes, yes, yes! Of course I'll marry you!"
Hunter was laughing too as he placed the engagement ring on her middle finger, as things were done on the Boiling Isles. Then he wrapped that hand in his own and they leaned together to seal it with a kiss. Willow hummed with delight and Hunter groaned in response. The kiss became more heated, more passionate, and hands started roaming.
'Hey!' their palismen shouted together, intelligible only to their own partners. 'Save it for the honeymoon!'
Hunter and Willow separated and blushed before dissolving into delirious giggles as they hung off of each other. The palismen dropped the scolding act and flew to them, perched on their heads and tweeting or buzzing their joy at the engagement.
"And now I think it's time to sleep," Willow said against Hunter's cheek.
"Definitely," he replied before sweeping his fiancee up into his arms to carry her to their bedroom.
"That's for after the wedding," Willow giggled.
"Says who?" Hunter said back with a wide smile. "I think I can carry my dearest love whenever I feel necessary."
Hunter gently placed Willow on the bed and moved to the closet to gather their sleeping clothes. He passed Willow a conservative nightgown and then locked himself in the small bathroom to change into his pajama pants. When he emerged, Willow was changed and leaning along the length of the bed, her eyes glittering behind her spectacles.
"How can you make a nightgown that shows nothing so damn attractive?" Hunter asked.
"I dunno," Willow replied. "Maybe it's just an easy audience."
Hunter snorted and slid into the covers on his side just as Willow did on hers. She snapped her fingers and the lights snuffed out, and they curled into each other with perfect coordination even in the dark.
"Goodnight, Hunter," Willow sighed as she began to fall back into slumber.
"Goodnight, Willow," Hunter whispered as he followed her.