Chapter 22

Dedication: this chapter is dedicated to Madame-S-Butterfly, my original Eliena/Leo shipper. This chapter has been a long time coming, and I promised it to her ages ago. So, here you are, MSB, a truly Eliena/Leo chapter.

The rose garden (AN- thanks to Alanna22039 for the idea of the rose garden!) was in full bloom. Leo had Eliena by the hand and she was blindfolded.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"You'll see," he replied mysteriously. Eliena sighed, but followed. Finally, they stopped. Leo took off his lover's blindfold. "Open your eyes." She did so and gasped.

They were in a secluded spot and surrounded by roses of every color imaginable: yellow, white, red, pink…all of them. Eliena smiled and ran into Leo's arms. She kissed him.

"Its beautiful!" she cried.

"So are you," he murmured, using a finger to brush her hair out of her face. He slipped a hand behind her hair and pulled her against his mouth, kissing her deeply. He drew back. "I have something to show you." He took her hand and led her to a wall of the grove that was covered in crimson roses. He took a small black velvet box from his pocket and knelt.

"Oh…Goddess," Eliena breathed.

"Eliena. We've bee friends as long as I can remember. We grew up together, and went through a lot. I've loved you since we were thirteen, but we're seventeen now. I'll be a knight come Midwinter and I want you to be more than just the princess I protect and serve on the battlefield." He opened the box, revealing a rung with a ruby surrounded by yellow diamonds set into a gold band that had recently adorned the queen's finger. "Eli, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" She looked down at him. He looked like a knight already in serviceable tan breeches, broken in knee high brown boots, a white shirt, and a blue tunic. His hazel eyes were hopeful.

"Stand up. Of course I'll marry you!" Leo beamed and jumped to his feet. He picked up her left hand and slid the famous Conté betrothal ring onto her ring finger. He gazed at her for a moment. Eliena wore a day dress in her favorite style. The bodice was cut close to her body, accenting her curves. There were two thin straps holding it up and a long, flowing skirt that spun easily. The dress was the palest blue. Her black curls were loose, making her look like a goddess.

"Are you going to stand there and admire me, Leo? Because you have forever to—"

"Eli, shut up."

Leo picked her up and kissed her passionately, spinning her around so her skirt wrapped them both. Eliena laughed, throwing back her head and letting her black hair fly. He put her down, keeping her close so their bodies touched.

"I don't think I need this anymore," he said, picking the ring she'd given him up. Eliena pressed her hand to his chest and looked up at him with violet eyes full of endless love.

"Keep it. You may be called off to fight. Use it to remember me," she told him.

Leo kissed her deeply. "As if I could ever forget."

Author's Note- I swear to God, if ANYONE makes a comment about how clichéd that was or how it reminded you of something else I've written, I will SHOOT you. I LOVED this chapter, and I've been DYING to put it up. I am a devout Eliena/Leo shipper myself, and I LOVE writing stuff like this. It kills me to write stuff that comes up later, but it must be done. So… REVIEW. collapses in a faint