Maple and Redwood came with their own mounts, and they followed us to Violet's house. Nod knew both of them, the three of them were in the same unit. Nod was allowed to speak to them. I thought that was silly. Why shouldn't I be allowed to speak to them? Maybe when I start my Leafmen training, I'll be allowed to speak to them too.

I cautiously gave up my daughter into Violet's arms. "Be good baby," I kissed her forehead and watched her all the way out the door.

"Don't worry darling!" Violet called after me. "She's in good hands!"

Thankfully, Maple and Redwood stayed behind to guard Alisia. They decided that I was safe enough with Nod.

"Where are we going?" I asked Nod as we flew above Moonhaven.

"Don't worry, we'll land soon," he called back to me. The sun was nearly setting, it had been a long day.

Nod flew Zeeba to the ground. We were in a clearing, with a few tall trees with gaps in their branches placed around the clearing.

"Where are we?" I asked again.

Nod sat down in the grass and looked up at the trees. "I used to love coming here as a kid," he reminisced. "I used to race here," he told me, a daring glint in his eye.

I sat down next to him, I couldn't shake the curiosity of the council meeting.

Nod knew it too, and he took my hands in his and looked me directly in the eye. He looked vulnerable.

"MK, we like each other, right?"

I laughed. "Of course we do, silly," I giggled.

"We really, really, really like each other?" he probed.

I leaned forward and closed the distance in between us, placing my forehead on his. "Yes," I whispered.

"MK, I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Nod whispered back.

I leaned back just a bit. I'd known Nod for nearly six months, and in that six months, he'd become someone I couldn't live without. Someone who was completely irreplaceable in my eyes. "Nod, what are you saying?" I asked. I kept sensing a but. There couldn't be a 'but'. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, too..

"MK, the council meeting is about us. As a couple. Technically, we're not supposed to be together. They're going to try and break us up," Nod explained.

It felt like a dagger of flames had stabbed me in the stomach. I remembered what Nod had said about Tara and Ronin, but for some reason, I thought it would be different with us. "They have no right to tell me who I can and cannot be with," I said coldy. "Nod, I want to be with you," I said, trying to keep tears from pooling in my eyes.

"Hey, hey," Nod brought my hands up to his mouth and kissed the backs of them, "Easy. If you are willing to try this.. I have a plan." Nod stared into my eyes, an adventurous spark in them.

The tears in my eyes dried up. "What is it? What's your plan?" I asked, kind of desperate for an answer. My mind was in shambles, trying to think of a way that we could stay together.

"Well, in our kingdom, after marriage, we don't separate. It is nearly unheard of, and the only acceptable reason for a couple to separate is if one had gone to the Rot," Nod grinned at me, "And clearly, neither of us is going to go to the Rot, soo.."

"Are you saying we should get married, now?"

Nod shifted excitedly. "No, see, that's the thing. I think we should say that we're married." Nod's face grew closer to mine, "And then we can really get married when we're ready, in our own time."

I tilted my head curiously. "Is this a marriage proposal?" I inquired, a smile in my voice.

"Not exactly," Nod said, putting a hand in his pocket and drawing out a beautiful ring, with a stone made of amber, "But this is."

I gasped in shock as I looked at the ring. "It's beautiful," I admired it.

"Mary Katherine, would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Nod proposed, holding out the ring, a huge smile on his face.

Even though I knew it was coming, I couldn't stop the tears from coming to my eyes, the complete and total giddiness bubbling up in my heart. "Yes!" I laughed, "Yes, I will marry you."

Nod slid the ring onto my finger and I threw my arms around his neck. Our lips connected in complete ecstasy, and I was the happiest girl in the world.

When we drew back from each other, I asked, "But Nod, what are we going to tell the council?"

"Well, I'm imagining that stomper weddings are different from Jinn weddings. So we can tell them that we've had a stomper wedding," Nod explained. He kissed my nose, and murmured, "Then, when we're ready, we can have a Jinn wedding."

We laid down, on our backs, staring at the sky together, Nod's arm around my shoulders. "What do you do at a Jinn wedding?"

"Well," Nod started, "It's going to be a little different, with no aged Queen around. But for us to become officially married, we plant a tree. Then the Queen sets her magic at it so that it grows and blooms, then we carve our names into them. There is a whole section of the forest for those kind of trees. It's called the Marriage Garden. We'll have to go there before we get married," he explained.

I sighed happily, grinning from ear to ear. "We're really getting married," I bubbled.

Nod sighed as well, I could feel his chest rise under my back. "Yup," he agreed happily.

I said it again. "Nod, we're getting married!" I squealed. I turned around so I was laying on top of Nod, and I lowered my face to kiss him. I put my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me, a hand stroking my hair.

"I wish my mom was here," I murmured sadly. I never thought I would get married without her. Your mom is something you really take for granted. You never realize how much you really need her..until she's gone.

Nod kissed the top of my head and held me tighter. "I wish your mom was here too. I wish my dad was here. He would've liked you." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I giggled and closed my eyes. I could hear Nod's heartbeat, feel it on my cheek. I could've fallen asleep there, but as the sun sank deeper and deeper, I knew that I needed to get back to Alisia. "You do realize I'm a package deal, right?" I wanted to make sure Nod knew this. He was going to be Alisia's father, and I wanted him to act like it. In a lot of ways, he already did.

I could feel Nod smile. "Would it be crazy if I've always kind of thought of her as my daughter?"

"We've acted like a family for a long time," I agreed. "Now we're just making it official."

Nod squirmed underneath me. "We need to get back," he said. "Stay at my place?" he requested.

I bit my lip. I was a little nervous almost, to spend the night at Nod's now that we were engaged. I didn't know where to sleep. I didn't think I was ready to sleep in his bed.

Nod sensed my emotions and squeezed my fingers. "We can sleep on the couch still. And then tomorrow, after we meet with the council, we'll go and fix your house. Alright?" he comforted me.

I got off of his chest and stood up. "Alright," I confirmed. Then Nod stood, and he kissed my lips softly before we got onto Zeeba and flew back to Violet's.

We dismounted off of Zeeba, and Nod held my hand as we walked in the door. Violet was sitting on the couch, with Alisia in her lap, a small toy in her hands. Violet looked at the pair of us expectantly, and Nod raised my ring hand triumphantly.

Violet emitted a squeak of joy and stood, placing Alisia gently on the floor before rushing over to us. She practically tackled the both of us, one arm around each of us, jumping up and down. Funny how this little old lady could be so energetic. She cupped each of our faces and kissed us on the cheeks.

"I'm so happy," Violet said tearfully.

I laughed, and Violet hugged me again alone. "I always wanted a daughter," she admitted.

Another realization dawned on me. By marrying Nod, I was gaining another mother. I was gaining a whole other family. I went to pick up Alisia and I kissed her on the temple. "Hi, baby," I greeted her. "Did you miss Mommy?"

Alisia grinned at me and babbled.

I felt Nod come up behind me and kiss my temple. His arms wrapped around my waist and Alisia stretched over my shoulder to put her palm on his mouth, as she often did.

Nod laughed and removed one of his arms to hold Lissy's hand. "She's ours, now," Nod confirmed.

"All ours," I echoed.

And in that moment, my world came together.