Prompt: #47 Deep

Summary: The moment has finally come.

A/N/: This is the second part of Chapter 28 Pareo of the #6 Prompt, Resign. This plot is heavily inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Profundus is Latin for "deep, profound".

Profundus

The letter is clutched tightly in her hands but she has not opened it. If it were ordinary paper she is sure she would have torn it by the tightness of her grip. Of course it was not ordinary paper at all. It was the extremely expensive and rare kind of parchment that required a certain ink pen and was near impossible to rip. She has not even gotten a chance to read it because the letter had not been the reason behind the knock on her door. When she had gone to answer the door, she found someone had already slipped it in from underneath the door. It had been Caritas knowing, come to give her news. News that had her heart pounding and her heart racing. It left her in a strange haze of denial. It was not true! Yet the sincerity in her friend's eyes mixed with the feelings of her heart, told her it was indeed true. Impossibly true.

"I am confused," she says, looking at her glowing friend. A halo of happiness surrounds her today.

"I am too!" cries Caritas with a nervous laugh. "But I feel that this is right. Can you believe this is happening?"

"No," she answers honestly. "I really cannot even fathom this." She is having a hard enough time breathing. Let alone trying to figure out how this had happened. How had she missed this very major detail during her stay? Had she been so self absorbed that she had been blind to the things going on around her? Apparently so and she had never felt more selfish than she did at that moment. This was a complete surprise and it should not have been it seems.

"You have a letter, Stella?" Caritas points out curiously with a tilt of her head towards her hand. "There were no others given out this morning."

"You are sure?" she asks in surprise. For a moment she had thought the note would say what Caritas had just told her. She turns the envelope in her hands for a moment in apprehension.

"Which means I should leave you be to read it," comments Caritas, rising from the couch an heading towards the door.

"Thank you," she replies distantly. This was just a shock all around. It was not what she had been expecting this morning when she had resigned herself to her fate. Now she had no idea what that fate might be. Her world was turning upside down. "You are going to be a beautiful bride, Caritas."

"I hope so," responds her friend with a nervous sigh. "I want to be my best for him."

She manages a small but sincere smile before her friend leaves. Once the door closes, she stares down at the letter in her hand again. Turning over the envelope, she stares at the seal on the wax. The thick, red wax revealed the crest of the Caelum family and her heart felt as if it would beat right out of her chest. All the other announcement letters had all been sealed with the Nihilsomno insignia, never the Caelum dynasty's. There was only one author who would have the right to use that seal. There was only one person who could have penned the note that lay inside it. She can scarcely hope at anything as she gathers enough courage to crack the molded wax and pull out the expensive parchment contained within.

Her hands are trembling as they carefully unfold the letter and she is glad that she is already sitting down, else her knees would have buckled. She has to take several breathes to calm herself before she can unfold the elegant letter. Her heart rate increases further when she recognizes Noctis' slanted, masculine font on the paper. The distinct whiff of his cologne assails her senses and she could almost feel his presence within the room. She could picture him writing at his desk and then, she slowly began to read while she half dreaded and half hoped.

This is no longer bearable. It feels as if you have pierced my very soul. Leaving me in half agony and half hope. Unjust I may have been in my treatment of you. I know I can admit freely to you that I have been weak and resentful, but I have never been inconstant. To have listened to you agree with the feebleness of men and the eternal, often hopeless devotion of women, I realize that I can no longer keep silent.

I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you nearly broke it ten years ago. In all my life, I have loved none but you. It is for you alone that I think of in my future and all my plans. Have you not seen this? Could you have disregarded me so utterly that you have not gathered that this entire scheme has been to bring you back to me? How else could I have seen you again otherwise?

The appointed time has run out and I am now uncertain of my fate. My anxiety is such that I almost cannot write. A word, a look from you would be enough. I wait now. Tell me that I am not too late. That such feelings as we had are gone forever. If it be too late, you leave at the mercy of cruel mistress Fate's. I must marry and I can only marry you. O Sweet Perfection, will you accept my heart this time?

- N

The letter is so tightly clenched within her hands as she finishes, that it crumples. She wants to crush it to her heart and infuse these words forever upon her heart. This moment, this rapturous confirmation of love as devoted as her own love. It needed to be remembered and forever savored. She can finally understand how much of his hand had aided in their re-acquaintance. Because he loved her. He has loved her all along. Despite his wounded pride and shattering disappointment, he has been ever faithful and true. Now, he was waiting and there was only one answer that she will give.

Her feet echo in the hollowness of the marble hall as she rushes headlong to find him. She fists her skirts, along with the note, as she runs. It was as if the other half of her heart were guiding her steps. It was calling to it's mate in urgent yearning. It must be. She does not know the castle well enough to run as she is but she knows. Something inside her knows that her steps were bringing her closer and closer to him. That is all that matters. To be together again and let nothing ever tear them away again.

Out of breath from nerves and exertion, she finds herself in front of two large, black double doors. Without even stopping to compose herself, she is pushing with all her weight into opening them and all but stumbles into the vast throne room. The sounds of her inhalation fill her ears as she catches sight of him at last. He had been in mid conversation with his rifle bearing friend. The one that had so engaged her in such a conversation that had stirred such restless motivation. She was indebted to him in more ways than one. She would always be thankful.

"We can finish this later," Noctis says, but his eyes do not stray from hers.

"Yeah, of course," is the reply before his friend is coming towards her to leave them.

"Congratulations on your marriage to Caritas," she says with a watery smile.

"I think I'll be saying the same to you in a bit," he answers with a wink and then closes the heavy doors behind him, leaving her alone with Noctis for the first time in ten years.

It has been so long that she almost feels shy now that they are secluded. Each of them regard the other in turn and the air in the room is suddenly charged with eager anticipation. There is a sensation that has so long been absent within her heart that she feels weakened and rejuvenated at the same time. She feels as if she has been brought back to life. Her heart was no longer dead. The carefully monotonous look is no longer shielding the man that she had known so long ago. She can actually see him now and his expression is unguarded at last. Raw and real and that is the moment she knows. He has forgiven her and that, that is the most profound emotion of peace one can have. She knows her love not to be in vain and now, he will too.