Shanzira and Frederick: S Support.

This one is from Frederick's point of view.

Any environment complements her, frankly. She may express irritation on her face, but I can see serenity in the way she sits, one leg crossed over another, hunched over in total focus of her parchment. I can only wonder what Shanzira pens now... But I mustn't distract myself; I am here with a purpose.

I know she will greet me with venom and anger, but I must stand through it and tell her this. I shake off a moment's hesitation and step towards her, keeping my footfalls light so as to approach more gently. I take in breath as quietly as I can before I speak: "Milady Shanzira. Might I beg your attention?"

Her gaze does not move from her sketchbook; instead her quill continues to dance across the parchment. "You almost sound like you want to apologize. Why didn't you think about that before you lied to me like that?"

I bite my tongue; multiple retorts jumped to my mind at once. I must remind myself that I am not here to wound, but to heal. "I..." Once more I find myself in need of a breath to steady myself. "I wanted to say–"

I am interrupted at once; I can see my very presence is enough to anger her. She looks up, so as to project her ire into my face. "What, that you think it's entirely justified?" No, not at all! Never! ... Perhaps once, but no more. "Now, perhaps, but at that time, when all I'd done was play the hero and nearly get myself killed helping you lot out?"

Yet again I hold myself back from putting her back in line. "Please, let me speak." Calm yourself, Frederick, and recall the point you wished to bring up. "I wanted to say that I was not entirely lying."

Shanzira's eyes– normally a brown glinting with warmth, but now cold with fury– stare straight into my own as she hisses in a lower tone than usual, "Excuse me?"

I will take that as permission to continue. "I had wanted to say so earlier, but I found no opportunity to explain myself, for which I apologize." I am aware that I am apologizing for her failings; I know better than to place the blame on Shanzira when doing so will only feed her rage. "Although I pretended to love you at first, milady, I later realized I did not have to pretend anymore."

I do not believe I could have said it more accurately. That is the benefit of rehearsal. I wrote this entire speech ahead of time– it may be short, but I know Shanzira would not listen if I were to lengthen it. Her attention has a tendency to wander at times– though while we were together, it rarely wandered from me.

However, Shanzira attacks with a snarl: "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of my broken heart!"

Very well, she wishes for volume? Then here! "SHANZIRA, I TRULY DO LOVE YOU!" What better way to state myself than with a louder confession?

Her lips, previously raised in the aforementioned snarl, lower to a calmer expression; her eyes do not relax from their slit thinness. "Prove it."

This is precisely the opportunity I had hoped for. With my right hand, I reach into my right rear pocket and remove a small box, hold it for her to see, and with my left, I open it to very specifically show its contents to her. "Here is that proof. I had hoped to reveal it under better circumstances, but..." But fate did not have such ideas in store, I finish in my mind.

She exhales defensively, as though panting due to fright. "How long have you had that ring?" Her eyes lift, but remain pushed thin due to the position of her eyebrows... those beautifully sculpted eyebrows.

She demanded a question, and I am obligated to answer. "I have kept it on my person since before I told you of my... deception–" I took a pause to find the right word; I did not rehearse this. I did not expect her to ask that... I admit, I did not entirely think this through– "–As I've waited for a chance to reveal it."

Finally, her brow relaxes at last– no, it bypasses relaxed and raises into an aggrieved state. She bows her head in what I assume to be shame and speaks– in what I daresay is a sob– "Oh... Gods. I... Damn it... And I was..." She takes another sob to cut off her own words, covering her face with one hand. "I'm sorry..."

Once more, I steel myself to admit this. "You were entirely right to be cross with me. I don't hold it against you, as I've now gotten my chance to tell you." I would like to remind those who believe me to be at this moment overly fearful that to admit one's own wrong takes a great deal of humility.

Shanzira speaks again, in a more tearful sob. "Why... why must things happen this way?"

I can think of no answer to calm her, so I direct her wandering attention back to myself. She may believe she has erred beyond reparation, but I would show her that itself is an error. "Milady, there is also a question I would beg you."

Though her body is still curled in vulnerability, her eyes once more return to meet mine, sunlight gleaming off unshed tears. "You're asking for one of two things."

She is right indeed. I take one knee down in a kneel and hold up the box with both hands. "I would ask for your hand in marriage."

She sniffs up nose–stuffing. "I figured it'd be either that or forgiveness..." Once more she droops, then raises her head but a second later: "All right, fine. And let's put this sordid mess behind us. It'll be just us, together, happy."

Were relief a tangible substance, I would presently be drowning in it. I feel a kindling warmth, akin to flame– oh, fire, how I– no, I must not distract myself. I feel a warm feeling in my chest... As though her very words were enough to warm my heart. "My thanks, Shanzira." My thanks for your forgiveness, and for the sheer joy your words have filled me with. "I can only hope I am a good enough husband to match your loveliness."

A smile graces her face once more, an expression I am almost overjoyed to see. "Are you kidding me? You, the guy I've been drooling over for months now? I'm happy to marry you!" She abandons her parchment and jumps to her feet with an embrace for me. My, her arms are stronger than I gave her credit for...

Smiling, not merely to myself or Shanzira, but all that is, I whisper to my new fiancé: "Then may our marriage be a happy one indeed."

People requested this one and I already had an outline for it. Man it was fun to write. I think I shall do Shanz/Gaius next... Oh, yeah, this one's not canon, I should just say now. Er, that is, it doesn't appear in the fic, thus Shanzira hasn't married Frederick in the fic. Yeah. But if she DID, this would totally be the canon S support.