Sorry it took me so long to update this story. I hit a writer's block with it for a while, as some of you already know. I've also come to realize that I need some quiet time to pay attention to the things that are most important to me. So for the time being, I'm taking a sabbatical away from collaborations, PMs, etc., in order to get back on track again. That being said, I do intend to keep working on the stories I already have.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and support! And thank you to everyone who reads, follows, and/or reviews!
Anne dreamily stirred the soup. She couldn't stop thinking about Dhaval kissing her. It was so cute the way he blundered around until he had gotten the hang of it. Though he had been in her thoughts all night, and she had not gotten much sleep as a result, she found she was not at all tired. She couldn't wait to see him again. He would come into the kitchen soon, as usual, once he was finished with his morning patrol. In fact, he should have been there already. What was taking him so long anyway?
She was making the soup ahead of time so that the rest of the day could be spent preserving the osol fruit. Suddenly, she remembered that there was a key ingredient missing. Oh, my, her head really was in the clouds, wasn't it? She went to the other side of the room and climbed the step stool to reach what she needed.
Two arms appeared out of nowhere. They wrapped around her waist and embraced her. She squealed in surprise, which caused Dhaval to laugh. He lifted her down from the stool and turned her around to face him.
"I thought you'd never come," she said, just before he tenderly kissed her. He had a lot to learn about kissing yet, but he still managed to give her goose bumps.
Dhaval gazed lovingly into her eyes before he spoke. "Just now, I went to Tokath to ask permission for us to marry." He stopped. "You do wish to be my wife, don't you, Anne?"
"You know I do," she said, giving him a playful peck on his nose.
"And you will marry me soon?" he asked longingly.
"The sooner the better," she answered with a flirty grin.
He closed his eyes and held her close, gently nuzzling his cheek to hers, and inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. "I love you, my Anne," he whispered.
Anne sighed contently in response. He was such a sweetheart. True, he was not a knight or a daring hero (and thankfully not Hornblower!). But he was a good man, the type who would love her forever. And she realized that he was the type of man she truly wanted all along.
It was then that the centurion walked in to get a morning snack. He snickered when he saw the two of them together. Dhaval immediately tore himself away from Anne and glared at him.
"It's about time," the centurion said with a smirk.
"Can't I have any privacy on this forsaken planet?!" Dhaval barked back at him.
His superior chuckled in response. He calmly picked up an osol fruit, smiled as he took a bite, and then left. Long before lunch, even the lizards would know all about their ardent embrace.
"That's why I wanted to ask Tokath first thing this morning," Dhavel told Anne after the other guard left, "before anyone else found out!"
"You're getting married?" Ba'el could barely contain her excitement. She didn't even let Anne finish saying "Good morning" to her. The centurion's wife had told her as she was on her way to the kitchen.
"How did you know?" Anne gawked.
Ba'el smiled. "I told you many times, Anne. There are no secrets here."
"So I hear," she mumbled, "But we only agreed to it not ten minutes ago!"
"That must be the record," Ba'el blinked in amazement.
Anne groaned. "Ba'el, I don't like being the subject of everyone's gossip!"
"The reality of the matter is that you two are the most exciting thing that's ever happened here," her friend explained. "Well, except for when Worf came and all of the young people left," she added sadly. "You've brought joy and life back to us when we thought it was gone forever. So naturally, everyone's excited and happy for you. I'm happy for you. You and Dhaval are the only friends I've ever had."
She looked up at Ba'el. "And you're the best friend I've ever had," she said, hugging her. "When I first came here, I didn't think this place would be anything more than an awful prison," she tried her best not to start crying. "But because of you, and of course Dhaval, I've never been so happy in my life. For the first time, I feel like I have a real purpose."
Ba'el choked back her own tears, and laughed instead. "Now don't get too emotional on me, Anne Wentworth," she warned playfully. "We've got a lot of work to do to preserve this osol fruit!"
Anne laughed and brushed her tears aside. "Yes, let's get started. It's going to be a long day."
They looked at the entrance when Jadel came in. "I thought you girls would have gotten started long ago!" she scolded gently. "Now get to work; we've lost nearly half the morning."
"It's been a busy morning," Anne tried to explain.
Jadel put her hands on her hips. "So that Romulan finally mustered up his courage and claimed you, eh? It's about time." Then she smiled kindly. "He is a worthy man, Anne. I am happy for you both."
Anne blushed, "Thanks."
"Now, get to work, you two," Jadel repeated, clapping her hands.
Tokath watched as his wife brushed her long, wavy hair. She was worried about something, he could tell. "You're concerned about Ba'el, aren't you?"
Gi'ral nodded. "Her heart is not mended, and I fear it never will."
"Do not underestimate her, my wife," he reassured her. "She is strong, like you. Didn't your heart mend after it was broken?"
Gi'ral smiled lovingly at her husband. "That was because you mended it, Tokath." She sighed.
"None of us knows what the future will hold," he said, taking her hands into his. "But I have a feeling that Ba'el is capable of more than either of us realizes. She has the determination to go on. She will find her way."
"But how can you be certain?" she said, shaking her head.
"Gi'ral, look at me," he met her eyes undeterred. "Ba'el is a lot like you. She has your courage. The courage I saw when I fell in love with you."
His wife found comfort in his words. "And she has your wisdom and understanding."
"And," he added as he took the brush from her and began to stroke her hair, "she has Anne and Dhaval. I know she wants her own family, but she will at least find some joy in theirs."
Gi'ral snorted softly. "It took him long enough."
Hmm," her husband mused in response. "It took me a considerable amount of time to confess my love for you, too, as you'll no doubt recall. That was because I was so overwhelmed by what an extraordinary woman you are. And I realized how unworthy I am of you, my Gi'ral."
"You were pathetic," she smirked in her proud, Klingon way. "But I took pity on you."
Tokath playfully grabbed her hair and pulled to bring her ear to his lips. "And I'm so very glad that you did," he said in a sultry tone.
Dhaval held Anne's hand as they walked out of the compound into the night. He proudly led her through the jungle, brushing aside branches and helping her over fallen logs. She was his wife now. After all that had happened to them both before they came to Carraya IV, it was almost too good to be true. He could not believe how happy he was.
"Don't be afraid," he told her, "I won't let anything harm you, my Anne."
He could easily see her smile in the bright moonlight. "I'm not afraid anymore, now that I have you, my Dhaval," she answered sweetly.
The jungle was the only place they could be alone. They weren't going to go far, only far enough to be away from prying eyes and ears. Just to be on the safe side, however, Dhaval brought his disruptor along.
"This is the spot," he decided. Reaching into their picnic basket, he pulled out a blanket and spread it out on the ground. They sat down, and Anne took out their food. It was a simple supper, as they were more interesting in spending time together than anything else.
"Whenever I eat osol fruit now," he said, as he munched on a piece, "I will always think of you."
Anne giggled as set down the various other containers of vegetables, bread, and assorted finger foods. "So will I," she agreed.
After they finished, Anne closed the containers and put them back in the basket. Dhaval examined the last slice of fruit he was holding. "I have a theory," he said to his wife.
"And what's that?" she asked.
He popped the fruit into his mouth. "That you are sweeter than osol fruit." He caressed her hand with his two fingers.
"You know," she said, "the way Romulans show affection sounded very boring to me at first, but," she touched his lips with her own fingers, "I think I like it."
Dhaval longingly stared into her captivating blue eyes. "That is a fair compromise," he said.
"How do I love thee?" she recited as he gently laid her back on the blanket. "Let me count the ways…"
"I love thee to the depth…and breadth…and height," he continued the poem, showering her with kisses in between the verses.