Chapter 71 - Proposal

8.31.1206 - Thursday (The Eve of War)

Towa soon found herself at the dock. She quietly made her way over to the person, or rather machine, she wanted to have a talk with.

"Good evening, Towa." Valimar greeted upon noticing her.

"Hey Valimar, has Rean spoken with you tonight?" Towa asked the Divine Knight.

"Indeed. It was satisfying being able to speak with him once again." Valimar answered.

"I see, that's good to hear." Towa replied.

"Was there a message you wanted me to pass along to him?" Valimar questioned.

"Not exactly, I just wanted to have a talk with you about something." Towa explained. "I think you're the best person I can talk about this matter with."

"What about talking to Rean?" Valimar pointed out.

"Well… It's because I wanted to talk to you about him actually." Towa shyly admitted.

"Oh?" Valimar responded.

"You see… Ever since he and the others rescued me, I can't help but notice him stepping out every now and then to go do something by himself. He probably thinks he's being subtle enough for me not to notice, but it's clear that he's up to something." Towa explained. "You wouldn't happen to know what he's been up to, would you?"

"Unfortunately, Rean has not shared any information with me that I believe would be relevant." Valimar answered honestly.

It was true, Rean hadn't spoken to him about any plans in particular relating to Towa. However, given their link as Divine Knight and Awakener, Valimar did indeed have some idea about what was going on inside his head. Enough to know that it wasn't his place to tell her about it.

"Really? I was sure you'd know." Towa lamented with a defeated look on her face.

"If you would be willing, there is something that I would like to ask you about Rean." Valimar requested.

"Really, me? I'd say anyone in Class VII or Elise would be better candidates." Towa pointed out. Not feeling qualified to be the one to whom the Divine Knight spoke with regarding their Awakener.

"Nonsense. He is courting you, after all. " Valimar assured her. " Our recent battle against the Steel Maiden reminded me of something."

"Really? What did you remember?" Towa asked.

"I couldn't help but recall her relationship with Dreichels. " Valimar explained. " In fact, it reminds me of you and Rean."

Given the fate befell Dreichels Reisse Arnor and Lianne Sandlot, Towa wasn't exactly sure how to take that comment.

"Over the course of the War of the Lions, I saw firsthand their bond develop. Growing to rely on one another in a way they did not with other members of their forces, confiding in one another during their moments of weakness. " Valimar explained. " It was on a night such as this one, a calm peace before the storm that was the battle that brought the war to an end, that the two met in private outside of their group's base."

"What did they discuss?" Towa questioned.

"Their future. " Valimar said as he recalled the conversation they and Argreion had overheard while resting for the final battle. " Even in times as uncertain as those, Dreichels always kept thinking about the future. While not a formal proposal, he asked Lianne if she would like to stay by his side even after the war concluded. To grow old together, witnessing together the future they fought so hard for."

Towa stayed silent. Unsure if she wanted to know what the Lance Maiden's answer had been.

"She accepted his proposal. " Valimar continued. " But I'm sure you're already familiar as to what fate had in store for them."

"I do…" Towa replied.

As the two stood there quietly, they began to overhear a fight close by. Towa turned around and saw Rean fighting against none other than Cassius Bright. It seemed to be a ceremonial battle, likely connected to the Eight Leaves One Blade school.

She watched as Rean's friends and students made their way to the dock to witness the event.

Before she could excuse herself and join the others, Valimar began speaking again.

"You came to see me regarding Rean's plans, seeking an answer I believe you already know yet are hesitant to think about. " Valimar said as the two of them watched the fight from a distance. " Let me ask you a question, Towa. Do you see a future with Rean?"

Towa stayed silent as she continued watching him fight from a far. Her gaze fixed on his white hair, reminding her of his fate.

"I… I did, but after everything that's happened since the summer festival… I don't want to think about the future. Because when I do… those thoughts I try to keep in the back of my mind rear their head." Towa confessed.

He was the Sacrifice. None of them, even Rean himself, were sure what would happen to him soon. Even now, he wasn't the same as he was a few months ago. Paler, colder, and less energized than before, his body was seemingly nearing death's door.

"Regardless of if we win or lose tomorrow, his fate is out of our control." Towa continued. "I keep thinking that he's just going to up and disappear one day… that him still being here with me is a temporary miracle…"

"Are you afraid of the future?" Valimar questioned.

"Afraid? I-I… suppose I am. I don't want to think about it… not without Rean." Towa shakily answered.

"You speak with certainty that all that awaits you is a future without him. " Valimar commented. " Yet from what I understand, the uncertainty of Rean's situation does not rule out the opposite of what you fear."

"Huh?" Towa responded. Taken aback by the Divine Knight's assertion.

"Just as he can fade away, he can also heal. The future Dreichels always spoke to me about was a happy one. Similar to the one that Rean, you, and the rest are fighting to achieve. " Valimar continued. " You shouldn't fear it, no matter the uncertainty. He loves you, and is going to be fighting to ensure a happy future for everyone."

Towa suddenly remembered what Rean had promised her back in Nord. Resulting in tears suddenly began to go down her face.

"Towa… I'll always come back to you. Even if I have to fight fate itself, I'll always return to be by your side, always."

"I'm a-afraid of the future. I-I can't lie about how I feel…" Towa spoke up. "B-But… I'll face it. I trust R-Rean's word… that he'll fight not just his father and Ishmelga… but fate itself. And come back home… to me."

Valimar stayed silent as Towa continued crying. The brave face she had been putting on finally cracking. Instead of crumbling into pieces however, it was restored. Strengthened by the promise Rean had made to her.

By the time she got it all out of her system, Rean's battle had already come to a close. Even from afar, Towa could see him with an accomplished look on his face. Making it clear that whatever he had been fighting, be it Cassius or something inside of himself, he had overcome it. She watched as the others congratulated him. No doubt sharing their ideas for what his Divine Blade title should be.

"Go on, join them." Valimar suggested.

"Y-Yeah." Towa responded as she wiped away her tears. "Thank you for talking with me. I think this really helped me change my perspective on things going forward."

"It was my pleasure speaking with you, Towa. " Valimar replied. " Please, look after Rean."

"I will. For a long time." Towa said before making her way to where the others were. Eagerly giving Rean a hug and congratulating him on his accomplishment.

After an hour, everyone began retreating to their assigned rooms. Making sure to be well-rested for tomorrow.

Leaving the beach abandoned, save for a single soul.

Rean stood near the edge of the strip of land overlooking the water, gazing off into the darkened sky. As he waited for Towa to arrive, he reached into his coat pocket to make sure he still had the box containing the engagement ring he had chosen.

"Sorry I'm late!" Towa said as she hurried to where Rean was waiting for her. "Juna and Matthew asked me to help them lead people to their designated rooms."

"Don't worry about it. Still, that sounds like a very 'Towa' reason to be late." Rean greeted her. "Can't ever say no to someone in need, huh?"

"Well they were the ones who helped set up the park for tonight, it was the least I could do." Towa said in her defense.

"I wasn't teasing you. The opposite actually. I think it's admirable how you'll stick out your neck for just about anyone." Rean clarified. "It's one of the reasons I fell for you."

Towa blushed hearing him praise her like that.

"So… what was it that you wanted to discuss?" Towa questioned.

"Our future." Rean answered, a faint blush spreading across his face.

Towa instantly froze upon hearing Rean say that. Recalling her talk with Valimar, she did her best to calm herself down.

"Ahem. Honestly, there's a lot of small things I can credit to making you the woman I love." Rean continued. "Your generosity knows no bounds, your work ethic is unmatched, and your determination is inspiring."

"R-Rean…" Towa responded before he cut her off.

"Your support has helped me become who I am now, and I'm grateful for that. Grateful to have gotten to spend so much time with you." Rean admitted. "There's a lot more I want to say, but they say that actions speak louder than words…"

Towa turned to look up at Rean. He looked at her lovingly, as she did to him as well.

Just as he was about to reach into his coat for the engagement ring's box however, Rean felt his body shut down.

Towa watched in horror as he collapsed before her in an instant.

"Rean?!" Towa shouted as she crouched down. "Rean!"

She tried shaking him to get a reaction, only for a small box to fall from his coat. Without much thought, Towa grabbed it and put it away in her pocket to return to Rean later.

Before her worst fears could be realized, she began to hear his heart beat again after she turned over his body so he'd be lying on his back.

"I-I'm… fine…" Rean responded as his body regained some energy. "I'm… just tired…"

Watching him struggling to stand back up, Towa helped him sit down on the bench behind them.

There she sat next to him for a few minutes, silently listening to him breath heavily as he tried to catch his breath. It was difficult seeing him in such a state. Likely pushing his body to its limit, to the point well beyond even exhaustion. She stretched out her hand and placed it on top of his free hand to comfort him, his other hand occupied clutching his chest.

"Towa… I love you…" Rean spoke up once he returned to a more stable state.

"Rean, I love you too." Towa replied. Teary-eyed after seeing him collapse.

"I'm… sorry you had to see that…" Rean said as he lowered his head.

"You've been more fatigued these past few days, haven't you?" Towa questioned as she turned to look at him.

"Yeah…" Rean hesitantly confessed. "I've been going off to bed earlier and eating a bit more the last couple of days to give myself some more energy for tonight… but I don't think it's been enough…"

"Rean, you should've told us." Towa scolded him.

"If I told anyone, it wouldn't take long for you to catch wind. Making you worry after our talk in Nord was the last thing I wanted to do." Rean argued.

"You've been courting me for nearly two years. I'm going to find out about your health at some point." Towa responded. "Are… you going to be able to fight tomorrow?"

She thought back to what Valimar had said, about Rean pushing himself to fight for their future.

"My fatigue only gets this bad late at night, I should be in fighting shape when the operation starts tomorrow." Rean assured her.

"I believe you, but I'm going to make sure you have a healthy breakfast first thing in the morning." Towa informed him. "Don't worry, I'll make enough for both of us."

"In that case, I'll prepare the coffee for us." Rean replied. "Extra sugar and milk in your cup, right?"

"You know me so well." Towa teased.

With the mood lightened, Rean decided to continue what he had tried to do before his body briefly shut down.

He reached into his coat for the engagement ring's box, only for it to not be inside his coat pocket anymore. Panic set in, unsure if he had been mistaken when checking for it earlier before Towa arrived.

"Are you looking for this?" Towa asked him as she held up the engagement ring box. "It fell out of your coat when you collapsed earlier."

Realizing that his carefully thought out surprise had crumbled at the last moment, Rean let out a tired a sigh.

"Did you look inside the box already?" Rean hesitantly asked as she handed it to him.

"I haven't. That's something you're going to have to show me when you're ready." Towa assured him. "This is what you've been sneaking off to prepare for recently, hasn't it?"

"Haha… you caught me." Rean confirmed. "I've been able to get certain paperwork for the church done. Just waiting on your signature, of course."

"Look at you. You have the weight of the world resting on your shoulders, and still you find the time to do stuff like this for me." Towa commented.

"It's because I'm not carrying all that weight by myself. I have everyone helping me, including you." Rean replied. "Like I said before. You being by my side, always supporting me, helped me become the man I am today."

"I can say the same about you." Towa pointed out. "You've always made an effort to help people with their burdens, including me. While it might seem trivial compared to your feats as the Ashen Chevalier or background as a noble, you helping me with Student Council work will always be what defined your character in my eyes. A gentle soul, putting others before himself."

"Let's continue supporting each other, Towa." Rean said as he stood back up. "Together. Now, and forever."

Despite her initial worry, he was able to stand again without much issue. He quickly offered her his hand, which she happily took to get up from the bench as well.

"To be honest, choosing a ring proved to be difficult." Rean confessed as the two raised their heads to look up at the stars. "I found this one that I thought was perfect for you. But in the end, due to our current circumstances, I chose a different one. One that I felt was imperfect by comparison."

"Rean, any ring from you would mean the world to me." Towa assured him.

"After giving it some more thought though, I think I understand now why my heart picked this ring." Rean continued. "When I looked at this ring, I saw myself and all my own imperfections. And I hated it, I thought that someone like you only deserved perfection. But right now, I realize that I was wrong for thinking that."

Towa watched as Rean lowered himself closer to the ground. Before she could worry that his body shut down again, he signaled that he was alright. That's when she realized that he had gotten down on one knee.

"Years ago, you told me that I was only human. I admit, sometimes I struggle accepting that about myself. So much so that I think you're perfect in comparison." Rean said as he looked up at her. "Which was wrong of me. Just as I'm only human, so are you. It's unfair of me to hold you to such a standard, when perfection isn't what you strive for. Even with your shortcomings, you work hard to support others. That's the you I fell for, the you I wish to support and protect. To stand proudly by your side, as husband and wife…"

Towa gasped as he opened the engagement ring box and stretched out his hand holding it towards her, revealing the ring inside for her to see.

It was a simple ring, but the small ebon gem on top was mesmerizing. Its black surface reflected the night sky above them. It was as if he was handing her all the stars in the sky to hold in the palm of her hands.

"Towa Herschel, will you marry me?" Rean asked without a hint of hesitation.

"Yes!" Towa answered immediately without a shadow of a doubt.

She began to cry as he stood back up, teary-eyed as he slid the engagement ring down her ring finger. Bringing her left hand closer to her face to see the ring up close, she was at a loss for words.

Hearing Towa say yes and seeing her reaction to the ring, Rean felt himself reenergized. As if the joy he was feeling granted him a newfound energy.

They then shared a hug, tightly wrapping their arms around the other. Not wanting this moment to end. Unlike the past few days, she was able to sense a little bit of warmth radiating from his body once again.

Alongside his proposal, it was something else that gave her hope for the future. Her bleak worries melting away as she clung onto his warm body.

"R-Rean… I'm so happy…" Towa cried as she buried her face in his chest.

"As am I, Towa…" Rean confessed as he rested his head on top of hers. "This won't be our last night like this, we've still got a lifetime of happy memories to make."

The two then released the other from their grasp, taking another look up at the night sky.

"I hadn't realized that the ring would be able to reflect the night sky like that." Rean admitted. "I was wrong. That ring may have its imperfections, but it's perfect for you- no. Us."

"Y-Yeah, for us!" Towa cheered as she looked at the ring once again before turning back to look at him. "By the way, Rean… don't think I didn't notice your use of 'shortcomings' earlier."

"It was just a slip of the tongue. Not that it matters, I love every part of you." Rean playfully said in his defense. "Yeah, just a small slip up."

"Seriously? Hmph." Towa huffed. She had tried to look angry, but all that really did was make her look more cute. "I guess someone isn't going to be getting a goodnight kiss tonight."

"Oh?" Rean replied.

"Well? Are you still going to look down on me?" Towa teased.

"Of course not. I was taught to respect my elders. In fact, I think a change of perspective would be perfect for us." Rean happily replied.

Towa's eyes widened as she watched him bend down, before closing them as she felt Rean place his lips on top of hers. They felt time slow down as they engaged in their passionate kiss. It could've only lasted a minute in reality, but to both of them it lasted an eternity.

Just as she thought they were done though, Rean lowered his arms around her body and raised her up as he stood up. They promptly engaged in another loving kiss as he held Towa up. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they continued kissing.

After a few more minutes, they finally ran out of breath. Reluctantly pulling away from each other's lips to get some air.

"I'm surprised you have this much energy right now after what happened." Towa admitted as he continued to hold her. "Are you sure it's alright for you to be this active?"

"I'm fine, really. I think proposing gave me a second wind for tonight." Rean explained. "Still, we should go and get some rest."

"You're right." Towa replied as Rean carried her back to the hotel. "So… your room or mine?"

Author's Note

Glad the wait between this chapter and the last one wasn't as long as the previous gap.

Welp, I did it. I got to the final bond event! This one was tricky when conceptualizing what I wanted to do for this scene. I knew I didn't want to copy and paste the original final bond event, but figuring out how I wanted to have Rean say was hard.

To me, this chapter encapsulates what I feel makes Rean and Towa work so well as a pair. For as much as they put on brave faces and seek to do things to the best of their ability, the world itself throws a wrench into their acts. Yet despite that, its them at their weakest that keep on going. Be it being worried about the future or an imperfect proposal, they'll keep on supporting each other.

I do hope I was able to execute those feelings well this chapter.