ASHE
Her eyes stayed on the stars as she slowly lowered herself to sit beside Kalt. A year later, and she felt like she was still learning this new sky. It had become familiar, but it was still strange to think that she had lived under three different skies full of stars. Were they different in every world? Were some burning plumes of fire while others were glittering crystals refracting light? Were they all souls, like Ronin had been, like Aoife's mother was? A tapestry woven by Safrin, perhaps. Clouds drifted across them now, rolling in with the late night, frozen breeze.
She didn't look down until Kalt bundled her into him with his tunic, and she settled against him with a content sigh. She was afraid. Things were worse than bleak in Caido, and while Vi's roses gave her hope, she was afraid. But right then in that moment, she could be content. She breathed in his scent as the tunic warmed over her, but it was his warmth she was enamoured with, without it for too long.
For a moment, they were in a sprawling city, the night glow of the streets below and their clouded breath rising into the stars. It didn't matter what rooftop. They spent most nights at the top of the Keep, but anywhere in the city would always do. The sound of Kysma below was a firm reminder, however. That life wasn't theirs anymore, thank the gods, and it never had to be again.
"Marry me," Kalt whispered against her hair as snow started to fall.
It didn't register at first, what he'd just said. She glanced up at him, her brows pulling together, about to ask him what the fuck he meant, because there was no way he meant that literally. Playing with words, making jabs, some bizarre opener to one of his out-of-nowhere tangents on what had recently (as in the last ten minutes) caught his attention...
Ashe couldn't get the words out. For deep in her soul, radiating down the bond, she felt it. Her heart thudded hard in her chest, and she looked down as he took her hand, effortlessly slipping on and fitting a ring that had her breath catching in her chest. She stared at it in silent shock, the moonstone gleaming as snowflakes fell around them.
"Kalt," she breathed, surprised to find her lip trembling, her eyes prickling. They were never even supposed to be together. All their years together and apart, they were never allowed to, she never dared to dream of a real life together. Now they were here. The knew the truths of their lives, they had their daughter back, they were bonded soul mates. And he was asking her to marry him.
She turned wide eyes up at him, wearing a small, dazed sort of smile, not unlike the one she had given him when he accepted the soul bond. "Yeah," she said, her voice shakey and carrying a disbelieving laugh with it. "Yeah, I'll fucking marry you."
She didn't look down until Kalt bundled her into him with his tunic, and she settled against him with a content sigh. She was afraid. Things were worse than bleak in Caido, and while Vi's roses gave her hope, she was afraid. But right then in that moment, she could be content. She breathed in his scent as the tunic warmed over her, but it was his warmth she was enamoured with, without it for too long.
For a moment, they were in a sprawling city, the night glow of the streets below and their clouded breath rising into the stars. It didn't matter what rooftop. They spent most nights at the top of the Keep, but anywhere in the city would always do. The sound of Kysma below was a firm reminder, however. That life wasn't theirs anymore, thank the gods, and it never had to be again.
"Marry me," Kalt whispered against her hair as snow started to fall.
It didn't register at first, what he'd just said. She glanced up at him, her brows pulling together, about to ask him what the fuck he meant, because there was no way he meant that literally. Playing with words, making jabs, some bizarre opener to one of his out-of-nowhere tangents on what had recently (as in the last ten minutes) caught his attention...
Ashe couldn't get the words out. For deep in her soul, radiating down the bond, she felt it. Her heart thudded hard in her chest, and she looked down as he took her hand, effortlessly slipping on and fitting a ring that had her breath catching in her chest. She stared at it in silent shock, the moonstone gleaming as snowflakes fell around them.
"Kalt," she breathed, surprised to find her lip trembling, her eyes prickling. They were never even supposed to be together. All their years together and apart, they were never allowed to, she never dared to dream of a real life together. Now they were here. The knew the truths of their lives, they had their daughter back, they were bonded soul mates. And he was asking her to marry him.
She turned wide eyes up at him, wearing a small, dazed sort of smile, not unlike the one she had given him when he accepted the soul bond. "Yeah," she said, her voice shakey and carrying a disbelieving laugh with it. "Yeah, I'll fucking marry you."
and in this story —
if I am the moon, my darling
— then you are the night.
