The Moment of the Promise

It was now the 320th year of the Sun, and the days seemed to slip by faster than I could count. Five years had passed since I first arrived at Himring, five years since I had found myself standing in that garden before Aistalë, unsure of what the future would hold. And now, those years of patience, of learning each other, of understanding the depths of her heart and the quiet spaces between us, had brought us to this moment.

In those years, I had learned more than I had ever expected. The time we spent together was filled with long talks, quiet walks through the gardens of Himring, and countless hours shared in the soft glow of candlelight. Aistalë had become my world—her laughter, her wisdom, her strength, all the parts of her that I had once only dreamed of knowing had become familiar, and with each passing day, my love for her grew.

There were moments of doubt, of uncertainty. At first, I could not read her heart, and I feared she might not feel the same. She was kind, gentle, but there was always an air of hesitation about her. But slowly, as time passed, she began to open up to me. Her smile became warmer, her touches more frequent, and the way she looked at me changed. It was subtle at first, but I could feel it—she was falling for me, just as I had fallen for her.

And now, here we were.

I stood beneath the great stone arch of Himring, the fortress that had witnessed so much over the years, watching as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon. The orange light bathed the land in a warm glow, casting long shadows and painting the world in a dreamlike hue. It felt as though the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for what was to come.

Aistalë stood before me, her copper-red hair gleaming in the light, her eyes meeting mine with a depth that mirrored my own. She was as beautiful as ever, but there was something in the way she stood now that was different. It was the way she had been looking at me these last few days—more focused, more certain.

We had spoken often in the years since we had reunited, and during this time, I had made my intentions clear. I had courted her with patience, love, and respect, as my heart demanded. There were no rush, no hurried promises, only the quiet understanding that one day, she would come to me of her own will.

That day had come.

"Aistalë," I said, my voice low and steady, though my heart was racing. I stepped forward, my gaze not leaving hers. "I have asked you for five years, and I have waited. But now, I no longer wish to wait. Will you marry me?"

Her lips parted, and for a moment, I feared she might say no. But then, to my relief, she took a step toward me. Her eyes were filled with something I had seen only in the deepest, most honest moments between us—a love that had been slowly nurtured in silence. She reached up, her fingers brushing against my cheek, and I felt her warmth, her pulse, so close to mine.

"Arinyanénar," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper, "I never thought I would find someone like you. But now, I see how deep your love is, and how true it is. And I... I love you, too."

I couldn't hold back my smile. The words I had longed to hear for years had finally left her lips, and my heart felt as though it might burst. My hands found hers, holding them gently in mine, as I looked deep into her eyes, searching for any trace of doubt, any hint of hesitation. But there was none.

"I will marry you," she said, the words firm, yet filled with tenderness. "But first, I must ask you one thing."

I nodded eagerly, my heart in my throat. "Anything."

She smiled, a soft and knowing smile. "Would you kiss me?"

For a moment, I froze, unsure of how to respond. But then, I saw the light in her eyes—the same warmth that had drawn me to her all those years ago. Slowly, I leaned in, feeling the distance between us close with every heartbeat. And when my lips touched hers, the world around us seemed to vanish.

Her kiss was gentle at first, tentative as though we were both testing the waters. But then, as the moments stretched on, it deepened, becoming something more, something full of promise and hope. Her warmth surrounded me, her breath mingling with mine, and I knew then that nothing could ever be the same again.

When we finally pulled away, both of us breathless, I couldn't help but smile. "I've waited so long for this," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

Aistalë smiled in return, her eyes shining. "So have I."

We stood there for a long moment, the quiet of the world surrounding us. The sun had set completely now, and the stars were just beginning to appear in the night sky. The evening air was cool, but the warmth between us was more than enough to keep the chill at bay. I took her hand in mine, holding it as if it were the most precious thing in the world, because it was.

"I will never leave you," I promised. "Not in this lifetime, or any other."

Aistalë nodded, a small tear slipping down her cheek. "And I will never leave you, Arinyanénar."

We stood there, the promise of the future unfolding before us. The world was no longer just a vast and uncertain place, but a place where we would walk side by side, where our hearts would beat together as one.