Get Married

The world below was big and never-ending, but at the edge of the cliff, the only thing that mattered was the space between Shen and Lina. They were wrapped in each other's arms against the cool breeze, and they were silent, but it wasn't heavy. It was light, like a thin, glowing thread connecting their hearts. When Shen looked into Lina's eyes, the chaos that had been going on inside him for a long time began to calm down. It was replaced by a clarity that was both new and terrifyingly certain.

Fear and regret had been with him for too long, making him doubt himself. He squeezed her hand gently and spoke softly but firmly. "We need to go back to the church."

It seemed like Lina had been holding her breath for a lifetime while she waited for the walls she had built so carefully to finally be tested. She raised one eyebrow, which was a question that didn't need an answer. She just nodded, and her trust in him was a bright light.

Lina's unsteady steps on the way back were a sign of the emotions that were rising inside her. Is this it? Her heart raced as the thought echoed in her mind. Is this the end of the waiting, the worrying, and the not-knowing? She watched Shen's strong back as he walked in front of her, and for the first time in a long time, she felt completely safe.

As they got to the church, the setting sun made long, creeping shadows on the worn stone and painted the walls in gold and amber. The air inside was still and cool, which was very different from the storm inside Lina.

Shen led her to the priest, and with each step, Lina's doubt grew. Her hand, which was still holding his, shook. She felt like her heart was being laid bare, showing all the weak things she had worked so hard to keep safe.

The priest's kind voice broke the holy silence. "Commander," he said. "How can I help you?"

Shen looked at Lina and tightened his grip on her hand as if to hold her steady. He spoke softly, almost in a whisper, but what he said was like a thousand unspoken promises. We want to get married.

For a moment, the priest's eyes got big, but then a warm, real smile spread across his face. "Of course," he said, his voice full of respect. "It is an honor to lead a union that is so clearly heartfelt."

The words hit Lina like a punch in the gut, and her knees almost gave way. A sob, sharp with both happiness and sadness, came out of her mouth. "I never thought..." she said, her voice shaking. "I never thought I'd get this. That someone would really see me and pick me.

Shen turned all the way to her, and his heart hurt at how open and vulnerable she looked. He said softly, "I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Lina." "I'm here now. For you."

Lina took a shaky breath as the priest lit candles and opened his prayer book. The flickering light danced on the stone. The tears were still falling, but they didn't feel as heavy anymore. For the first time, she let herself believe that this moment was real.

They stood in front of the altar, surrounded by the church's holy silence, which felt like a protective shroud. Lina whispered to Shen, her voice still full of emotion, "I know we haven't known each other long," as the priest started to pray. But I want to be brave with you. She stopped for a moment, her voice breaking. "It feels like the walls I built are finally falling down."

Her confession was the key that unlocked his own lock. Shen replied, "For years, my choices and the man I thought I had to be have kept me locked up. But you... you've shown me that fear doesn't have to be a prison. It can show you the way. "Something to make you better." He looked her in the eye. "And I want to make something real with you."

As he slid a plain gold band onto her finger, his hand shook a little. He saw the beginning of a new life in that one, planned move. Lina put a matching ring on his with a touch that was both soft and strong.

The priest raised his hands in blessing at the end of the ceremony. Shen and Lina turned to look at each other, and the rest of the world faded away until only they were left.

Shen took her out of the chapel and into the quiet of the night. They walked down a narrow, cobbled street that was lit by the soft glow of lanterns. Shen's heart raced with nervous excitement as they got closer to a small but lovely house.

He stopped in front of the door, took a key out of his pocket, and gave it to Lina.
He said, "This is ours," his voice full of emotion. "This is your house." Our house.

Lina looked at the house and then at the key in her shaking hand. "I... I've never had a home," she said. "Not one that was really mine." Her voice broke because she had been wandering for so long. "I never thought I would get a present like this."

Shen put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her with both love and strength. "You deserve this, Lina." You have always deserved it.

Lina's eyes moved around the small, cozy room once she was inside. The warm wood floors, the simple but strong furniture, and the faint, clean smell of freshly cut wood all made it feel like a dream that would break. She fell to her knees in the middle of the room, covering her face as deep, shuddering sobs shook her body.

Shen knelt next to her and put his arms around her shaking body. "It's okay," he whispered into her hair. "Let it out." You're safe now. This is your area. No one can take it away from you.

Lina looked up at him, her eyes red around the edges but full of gratitude that took her breath away. "Thank you," she said.

In that quiet, Shen's heavy command felt lighter, and for the first time in her life, Lina felt like she belonged.

A sudden, violent knock shattered their newfound peace.

The knocking came again, this time more forcefully, like a brutal, unending pounding. It was instinct that took over. As he walked toward the door, Shen's hand fell to the hilt of his sword. His body was a shield between Lina and the outside world.