The Offical date

Himari was checking her reflection in the mirror nervously. This was her and Duncan’s first day off in a while. They had just made it legal and adopted Iris. After the celebration of Iris adoption he had asked Himari after walking Himari to her room, like usual he had asked Himari on an official date. She had tried to get him to tell her what he planned and he had just smiled at her with a boyish grin and said it was a surprise. Himari was nervous because this was their first official date and the first time they would be alone since her and Iris’s abduction. Iris was still refusing to sleep by herself and rarely let either Duncan or Himari out of her site. She had just recently started letting Himari get her ready for bed and put her to bed without Himari having to stay in the room. Iris would now let them set with her until she had fallen asleep and then they could leave. Iris still slept in Himari’s bedroom and Himari had a feeling that had more to do with Iris’s fears of abandonment left over from her losing her parents and then being sold into slavery by her last remaining family and the turmoil and abuse of her slavery. Himari now watched Iris dance excitedly around her talking happily and couldn’t help herself and pulled Iris into her arms and dropped a kiss on her head and told Iris she loved her. Iris beamed up at her and said “I love you too mommy.” Iris then wrapped her arms around Himari’s middle again. She felt a rush of affection and joy at Iris words and still felt like tearing up every time the sweet girl called her mommy. She still couldn’t believe that Iris was actually legally hers and Duncan’s daughter now. It didn’t feel real sometimes. If someone would have asked her just a few months ago if she ever saw her being a mother she would have said no, but now that she was Iris mother she couldn’t imagine her life without the girl. Having Iris filled her heart in ways she could never have imagined. Now to tell Duncan how I feel and see what he feels and wants to do. Yeah, that thought wasn’t terrifying at all. I have to keep this promise to myself Himari thought. She had promised herself while she was waiting for Joan, Cedric, and Duncan to show up at the fort that she would tell Duncan how she felt about him and would stop hiding her feelings. She had promised to not block out the people who mattered to her anymore. Her first step had been telling Iris she loved her and she had been telling Iris every day that she loved her. It felt like each time she said it that it was easier to say and watching Iris’s joy each time Himari told her just made Himari want to keep telling Iris every day. The child deserved to hear I love you every day and she deserved to be shown how much she was wanted by Himari and Duncan. A soft knock came at the door bringing Himari out of her thoughts. Iris already had the door open before Himari had even turned around. Duncan stood at the door dressed in a suit wearing the cufflinks Himari had bought him and Himari spotted the chain sticking out of the pocket watch she had gifted him and felt happiness well up inside of her. He looked so handsome in his suit and she told him so as she blushed shyly. Duncan had sent her a lopsided grin and said “You are so beautiful you take my breath away.” Himari was sure even the roots of her hair were pink she wash blushing that hard. Duncan offered her his arm and escorted her out of the room. Joan and Cedric were going to watch Iris but Duncan had teased them saying that Iris was going to babysit them. Duncan led Himari to their meadow where now a table and chairs stood in the center of the meadow. All around lanterns floated in the air. The table was covered with a table cloth and flowers picked from the meadows sat in a vase at the center of the table. The table had plates and cutlery. It was all so beautiful. Himari realized this had taken planning and time and her heart swelled. Duncan held the seat out for Himari as she sat down and pushed it in before seating himself across from her. He had pulled out steaming containers of food and served each of them. He pulled out a fizzy cold drink and poured each of them a glass. The murmuring of the nearby brook made it feel like they were in a bubble separate from the rest of the world. Himari looked around and said “This is all so beautiful. Thank you for going out of your way like this. I appreciate it.” Duncan said “I should be thanking you. You have helped me so much and have brought so much joy into my life. We should eat while everything is hot.” Himari and Duncan started eating the delicious spread chatting while they ate. After they had finished eating what Duncan had dished onto their plates he cleaned those plates up. He then placed a plate in front of each of them with a slice of angel cake with strawberries and whip cream. He also then pulled out mugs and poured each of them a steaming mug of coffee to have with their dessert along with cream and sugar for the coffee. Himari said “Oohh you went all out. You put a lot of effort into making our first date special and I appreciate it.” Duncan said “I want today to be special and memorable. I hope this is just the first of many more dates to come.” Himari agreed with him. The conversation while they ate flowed smoothly. The conversation was flowing so smoothly that too soon they were sitting at the table with empty plates and cups still talking happily. Once there was a lull in the conversation Himari steeled her back and looked at Duncan and said “I have been wanting to tell you something I realized when me and Iris were abducted. I have been cowering from my feelings too long and realized that I would regret not telling you. I didn’t ask to be brought into this world, but I am happy I was. I have met so many people that I care about and enjoy helping you run your kingdom. This world has given me purpose. Before I came here I felt so alone. I had my best friend and her family but they all had their own lives outside of mine and that left me feeling alone a lot. I would eat most of my meals alone. There were no sounds of other people in my home and I didn’t want to admit how miserable I was. Then I came here and met you and our connection was scary but nice because it didn’t matter if we were together or not I could still feel your emotions and that made me feel less alone. I then started to care for you people and watching you with your people and watching you work so hard to make sure that they were provided with the best showed me what a kind, honest, hardworking, dedicated, and amazing person you are. It made me start to care about you deeply.” She took a deep breath and continued “The night I awoke after passing out in the fields and found you in my room I knew I was in trouble. Having you care for me didn’t put a crack in the wall I had erected around my heart but shattered it completely. I tried to deny it to myself but realized after being abducted that I would hate for you to never know how I felt about you. I love you Duncan and I have for a while.” Duncan grinned at her and rubbed his chest and said: I have known for a while because of our connection and the way you are always there for me. I have just been waiting for you to say those words.” Duncan got up from his seat and walked to Himari’s side of the table and pulled a box out of his pocket. Duncan then dropped to his knees. He looked up into Himari’s eyes and said “I knew from the moment that I looked into those beautiful green eyes that my life was never going to be the same. Before you came along my life revolved about my kingdom. I stopped laughing and I stopped smiling. The world had lost color. Then I saw you my little warrior wielding a branch at me and I felt something other than duty. The more time I spent with you the more I knew that I couldn’t imagine by life without you. When we started telling people you were my fiancée I swore I would do whatever it took to make those words true. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Iris is already a part of my family will you make my family complete by agreeing to be my wife? I promise I will do everything I can to make you happy. I will love care for and protect you, Iris, and any future children we have. I know we will argue and disagree but I can’t imagine anyone else I would rather argue with.” Himari gave a short laugh at that that turned into a gasp when she looked down at the ring. It was a beautiful medium size green jewel surrounded my smaller jewels. The green jewels were the same color as Himari’s eyes, Himari reached over and ran a tentative hand over the ring and whispered “It’s beautiful.” She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she met Duncan’s nervous expression. She couldn’t contain her happy smile as she nodded her head and said “Yes I will marry you,” Himari through her head back and laughed.