Alchemical Love

119 - 'I want to Marry You Lashanie'

The cobblestone streets of Corona, etched with the memories of a thousand shared adventures, whispered beneath their feet as Varian and Lashanie strolled hand-in-hand. Eleven years had passed since their fateful meeting at the alchemist's shop, eleven years woven with laughter, friendship, and a love that had blossomed under the watchful gaze of Corona's sun.

Today, however, a different kind of anticipation crackled in the air. Gone were the youthful exuberance and the thrill of their first stolen glances. In their place, a quiet confidence and a comfortable intimacy settled between them, a testament to the years spent building a life together.

Varian, no longer a gangly teenager, had grown into a handsome young man. His once messy hair was now neatly styled, framing a face etched with the maturity of experience. Lashanie, her youthful charm deepened, walked beside him, her smile radiating a warmth that could rival the afternoon sun.

Their walk took them past familiar landmarks – the bustling marketplace, the imposing castle that once held Rapunzel captive, and finally, the abandoned lighthouse, a silent sentinel overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. Each location held a memory, a shared experience that strengthened the invisible thread that bound them together.

Reaching the lighthouse, they stood at the base, the cool stone providing a welcome respite from the afternoon heat. The once rickety rope ladder they had used to escape the disgruntled pigeons was long gone, replaced by a sturdy wooden staircase that spiraled up the side of the lighthouse.

Lashanie, her gaze fixed on the endless blue horizon, turned to Varian, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "Remember the day we got chased by those pigeons?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.

Varian chuckled, the sound warm and familiar. "How could I forget?" he replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You were surprisingly fast for a sorceress who doesn't believe in pigeons."

Lashanie playfully swatted his arm. "Hey," she protested, "those were mutant pigeons! And besides, your scientific explanations for their behavior were hardly comforting at the time."

Varian laughed, the sound echoing across the deserted beach. He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand, his touch sending a familiar warmth through her. "We've come a long way since then, haven't we?" he murmured, his voice filled with quiet affection.

Lashanie leaned into his touch, her gaze locked on his. "We have," she agreed, a soft smile gracing her lips. "From scared teenagers dodging pigeons to... well," she trailed off, a playful glint in her eyes, "whatever comes next."

Varian's smile mirrored hers. "Whatever comes next," he echoed, his voice husky with unspoken emotions. "But as long as we're facing it together..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. Lashanie knew, without a doubt, that together, they could face anything. The future, once uncertain, now stretched before them like an open book, waiting to be filled with the chapters of their love story.

Suddenly, Varian's expression turned serious. "Speaking of what comes next," he began, fumbling in his pocket. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Lashanie's breath hitched, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Could this be...? A million questions swirled in her mind, but before she could voice any of them, Varian was down on one knee, a small velvet box clutched in his hand.

The sight of him, his eyes filled with a nervous anticipation that mirrored her own, stole the breath from her lungs. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the image before her.

Varian, his voice thick with emotion, spoke the words she had longed to hear for years. "Lashanie," he began, his voice a husky whisper, "we've shared countless adventures, faced down countless challenges, and through it all, our love has grown stronger. So, Lashanie... will you marry me?"