"So where are we going?" asked Feyla. "It must be someplace special for you to take the day off."

"Half a day," he corrected. "And here I thought you liked surprises," Sedgewick teased. His hand slipped into his coat pocket, checking again for the familiar feel of metal.

Feyla rolled her eyes but didn't bother hiding her smile. "Is it a good surprise?"

"Hopefully," Sedgewick answered before steering her away from the market. He guided them through the city until they came to a section of houses within a short walk of the palace. Most of them were owned by wealthy merchants, guild leaders, or lower-level government official. They were all two stories with a raised foundation to help combat the city's notorious spring flooding. Intricate moldings and pillars covered the outside while stone fences paired with high iron gates surrounded the yards as if each one was its own little fortress.

Feyla tilted her head in confusion, obviously wondering where they were supposed to eat. "Is there a park or a courtyard nearby? I thought you found a new picnic spot."

"Something like that. Just...close your eyes."

Feyla's lovely aqua eyes slipped closed. "Do I get a hint?"

"That would hardly be fair," Sedgewick teased. He guided them past the most ostentatious of the houses until they reached the back gate of the one he was looking for. It was made of a dusty rose-colored stone with dark wood surrounding the windows. Vines crawled up over the gates, and the branches of the tree inside the courtyard hung over the edge, hinting at the absence of a regular caretaker. Unlike some of the other houses, it traded elaborate trimmings for a plainer, more sturdy appearance.

Sedgewick dipped into his coat pocket and pulled out a thick iron key for the gate. His hands shook as he inserted it into the lock. Feyla's ears quirked at the sound of the gate opening. He could do this. He could do this.

Sedgewick took her hands and led her inside the courtyard surrounding the house, closing the gate behind them. He had fought wizards, sorceresses, and politicians. He was Sedgewick Alverdyne; one of the greatest mages of this age. Surely he could handle talking to the woman he loved about his...feelings.

Sedgewick waved his hand and a blanket floated out of the basket Feyla was holding and spread out on the ground. He guided Feyla onto it, careful to not bump into her still-healing arm, and had them both sit down. "Now you can open them."

Feyla realized three things first. One, a tree was blocking the summer sunlight. Two, it felt as if she'd stepped into a private kingdom. Her eyes widened as she took in the house and the stone walls wrapped around the building. Unkempt flowers and vines curled along the walls, forming a wild sort of blanket that wrapped around the two of them, a cocoon against the world. The third thing was despite their beautiful surroundings, Sedgewick looked like he was about to pass out.

"Are you okay?" Feyla asked quickly. Her own questions could wait.

"Do you like it? Will it do? I didn't want to attempt this without one," Sedgewick spoke as quickly as possible, almost as if releasing the tense words would release the tension clogging his every pore.

"Like what?" she asked, paying more attention to the sweat-like sheen on his face than his words.

"The new house."

Feyla froze. She slowly turned her head around to look a second time at the building. "Sedgewick, do—do you mean this is your house?" She wasn't sure she'd believe him if he told her. Sedgewick had always insisted that he liked the set of rooms he had at the palace. It was convenient, practical, and with just himself and his cat, it wasn't as if he needed the space.

"Of course." Sedgewick's eyes widened suddenly as he started fumbling through his coat. "Gates, I almost forgot..." He dug his hand in his deepest pocket and promptly shoved something in her face. "This is yours too."

The object looked like a small, wrapped piece of brown paper with a chain sticking out of it, but having it close enough to make her go cross-eyed made it hard to tell.

"Do you accept?" He pressed it against her nose, his hand shaking like the weight of the tiny parcel was too much to bear.

"Sedgewick..." Feyla pulled back so she could see him. He still looked like he was going to topple over at any second.

Sedgewick's brow furrowed. "Don't be coy with me, Feyla. Other men might like it but I don't. Just give me a straight answer, do you accept it, yes or no?"

She huffed and took the paper parcel from his hand before he accidentally jabbed her in the eye. "Yes, Sedgewick, I accept."

Sedgewick's hand dropped. His serious amber eyes scanned her face while his long pointed ears slipped down. "You don't seem particularly...happy."

Feyla flushed with embarrassment. She still didn't understand why he'd bought a house, or why he was so nervous about giving her a present, but he must have spent a lot of time trying to find something for her.

She carefully peeled back the paper, vowing to praise it to the moon and back even if it was a stick with a ribbon.

The vow wasn't needed. Feyla gasped at the sight. A pendant attached to a bronze-gold chain laid nestled among the paper. A matching colored sun-like design surrounded a large gem in the center. Each point was delicately carved and the more Feyla stared, the more detail appeared. The center gemstone, however, stole the show. It was a beautiful burnt orange with just enough translucency for light to shine in. But that wasn't why it captured her gaze. Fire-red veins shot through the stone and formed the shape of a blooming flower.

"It's beautiful," Feyla murmured, gently stroking a finger across the surface.

"It was my mother's. Her prized possession." He picked it up by the long chain and lifted it over her head, being careful not to hook her ears. "And it reminded me of you, so I took it as a sign."

"Of me?" Feyla asked while adjusting the beautiful necklace. The orange color reminded her of Sedgewick's magic more than anything.

"You know..." The tips of his ears turned red. "A flower always blooming. Everbloom."

Feyla laughed, letting the sound carry throughout the enclosed courtyard. "And people say you're not romantic."

"So you accept it then?"

Feyla nodded firmly. "Definitely."

"YES!" Sedgewick snatched her up and spun her around wildly, grinning like a madman. He plopped her back on the ground a few seconds later and pressed a firm kiss against her lips.

Feyla squeaked in surprise. He really was excited about giving her that necklace, and spinning her was going to set off his bad back, and—and...

She gripped Sedgewick's hair and let him make her forget her worry and confusion.

Sedgewick tugged away, reluctantly snapping Feyla back to reality. "Oh, Dearest, you've made me so happy. I won't make you regret it, I swear," he said, holding her hands in an unusually tender manner while staring at her as if she'd agreed to sponsor all his research projects for the rest of their lives.

Her head still spinning from both the kiss and the actual spinning, Feyla just smiled at him dazedly. She should let him give her necklaces more often.

Dropping her hands, Sedgewick's shoulders slacked as if a giant weight had fallen off them. He pushed his glasses up his nose before pulling a list out of his jacket. "You have no idea how relieved I am that I will never have to ask that again. Moving on, I was thinking we should aim for early autumn. The house will be ready by then, and the Magic Ministry is too busy in the summer. Now, I know how fond you are of people, Dearest. But I've prepared a list of all the practical reasons we should skip the whole formal...thing and have it just be the two of us."

Feyla shook herself out of her daze. "Sedgewick—"

"Item one: we both hate our living parents."

"I don't really hate my—"

"Item two: we can put the time and money saved towards more important things, such as preparing a nursery or—"

"WHAT?"

Sedgewick looked up from his list, his head tilted in confusion. "Dearest, if we want more than one, we should start as soon as possible. I'm not getting any younger."

Feyla's head started spinning again. She dropped herself back down onto the blanket. "Okay, now you've lost me."

Sedgewick lowered himself beside her. His face was the one he wore whenever he felt he might have to make a large concession. "Do you only want one now?" he asked, his tone indicating he was hoping for a denial. "I always thought we could do the old Abreylian tradition. A boy for my name, a girl for yours."

Feyla turned the necklace over in her hand. His mother's. Something like this was kept in the family. She looked at the house. It was big enough for two children. A fluttery sort of hope rose in her chest. At first, she refused to admit what it was for. But then tears stung her eyes and her throat contracted to the time of said flutters. "This is a proposal," she whispered softly to herself, clutching the necklace until it dug into both her hands.

"Well, obviously." Then Sedgewick blanched. His ears flicked up and his eyes widened as if he'd just come to a horrific realization. "It—it was obvious, wasn't it?"

A sob escaped Feyla's lips as she started crying.

"Oh, gates, I mussed it up, didn't I?" Sedgewick's chest rose in panic. He crumpled the paper in his fist. "Gates, I'm sorry, Feyla. I didn't want to ask you when all I had was that room at the palace and— Oh, I should have just gone with one of Beryn's plans."

Feyla let out a hiccup.

Sedgewick grabbed her hand, this time in desperation rather than tenderness. "Just give me a bit of time and I swear I'll do it right. I do love you, Dearest, and I know—"

Feyla flung herself at him and tackled Sedgewick to the ground. "Do it now. Say it now."

Sedgewick stared up from the ground in confusion. "But I need time to—"

"I don't care if it's not perfect or effective or whatever word you think makes everything better. Just...give me the words." She gave him her softest, most persuading look. "I won't accept until you do."

"Technically, you already did." But he sat up anyway. Sedgewick took a deep breath as if the city was about to be flooded. "Would...would you bond with me, Feyla? Be my wife? If you don't like the house..."

Feyla didn't give him a chance to finish. She threw her arms around him and squeezed like a vice as they toppled to the ground again. "Yes, yes, yes! With how we started courting, I thought it would take you half a millennium to propose. Oh, this is wonderful!"

She sprang to her feet and clasped her hands together. Her eyes gleamed as what was formally just a pretty building now shone with possibilities. "And this house is perfect! We can plant a garden and host our house-binding party outside and have our guests dance on the stone area and, oh Sedgewick, I—I'm going to start crying again."

Sedgewick stood up beside her. His hair was ruffled and his glasses were crooked, but he didn't seem to care. "I'm glad to hear you like it, love." He pulled out a handkerchief with a dramatic flick. "I came prepared."

"I love you." She took it and dabbed her eyes.

"I would hope so. This place was rather expensive."

Feyla smacked his arm absent-mindedly. Happiness bubbled up inside her like one of Sedgewick's potions. She embraced him again, wishing she could bottle this feeling as easily as a potion. Nothing could ruin this day.

*****************************

Author's Note: Eeee, look at you, Sedgewick, feeling awkward with your feelings and your lady. So proud. *tears of joy* I've been looking forward to writing this since I started the story. I picked a song instead of a picture this time and let me tell you, IT IS SO INCREDIBLY SEDGEWICK. Like, if I'd heard all of Tear in My Heart sooner, I 100% would have put it on the epilogue of Magic's Minister. Oh, well. At least I get to stick it here. How is everyone liking the story so far?