2 Years Later (2026)

His Majesty King Calix, doesn't easily get nervous at present, when it comes to dealing with State matters, alongside his brother, His Majesty King Carlos. In fact, nowadays, nothing seems to faze him anymore.

Except for dates with Isha.

For the past few weeks, perhaps due to both of their workloads, the two haven't been finding enough time to even have a proper face-to-face chat. Occasional conversations over texts, and video and phone calls aren't sufficient to satisfy Calix's hunger. Hunger to be physically close to Isha, like a man starved of love and touch. He has even been regretting succeeding the throne now (Audrey had to struggle against a drunk Calix from not stepping down).

At last, such a day has arrived when both are free. Isha, free from her duties as a teacher and bestselling author preparing for the publication of her third novel and Calix, free from the naggings of his dear brother, and other royal employees.

Calix had it all planned from before. Breakfast at a well-known restaurant, perfect for bibliophiles, owned by none other than Lady Crystal or just Crystal, as she likes to be addressed as (even though she has been busy with her wedding arrangements with Harvey). As a friend, she was able to make time in her schedule and open the restaurant, even on a Saturday when it remains closed usually. Next, they will walk down the famous Enzo River of Syncitia, hand in hand, and so in love like other couples (later, boat together and have a luxurious lunch on that very boat). Then after lunch, they will go to an amusement park, have fun all day, and right when it will be around sunset's time, while looking onto the gorgeous view from the Ferris Wheel, Calix will romantically ask for Isha's hand in marriage.

Although the present King of Syncitia has doubts whether Isha would actually accept his proposal. For, even if it had been a passing joke one day, Isha's exact words were, "I would never marry you, Calix. Please, become the Queen, and handle an entire country? Nah. I am not cut for that position. I'd rather spend my days in loose pajamas and with my laptop, typing away stories to my heart's content." Of course if Isha doesn't want, she won't have to take the title of Queen and the responsibilities that come with it, but Calix wasn't all too confident. There was a chance Isha would even disagree to be married to an aristocrat like him.

It sure is nerve-wrecking.

Anyway, Calix had the entire day planned out. Keeping aside his nerves, he had been looking forward to spending the wonderful, sunny, breezy day with Isha.

But the nature decided to laugh at him, and now they are rained on, standing partially drenched under a vacant bus-stop.

"I. Am. An. Idiot," Calix mumbles like a robot, staring into the far-distance with little to no vehicles or people in sight, but just the heavy rain. They can't even take Calix's car (had to park it somewhere else when the cursed rain began pouring), as no four-wheelers are allowed in this area, which is a famous dating spot.

"It's fine Calix," Isha says wiping her face with her handkerchief, "Either of us didn't check today's weather forecast. Don't blame yourself."

"But how can this happen? I thought it showed a clear sky..." Calix trails off and like thunder, realisation strikes him. He had accidentally checked the weather for next Saturday. "Hit me Isha."

"Come on Calix," Isha laughs, tiptoeing to wipe the raindrops from her boyfriend's face, "It's nothing too serious. Look, the rain has started to drizzle even."

But Calix isn't all too convinced as he curses himself with heavy slurs over and over again while Isha receives a call from her best friend Lola. Calix shudders to this day when he has encounters with the said woman, and is reminded of her furious attacks and demonic expressions. The threats do not stop even now, and he can only imagine what more threats she will send towards his way, if Isha accepts his marriage proposal today.

"No kidding, really?" Isha squeals into the phone, "Oh my God, congratulations! Hey, I think the line's cutting off—yeah, yeah I'll call you back." Isha ends the call, a grin on her face as she informs with another excited squeal, "Lola got proposed last week. She is getting married soon! Can you believe it?"

"Yes I can believe how she will make the life of her future husband rotten—oof," Calix groans at Isha's light smack on his arm. But it is still hard to imagine Lola being someone's fiancée. Although, not too hard as two years ago, after many months of going back and forth with numerous circumstances, Lola had found true love in her business rival. Like a typical enemies-to-lovers novel, that Isha loves reading so much.

As soon the rain seems to stop, Isha and Calix dashes towards Crystal's owned restaurant only to stop with blank faces. A signboard hangs over the locked glass doors, 'Under Maintenance due to Unforeseeable Occurrences of last night'.

Calix's eyes bulge out, the words slipping out of his mouth, "Isha, tell me I am dreaming."

"You are not. Unfortunately."

Calix exhales and inhales, turning to the woman with a guilty look, "I am sorry, this day was supposed to be special, I—"

"Stop worrying," Isha chuckles pinching his cheeks before pointing to a small restaurant not far, "We can have our breakfast there."

Calix nods, as they walk with intertwined hands towards the restaurant but a part of him still feels down that this day isn't going like the way he had planned. But hopefully, the walk alongside Enzo River, boat-ride, and lunch on boat wouldn't go downhill as the forecast now shows the sky will remain clear for the rest of the day.

The forecast betrayed Calix. Sitting in the car, he stares at the downpour over Enzo River and no one in sight. Isha seems rather fine though, as she sympathetically touches his cheek. "Calix really, I am fine. I enjoyed breakfast—"

"I am dumb," Calix chants banging his head on the steering wheel.

"Calix, as I said, it's fine."

Calix doesn't listen, his eyes blank as he slumps against the seat. "Award for the Worst Boyfriend of the Year should go to me. We finally are able to meet after weeks, and I can't even plan a single date. I am growing old."

"Pfft...stop exaggerating. You are only thirty."

"Thirty and old," he huffs, "Due to the coming storm, we have to return now. No chance the amusement park will remain miraculously open," unknowingly, Calix continues rambling, giving away the 'surprise plan', "I had it all planned. And then by the end of the day, I would have asked for your hand in marriage—"

"Marriage?"

Calix shuts his lips tight, realising what he just has given away. An awkward laugh comes out of his voice-box. "Marriage? What marriage, haha?"

Isha's raised eyebrow indicates, she wants the truth and truth only.

Sighing dejectedly, and cursing himself for messing everything up, Calix brings out a ring-box, wrapped in gorgeous premium leather, as he reveals the truth, "I wanted this date to be special because, I've been thinking of proposing for quite some time. I'm sorry for not asking about your thoughts on such an important step in our life, before getting ahead of myself but I just—I just love you so much that I can't wait to share a married life with you. You don't have to be the Queen of Syncitia. Stay the way you want, as just Isha, and I'm completely fine with it. I just—I really want to marry you.

Marriage is the eternal union, in which I want to be tied with you, if you accept of course," Calix stares down in nervousness as he opens the lid of the box, revealing two beautiful diamond rings, with gold swirls on them, and the initials I and C united in an enchanted tangle, shining on top like shooting stars fulfilling a wish.

Calix is more than nervous. His knees are trembling, and so are his fingers. However, whatever may Isha's answer be, he will respect it wholeheartedly. Marriage or no marriage, Calix will be happy to just stay by her side until the day they grow old, together.

The King is too anxious to even open his eyes and see Isha's reaction. A moment or two passes and he almost makes himself believe that her answer will be a very obvious 'no', when he feels a pair of soft lips on his. Calix's eyes fly open, after he brings himself out of his stunned state and that very second, Isha pulls away with a chuckle and blushing face.

"Of course I will marry you, idiot," Isha holds Calix's stupefied face, her gaze soft on him, "I was planning on proposing you myself for some days. I guess we had some telepathy going on, hm?"

And then Calix blinks. Not thrice, but four times, and he is diving in to crash his lips onto Isha's for another, more heated kiss. Isha's laughter gets muffled when she gets pulled onto his lap, the rings be damned.

"Calix, the rings—" Isha manages to breathe out in between the kisses, the laughter rising out of her throat seeing his dazed, frantic state.

"The rings yes," he swiftly slips the one with 'C' initial onto her finger, and Isha does the same with the 'I' initial ring, slipping into Calix's finger. As the impatient King dives in to resume the kiss, Isha puts her palm on his lips.

"Did you forget about the storm? We can't stay out for long."

Calix's gaze droops in disappointment, "Right, the storm."

Isha massages behind his ear, earning a soft hum from Calix. "Want to come home with me, then? It doesn't mean we can't continue our activities indoors."

"Really?" Calix's eyes sparkles which translates to 'Yes Please!'.

Isha only laughs. "Turn the car around."

And well, the rest is history. 

The End

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A/N:  And that's a wrap people!