✧SUNSET IN THE GAZEBO✧

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Rhea adored the outings in the past, and over the course of the summer she had lost sight of that. Especially when Alphard had given her another walk around with a new light.

"I suppose I should prepare for us to move here?" He offered, walking backward for a moment to address her properly. But she had glanced over towards him from taking a small peak up at the artwork.

He had a vast collection, a beautiful one at that.

"Not necessarily, it's far too big. I'm having trouble not getting lost as is."
"You won't be getting lost, this is simply half the manor. And you can design it how you wish." She shook her head.
"Perhaps when we host celebrations we'll stay the night or enjoy it for smaller family events, but it's not...Homey." Alphard knew that Rhea wasn't looking was wealth, and marrying the wealthiest bachelor had been the furthest thing from her mind.

Which made her all the more adorable, but It was ultimately what she fancies. And Alphard would do his best to take everything into consideration to turn it into a reality.

"I...I didn't mean to offend, it's gorgeous but it's—"
"Not either of us, perhaps I should commission us a home?"
"Absolutely not, I'm sure either of your two manors will be grand."
"And if I said it was exactly like Grimmauld Place?" That stilled Rhea's joking manner as she bit her lip, realizing her mistake she looked out of place and Alphard hummed.

"I'm teasing love, can hardly understand how you managed a month there as is."
"The company was nice."
"Surely you don't mean my sister?" Rhea shrugged her shoulders slightly, she didn't mind Mrs.Black, she was endearing with the way she and Cissy had planned a birthday bash for her.

Even if it was just an excuse to plan something for a celebration and party.

"Don't let her get to you, she can get real fowl when she wants to be."
"How come? I haven't done anything wrong towards her, have I?"
"No, but what's brewing between us both will surely set her off. I have no doubt in that."
"And Orion? Does he agree with her?" Alphard had taken the liberty to silence her worries nearly instantly.

"No, of course not. He's happy as can be that I've met someone such as yourself—And he was pleasantly surprised by how sweet you are. Haven't you been listening this entire evening?" She nodded but still didn't feel all too convinced.

She hardly thought she had to worry about Walburga being an issue, she thought all had been managed well enough.

"Now then, let's take a walk in the garden before joining that stuffy crowd. Yes?"
"I suppose..."
"We could simply stay elsewhere, whatever it is—"
"What do you want?" She questioned and Alphard silently laughed, his body showcasing how hilarious he thought her question to be.

"I don't recall saying anything that was funny..." She grumbled, her pout becoming visible as she hadn't a clue what had tickled Alphard so much. But he couldn't stop, not when Rhea was turning rose-red or when her lip puckered outwards in retaliation.

"Oh please tell me! I can't take it anymore!" She cheered, her hands coming to place against his chest as she nearly jumped into him. "Rhea...My dear sweet little goddess, I have everything I could ever possibly want. I ask you this because I want to know if I could make you happy and know that everything is fulfilled."

"So what was funny about that...?"

"That you still manage to surprise me, that when I ask what you want to do you flip it around to my needs. You don't have to do that with me."

"But I care about that as well, I'm not the only one you should be focusing on. So let's take a walk outside and then take another dance, I know you want to have another word with your mates before the night ends." He hadn't been that obvious in terms of offering the suggestion of going back into the main room, but his eagerness of entertaining his good friends, but also allow Rhea the opportunity to know them as well.

"I was...Well, I was hoping you would introduce me to your friends as well, soon. Not this evening." The surprise had rallied on her face once more, even after he'd opened the door for them both to step out onto the patio.

"My friends...? We're all recently graduated, why on earth would you—"
"Because they are important to you, and I cannot have the first time meeting them properly be our wedding day. I won't allow it." He deemed, and Rhea tried to hide her growing smile. Finally starting to feel the light-heartedness of the conversation.

Alphard knew that he needed to be careful in some areas, and he didn't mind that he had to remind her that her thoughts mattered. It was simply how she was brought up—In the shadows of her brothers.

Sure he had been showering his attention to her, he wouldn't be the only one to do so. There would be plenty of those who wanted to befriend Rhea now that it would open up a direct line to himself.

It was the one area that he had hoped that Walburga would take the time to explain, but now he would simply ask Narcissa.

Finally managing to hurry under the Gazebo's protective heat charms, Alphard hadn't realized that Rhea was freezing from the night's air until she sighed in relief in embracing the heat.

"Merlin—You're as white as a ghost." He deemed, taking off his outer coat and placing it over her shoulders—She had felt the likeness of his wand within the pocket, it was a wizard's sacred item, she couldn't believe he trusted her with it.

Her blush began to creep up once more, though Alphard passed it off as being cold. Placing his hand to try and warm up her cheeks caught the true reason for their tint. He looked beyond handsome—her own prince charming with this type of fit.

He never dressed less than in a suit and tie, so there truly wasn't a sense of regular wear. He seemingly dressed always to impress. So she hadn't had any issue with receiving a kiss to her bluing lips.

"You're freezing love." He issued, and Rhea simply laughed at his fussing. His hands rubbing up the likes of her arms to create friction, making it her turn to find his actions hilarious. "I like the cold, it's alright."
"It's not. You're hardly wearing anything warm." She simply hugged his coat further into her body, the long arms showcasing just the size difference between the two.

Rhea looked as though she was swimming in the damn thing.

He had simply wanted to catch the last bit of the sunset, his head latching onto her shoulder as he held her close to his chest. Hoping that his heat would transfer.

"You say you like the cold?"
"I'm not sure why I do, snow is so beautiful. Sometimes in Hogwarts, I would get a big thermal of hot cocoa or tea and read outside." He began to shake his head, though she could still feel the smile looming on his face.

Clearly he was amused once more.

"Usually I'm used to it, but I do like this Gazebo—It's gorgeous."
"It's fairly new, built this season actually. I tend to add a few additions to this place when I get the chance."
"Few additions as in art pieces? Orion said you have an addiction."
"At auctions yes, I can't handle myself or my vault number." So his weakness is in fine art, aye?

This gave her a brilliant idea.

Alphard had taken to swaying her to and fro, enjoying how the sun danced on the end of the lands—Only to reveal the many millions of stars just above them. And Rhea hummed.

"We should rejoin the party soon." He whispered, and Rhea shook her head. Enjoying the solitude of the silence, it took a great connection to be able to not need a conversation to fuel one another.

Yet Alphard tugged her just a bit, unwrapped his arms, and stepping away from the edge. She had hoped he would simply join her on the side, but he hadn't.

And in looking off behind her, she caught him just getting into position on his knee.

A rather wicked grin taking up his face.

"Rhea Legstrange, my little Goddess, you've awoken something that I had buried so deep in me that I cannot help myself—You've bewitched me." He claimed, reaching down into his pocket to reveal a velvet box.

This had left Rhea breathless, as her hand came to her heart.

"...Would you do me the honors in becoming my wife, my partner in all things...Will you marry me?" A lone tear had fallen just as he asked his final question, and she issued a quick jumble of nods. She couldn't manage to say it any louder than a whisper, but he understood.

And once she had spoken, he opened the box to reveal the biggest sapphire placed on a silver band that she's ever witnessed. She let her hand muffle her pathetic excuse of a chuckle.

She approved of the color outright, but to make matters better—He held it up.

"I know you said that you aren't fond of flashy and heavy jewelry. But I couldn't resist when the jewelry showed me this piece, it was far too beautiful...But I have a similar one." Rhea understood what he was getting at, the largest gemstone would be for parties—To showcase her position and her husband's wealth.

Yet this was one of the many blessing, and she simply offered her hand for him to place the largest one. It fit snug on her ring finger, and glistening in the moonlight caught right behind her. "It's not heavy..." She whispered, and Alphard grinned.

Rhea's dislike was much more in-depth than either of them wanted to admit, her fear of her own family and the wellness of her being had resulted in a hatred of anything.

Family jewelry, her mind designed the hatred for it and translated it to be heavy and uncomfortable.

Alphard had placed either ring on either of her hands, allowing her to choose which one wanted to be worn and when. And when he rose back up to two feet, he was equally as surprised as to being pulled into such a feverish kiss that he hummed in recognition to her excitement.

"...Is that why you mentioned coming outside?"
"I recall you like the sunsets, it was meant to snow a bit if I recall—No matter. You said yes and that's what's important." She had managed to wiggle her entire body with excitement, his coat starting to fall off the likes of her shoulders if she hadn't pushed her arms through the sleeves now.

"Suppose I have to be much more prepared for my surprises, hm?"
"Well you've hinted on this one for the last few days, and I adored this place very much."
"Ah, so we're on the same wavelength in that realm as well. Very good—Though now I'll simply have to turn spontaneous." She perked her lips to hide away a smile.

"I should try that as well, come...I want to show Cissy my ring." Rhea said with another joyous smile on her face, and of course, the attention the ring brought had turned the attention back to Rhea and Alphard.

He had spared no expense and would continue to do so even after the wedding—Merlin, he couldn't wait until all her dreams of what a wedding could look like.

When the two returned to the outskirts of the party, Rhea had taken off the jacket and held it out. Though he simply didn't feel the need in putting it back on.

He was already sweating bullets as is.

"I'll warn you right now, Orion is going to be making a rather obnoxious speech when we get—" Back.

It seemed that he should've warned his beloved a bit earlier in their walk than right before their grand entrance as Orion held up his glass in response.

"Could I have everyone's attention for a moment!" And so it began, the party's inhabitants had all looked off towards Orion Black with a polite gesture for him to continue.

"It's come to my attention that my brother has turned into a bit of a sap these last few weeks without my knowledge, and who am I to judge his preference in women. I've come to know the young witch for quite some time now, and she is equally beautiful as she is intelligent...Rhea, welcome to the family, sister." Her eyes had widened at the display that he had managed, and to think just a few weeks prior she had still been calling him Mr.Black

Alphard had brought the interlocked hand up to his lips and smirked. The applaud happened regardless, Rhea couldn't hear it more than an adoring muffle as she gazed up to her fiancee.

"See, all is well." He deemed.

All is well, for now.

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Date Posted: 09/22/2021

Time: 11:23

Words: 2208