The moment Milkshake catches up to the ball and scoops it up between his little jaws, a distant rumbling begins to echo with deep distortion from somewhere on the other side of the valley beyond his position.
The puppy immediately turns and begins barking at the source of the commotion, setting his stance with as much fierce determination as his adorably fuzzy self can muster.
The source soon becomes apparent when a considerable quantity of ice and snow begins to slide from the peak of one of the mountains in the distance.
The small and harmless avalanche kicks up a plume of brilliant white powder in the process, but once the clouds begin to dissipate, something strange is left behind by the displacement of the snow.
Reed, who positions himself directly behind Adi when the show starts, makes no obvious movements to telegraph his total responsibility for the significant display of elementalism far off in the distance.
However, by the time she turns around to face him, he’s already down on one knee, waiting to see her reaction with a calm, fond smile persistent on his features. The engagement ring is held up where she can see it, pinched securely between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand.
After a deep breath to steel himself, Reed keeps his eyes locked onto those of his soulmate and begins speaking.
“I like to think I’ve lived a pretty eventful life so far. I’ve seen a lot of places, met a lot of people, been on my fair share of adventures.
I’ve been through the highs, the lows. The comforts and the extremes.
I’ve walked many paths, overcome my share of trials, and fought my demons. For so much of my life, the path was never clear.
I thought myself a wanderer at heart, that the world’s unchained liberties were all I needed to live my best life.
But that changed when I met you. It took me far longer than I’m proud of to realize just how much you meant to me, and what an incredible, positive difference your presence could have on my life.
This year has been… undeniably the greatest I’ve ever had, where the only real difference has been to have you there by my side.
Hearing the honeyed pull in your voice when you call my name. The excited look in those beautiful eyes of yours every time we reunite.
Feeling the warmth of your body laying against mine, as if we’re the only two people who matter in the world. You make me want to be a better man. To always strive for improvement, to step up to be everything that I possibly can be. You’re my inspiration and my anchor.
Though I have no titles to my name, I will be every bit the man you need and deserve. The man who provides you with everything your heart desires most.
I look forward and I see a life with you, the kind of happiness I never could have expected or dreamed of. The future that we’ve been fated to enjoy. The life and the -family- that we both want to build.
“And so I ask, Lady Adileh Balestiri…”
He draws in another ragged breath, feeling the surge of butterflies welling up in his stomach. “Will you make me the happiest sap in all of Tyria? Will you marry me?”
