Tamed || Wriothesley x Reader

Chapter 70

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It had been a long few weeks.

The rebuilding of the fortress was a process that a lot of people had placed careful time and effort into, considering it was a huge part of Fontaine's history--and because the amount of prisoners were steadily growing and the building that was used to house them was fully booked. But regardless of that, it wouldn't be long before the underwater prison would soon stand as its usual testimony to enclose those who defy the laws of the nation.

The events that had transpired had finally been closed, the questions that were asked being answered or left alone. While some mysteries still remained, it was better to leave them as nothing but what they were. Everyone wanted to move on, not wishing to remain stuck in the past.

And it was certainly like that for Wriothesley; his actions would still creep up to him, but at the end of the day, he knew he had you. And that was more than enough.

While time slowly etched on, you found yourself finally finding some sort of peace with your life. The storms had passed, and now that there was nothing but clear skies, you spent your time with the one and only man who's managed to fill the void in your heart that you never thought could be fixed.

"This is the place." You said, the breeze causing a nice feeling over your skin. The sun provided a warm sensation around your body, which reminded you of your days in Sumeru. It wasn't as scorching hot, which was a rather pleasant change from what you were used to. "Papa said she'd always come here and rest whenever she wanted."

Wriothesley stood at your side, his arm wrapped around your waist as the both of you gazed over the ocean blue of Fontaine's waters. It was a rather secluded part of the beach towards the eastern region of the nation, a place that was calm and serene. You found yourself closing your eyes and taking a mental note of everything you could hear, feel, and smell.

"You okay?" He asked you, gazing down at your expression.

"Yeah." You responded, opening your eyes. You clutched the small box tightly against your chest, taking a deep breath as you stepped forwards towards the shore.

You remembered thinking to yourself how scary you thought this moment would be, how sad you'd feel, and how much you'd end up crying your heart out. But instead, you felt so... relaxed. It was strange, since this moment was completely different than you imagined it to be. But if you were being honest with yourself, it couldn't have been more perfect.

You carefully separated the lid, gazing down at what was left of your mother. You removed your shoes and stepped into the water, taking a sharp inhale at the cold feeling. "Alright, mama... it's time for you to go."

Wriothesley stood off with a small bittersweet smile as he watched you carefully spread your mother's ashes into the water, the sight causing a glisten underneath the light of the sun. His gaze was locked on you as you stood there, watching as your mother mixed into the waves, her memory carrying on with the tides.

It wasn't another moment that went before he found himself in the water with you, draping his arm around your waist once more. "Let it out."

You gave a weak nod, leaning against him as your tears fell. But they weren't tears of sadness or grievance; rather, they represented a form of release, something that you've been searching for your entire life. And it felt good to finally let it free, right beside the one who made it all possible.

"I love you." Wriothesley said, now holding you closer than ever. "And she did, too."

"I know." You sniffled, nodding your head again. "I wish she could see the love I have for you."

"...Perhaps she can." He replied, gently guiding you back to the shore.

You looked up at him, wondering what the implication behind his words were. You felt him take your hand in his, bringing your knuckles up to his lips as he planted a soft kiss to the delicate bone, and then to the ring before he gently removed it.

"What are you doing?" You asked confusedly, watching as he tucked the ring into his pocket.

"You deserve everything, Y/N." He spoke, reaching into his other pocket. "That includes a proper proposal."

You didn't even have time to fully process his words as he bent down on his knee, still holding your hand in his. The environment around you had suddenly slowed down, the sound of the waves disappearing as you listened to him.

"You've heard me say this over and over, but I'll remind you until the day I die how much you mean to me." He started, his eyes soft as he gazed up at you. "You may think that you don't deserve me, that you're not enough, and that you're not perfect, but none of that is true. You are beyond perfect for me, Y/N. If there was a better word to fit that description, I'd tell you that every day. I want to live my life with you. I want to grow old with you, laugh with you, cry with you, spend every breath I take with you. You showed me that there are things in life that I can live for, and it's you. My soul is bound to you, and I don't think I'll ever be able to express just how much I love you with what I'm saying. I'll show it in every way possible, and when I've used up all those methods, I'll find new ones just to make you realize that you are my heart. There's going to be times when everything may not seem perfect and you might find yourself lost in it all. But I'm telling you, from the depths of my very being, that I will spend an eternity to bring you home to me. In this life and in what comes next, I will always be here with you."

You choked on your breath, your vision blurry with the tears that threatened to fall. There was so much raw emotion and vulnerability in his words that resonated with your soul, something that was reserved for only you.

"So, with that being said..." He popped open the velvet box that he had removed from his pocket, revealing the most gorgeous ring you've ever laid eyes on; and to make those tears finally fall, you noticed how the two dainty gemstones resting on top of the band represented both Sumeru and Fontaine, combined into one, to show who you are as a person. "...will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

You tried to speak, but your voice refused to cooperate. You took a deep, shaky breath and nodded, your heart practically jumping inside your chest.

"I need a verbal answer." Wriothesley mused, a small smile on his face.

"...Yes." You finally croaked out, managing to smile through your tears. "I will."

The ring slipped onto your finger, the stones glistening underneath the light of the sun. Wriothesley stood back up and wrapped his arms around you, holding you tightly against his chest. "You had me scared for a moment."

You gave a broken laugh, holding him just as tightly. "You barely gave me any time to process."

"I think I gave you plenty." He chuckled, his hand finding the back of your neck to guide your eyes up to his. "I meant every word I said."

"I know you did." You said, "But I hope you know I have no idea how to plan a wedding."

"Me either." He smiled, leaning closer to you. "We'll worry about that when the time comes. Right now..."

He drew closer, the space between the two of you becoming nonexistence as he murmured his next words onto your lips. "Let me just enjoy this moment with my wife."

You gave a soft laugh, resting your hands against his chest. "We're not married yet."

"As long as you've got that ring on your finger, we're as good as married in my eyes." He said, finally pressing his lips to yours.

You melted into it, your body relaxing into the taste and feel of him. It was a blissful moment, something that you couldn't even describe if you wanted to. But it didn't matter, because what did matter is that this was now your life.

A life you would never change for anything.

And during that moment, it felt like you could feel your mother's soul finally getting put to rest as she watched her daughter be what she always wanted.

Happy.

— End —