Element Of Surprise

Chapter 29 - I must be dreaming

"Asher of Erydon -" Aquilo smiled, shaking Ash's hand, "I can think of no one better suited for my daughter." Ash's grin grew wider and wider as he realized what this meant. Aura was his, his to hold, to love, till death do them part. He whooped in joy and picked his fiance up and swung her round, she giggled and shouted for him to stop but they both knew in their hearts that this was the most ecstatic moment of their lives. Eventually all of the Monarchy apart from the Heirs were left in the drawing room.

"Well," Laec smirked at Ash, "congratulations!"

"Shut it," Ash grinned, shoving him. Enya and Aura gave each other 'the look' as the pair of them play-fought. Soon they were all laughing at each other - reliving their best moments and creating bonds that they knew would never be broken for the world. However it became clear that Ash needed to speak to Aura in private; his eyes kept flitting to her whenever there was a pause in their conversation, and Enya gently touched Laec's hand, pulling him to the door. He quickly got the message and the pair of them left the drawing room, leaving Ash and Aura on the chaise lounge together.

"Aura -" Ash started, and for some reason he was stuttering, "I need to tell you exactly what's going through my mind. I might die otherwise."

Aura placed a hand on his, Ash stared down at their interlocked fingers and then up at her. She smiled at him then kissed his cheek softly like a falling snowflake.

"Just let the words go," she whispered; Ash's eyes were closed as their foreheads touched, "tell me everything."

Ash drew away, but still held onto her hand as though it was a lifeline.

"Princess Aura of Mistelle," he began, Aura smiling at the formalities, "I tell you now that you are the gentlest, most beautiful girl in the whole of this Land. No, don't say anything," he hushed her as she tried to argue with him, "you are. And I have no clue why someone as perfect as you could agree to marry someone as pathetic as me in comparison."

"Now let me tell you something," Aura smiled. "You are the most handsome Prince I've ever seen. Granted, I've barely been out of my castle," Ash grinned as she spoke, "but still. You gave me something I've been missing my whole life. You gave me family. And for that I will be eternally grateful. I'm in love with you Ash, and nothing anyone says will ever combat that."

Ash couldn't take it any longer. He took her soft face in his hands, gazed into her field green eyes that reminded him of the clearing where they'd practiced their magic, and leaned in so their lips were just milimetres apart. He could feel her breath warming his cheek; their eyes were closed so that they were relying on touch and sound only and finally neither could take it any longer. They both leaned in and their mouths met in a moment that hung in the stars and was picked up and turned into a hurricane of passion by the wind.

Neither one of them had felt quite like this before. This wasn't happiness, it wasn't love, it was so much more than that. Ash put his hand around Aura's waist and felt her smooth silk dress, then brought his hand to her equally silky hair. He ran his fingers through it as Aura ran her hands down his back. He took her in his arms as they finally parted from their kiss, both breathless, both feeling so full of emotion they could cry that very second.

"Aura."

"Ash."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."

Suddenly Aura tensed up, eyes wide in fear.

"What's wrong?" Ash said, catching her before she could run away. "Tell me."

"Mother - Gothel, she used to say that to me, and now I've remembered -"

"Remembered what?" Ash pulled her so she had no choice but to look into his eyes. "Aura, don't hide from me. Please."

"That - that she'll kill me." Aura broke down. "I killed her master, didn't I? It was me!"

"Aura," Ash tucked a stray strand of Aura's hair behind her ear and looked at her in such a way that made her melt like butter in a pan, "I promise, as long as I am Prince of Erydon, that I will love and protect you for as long as I am alive. You mean the world to me, and I couldn't live without you, no matter how hard I tried."

"I love you Ash."

"I'll never stop loving you Aura."

The couple sat there, the image of pure trust and love as they met at the lips again, lit by the flickering candlelight. But no matter how many candles burnt, no matter how many stars shined, nothing would be the match of how brightly their love shined, even in the darkest of times.

A/N Only one chapter left!! I can't believe it's gone so fast, this is by far one of the best stories I've ever written, and I'm only about 40 reads away from 3k!! I will hopefully be uploading the last chapter tonight - I can't leave it so close to finishing!