Picking Petals:

Chapter 38: Beastly

Before I responded I reached down in Rones lap and kissed him passionately, my raw lips burning into his, "A thousand times yes," I grinned against his lips. Rone started planting messy kisses all over my face, arms and neck. We laughed, we smiled, we kissed, we held each other. Maybe we've done this a thousand times, maybe I've been his wife countless lives, but this single moment was everything.

Here I sat beside the love of my life, my friend, my King. We still had so much to figure out, to understand and discover. I wanted to do it together, work together forever. "As much as I'd love to hold this moment forever, I have an endless amount of meetings. I hate to pressure you but we cant afford another attack, those demons need to be changed."

"What if they already are?" I frowned as my brain knitted together with confusion. "The land, the woods, the seas it's all been restored, that would mean-"

"We have hundreds of confused elves in the forest?" Rone finished for me as I nodded, "I guess we will be taking a dip into the woods much sooner then we thought." If I was being honest, it excited me,I had some equal fears but after everything I've been through and seen I was more then ready for a new beginning.

We stood up to part ways for the rest of the afternoon, but not before falling into another endless kiss. "I can't wait to be your wife," I grinned.

"I like the sound of that," he purred as his light beard tickled my neck, "I'll see you tonight and we'll start making some plans on finding the elves for tomorrow okay?"

"Sounds good, I think I am going to help Gregory, and Orion with decorating the Gardens, will you be able to make it?" I asked.

He tilted his head as he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "I am not sure, depends how long the council keeps me, your father hasn't been the most cooperative."

"Rone, you need to go you people need to see their King."

"What they need is their creators, I am King yes but everything's going to change especially when we venture outside of the palace walls. We need to provide a strong front, thats you and Berella. Everyone wants to see the two of you, you guys saved Valkri."

I shook my head, "Valkri loves you, please try to make an appearance?" I understood Rone was in a bind, he was the king, he was supposed to know where to go from here but he didn't. A part of him was scared, vulnerable.

"I'll try," he said tiredly as he kissed my temple, and walked off to the throne room.

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Turns out we had more then enough volunteers to help clean up the town and set up for a celebration. There was something beautiful and calming in the atmosphere, people actually felt safe, hopeful. The sky shined with too many stars to even count, millions lighting up the entire sky. The moon clear as day, a pearly illuminating white. I even found it in my heart to have Berella let Josephine out, of course we stripped her of her powers entirely, at least until we can trust her. Berella is convinced there was something admirable in Josephine, and I guess she wasn't wrong. Josephine didn't have the most loving people in her life growing up. Her need to feel wanted and loved was something everyone needed. She became numb, rejected, I can hear all the ugly things she calls herself, she hates herself.

I wasnt one to feel bad for others or give pity. Maybe reading her life memories pulled a certain attachment, but I prayed, to whoever held her fate, that one day she'd smile. A smile of pure happiness, love and freedom. It was all up to her now, once she wanted to change her ways, maybe with Mardith gone she can. Not to mention she had Berella on her side, a true gift.