The Beauty Within

Take Me, Not Him

From the bushes outside of the cottage, Lotor and Varkon stared up at the cottage. Lotor was dressed in a pair of black pants, a white blouse, a dark magenta coat with silver detail on the edge of the sleeves, and brown boots with silver detail.

"Heh! Oh boy! Keith's gonna get the surprise of her life, huh Lotor?" Varkon asked with a smile on his face.

"Yep. This is his lucky day!" Lotor replied letting go of a branch which hit Varkon in the mouth. Lotor turned around and walked back to where tables had been set up, a wedding cake set on one of them. The townspeople crowded around the tables.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding. But first, I better go in there and... propose to the lucky guy!" Lotor said with a smile and a finger pointed towards the cottage. The townspeople erupted into laughter. Nyma, Shay, and Florona huddled together, tears in their eyes.

"Now, you Varkon. When Keith and I come out that door--"

"Oh I know, I know! I strike up the band," Varkon exclaimed as he turned to the band. Lotor sighed and slapped the man upside his head as the band started to play "Here Comes The Bride".

"Not yet!"

"Sorry!" Varkon replied, rubbing his head where Lotor had slapped him.

_______________________________________________________

Keith sat in a chair, his legs over the arm of the chair. In his hands, was his book. He was interrupted when a knock on the door echoed throughout the cottage. Keith set his book on the table, open to the page he was reading, and headed to the front door.

Using the viewing device Coran had made, Keith saw it was Lotor at the door. Keith groaned and rolled his eyes. With a sigh Keith opened the door and Lotor walked in.

"Lotor, what a pleasant...surprise," Keith said backing up as Lotor continued his way inside, closing the door behind him.

"Isn't it though? I'm just full of surprises," Lotor said with a smile. "You know, Keith, there's not anyone in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes," Lotor continued to walk towards Keith until the two reached the table where Keith's book sat. "This is the day your dreams come true."

"What do you know about my dreams, Lotor?" Keith asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Plenty. Here, picture this," Lotor said as he sat down in the chair Keith had occupied earlier and placed his muddy boots on the open book on the table. "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little husband, massaging my feet, while the little ones play with the dogs," Keith cringed at the thought of someone actually doing that for Lotor. "We'll have six or seven."

"Dogs?" Keith asked as Lotor stood up and lifted his feet from the table. Keith wiped off the mud as best he could before he placed a merker in the book and closed it.

"No Keith, strapping boys, like me!" Lotor said with a smile.

"Imagine that," Keith replied as he walked over to the bookshelf and placed the book in an empty slot.

"And do you know who that husband will be?" Lotor asked as he walked up to beside Keith.

"Let me think," Keith said with a roll of his eyes. The first names that popped into his head were Nyma, Shay, and Florona.

"You, Keith," Lotor said, Keith's eyes widened and he stepped away from Lotor. Using the rocking chair as a small shield between him and Lotor, Keith stared back at Lotor.

"Lotor, I'm speechless. I really don't know what to say," Keith backed up until his back hit the front door.

"Say you'll marry me," Lotor said placing his hands on either side of Keith.