Just an Idea

"I love them." I whispered to myself as I admired my reflection. The emerald and diamond headband looked amazing crowning my fiery red hair. Every delicate detail in the metal work was absolutely stunning.

"Planning on keeping that?"

I had heard Gurok come into my house, but I had a hard time breaking the trance of beautiful shinny things. "It loves me back." I grinned.

"I think those gems are corrupting your brain." He jested. He presented a plate of cookies and I picked one up for immediate gobbling.

Chewing while I hugged him, I was on a trio of perfection high. I was wearing pretty shinnies, eating cookies and holding the man I adored all at once. I knew at that moment, life couldn't get any better than that and I didn't want to let him go. "I like you."

He smiled. "I like you too. I'm curious about this pretty emerald thing you're wearing. Business or pleasure?"

"I was commissioned to borrow it from someone who has been dead for one hundred and fifty years and doesn't seem to be able to show it the appreciation it deserves. I'm really torn though. I love it. I'm wondering how angry that crazy old trader will be if I wear it instead. He wants it for his young new fiancé, but it looks so much better on me. What kind of young bride wants to wear a dead woman's jewels? I bet I can talk him into something new and custom made right?"

"I think you're too lovely for your own good without any help at all."

I laughed and kissed him quickly. "That's not what I asked. I'll give it to him though. He does fund a lot of my business and he's much more pleasant to deal with than most. I guess it would be a shame to make him an enemy. I always could steal it back without him knowing if I just couldn't get it out of my mind." It was hard work trying to convince myself.

I took the lovely from my head and admired it once more before putting it back in my bag for delivery. I knew I would play with it again before I gave it to him and I still wasn't completely sure I would be able to hand it over. I was so weak for beautiful jewelry, but I also loved money and he was going to pay me a lot of it for finding the headband.

He scooped me up into his arms and I giggled in delight. "Want to hear what I've been thinking about?" He asked.

"Yes!" I loudly declared with a smile, still high on my trio perfecta.

 

 

"Did you even hear what I said?"

I'm not sure that I had. My head was spinning. Gurok looked a bit cross to put it mildly, but he kept still while I sat on his lap and waited as patiently as he could for me. He had been going on for awhile now and I'm not even sure I blinked yet. Blinking extra to make up for it, I stared at his big hand over mine. "So, you want to marry me?" I summed up.

"Well yes, that's what I've been saying for the last thirty minutes to eternity." He said as his brushed fingers through my hair. "You act like you don't think it's a good idea, but it makes perfect sense. You and I are good together. Don't you feel the same way?"

"You are the first thing I look for when I wake up and the one thing that keeps me awake longer at night for fear of missing you." I said almost mechanically as I studied every detail of his fingers. It was so honestly true.

Gurok chuckled. "You have a very charming way with words. Does that mean you agree with me?"

"That we should get married?" I repeated as if somehow we might have switched subjects without my noticing. I felt dizzier for some reason and my body felt so heavy. I had to lean against his warm chest.

"Yes…" he drew out. "Do you need me to repeat my speech again? You know how I feel about repeating myself but I realize this is a big deal. I admit, I'm a little discouraged that you're not shouting it from the tree tops."

I felt panicked and looked up at him with big pleading eyes, "Give me two days and ask me again? This is not the kind of decision I want to make without thinking it through." I was terrified that he would think that I didn't love him. This wasn't about that.

"The idea had really never crossed your mind?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well, no. I just kissed you last week. I hadn't planned the rest of my life part yet. You're so right; I love you. I just want this to be one of the steps in life I thought through first. This needs to be a rare completely responsible moment."

"We've know each other for a very long time and we've always been close. This is something that has grown for more than one week." He paused a moment. "Hm… well, Ok. I'll give you two days to feel responsible and I won't bring up marriage again until then. Then, if you'll meet me in Ru'Lude Gardens, I'll run the idea by you one more time for an official answer. That sound ok for you?"

Relaxing a little with a smile, I kissed him. "Thank you. I'm sorry I'm full of crazy sometimes."

"I'm used to it." He kissed me back even though I could tell he wasn't as happy as he should have been after bring up marriage and I was full of guilt.

He held me quietly until he had to leave for some auction house obligation. I knew he was disappointed in me and it broke my heart. While he was much less showy about it, he liked having his way just as much as I did.

Why was I panicking? This wouldn't be the first time I had married. I let out a huge sigh and curled up on my bed as I started to put the pieces of my mind back together.

My first marriage had been the best time of my life and yet had ended suddenly in murder and devastation. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but picture Gurok in that same position, married to me only to be torn gruesomely away much too far from old age.

Ofcourse, that was crazy and the logical part of my mind knew it. All I had to do was calm my heart. I wasn't cursed was I? There was no reason to think that I was some kind of black widow that brought death to the men I loved.

I was going to need my friends.