You, Me and the shadow (Vampire Academy fanfiction)

Rings and bells

"What are you doing, Comrade? We were having a moment," I tease with a big smile. He continues looking through the box for a second before finally taking something out. Turning back around, he walks back over to the bed, where he sits down in front of me.

"I'm making the moment better, Roza. After everything we learned yesterday and everything we're going to have to do over the coming months, I want this moment to be ours."

I look at him confused because he's being so elusive, yet his voice holds so much passion. I don't say anything because I don't know what to say. He looks into my eyes and then pulls his attention back to whatever is in his closed fist.

"Babushka sent this to me the day after I started the search for you and Vasilisa. She sent a note with it saying that I will know what to do when the time is right, and finally, I know what that means." Following his gaze, I look down at his hand but can't see anything because it's closed. "What are you talking about, Comrade? What do you think it means?"

He doesn't respond to my questions. Instead, he opens his hand and instantly causes all the air to escape me. Because in his hand is a beautiful antique silver ring. The ring band has rose vine filigree leading up to a sizeable heart-shaped ruby with smaller emeralds working around the band, looking like leaves. It's stunning, but it takes me a second to realise what that ring means. I gasp again and look up into his eyes, mine immediately filling with tears.

"I know you don't like rose-themed things, but this ring has been in my family for hundreds of years. It gets passed down to the next male in line, and fate so happens that that's me. It's a little ironic, don't you think? A rose ring for my Rose Wife," he admits with a bit of a chuckle, but I'm still crying.

"I love it, Dimitri. It's like it was made for me, but are you sure you want to do this right now? I don't want current events to be influencing your decision, because you already know what my answer will be." I ask honestly, wanting to make sure that he's thought this through. We may have discussed marriage at length, but I didn't know he would propose this quickly.

"Roza. I would have proposed to you the very second I caught you on that street in Portland. I was planning on doing it in front of everyone, but then I decided I wanted this to be just us. I can't live without you, Detka, and I don't see the point in prolonging it. You're already my Wife in every way that counts." The slight chuckle he releases makes me smile through the shock, but before I can respond, he continues. "I've been yours since the second I saw you, dancing along to no tune in that window, and now I ask for you to become mine, in every sense of the word."

"I'm already yours, Mitya. I have been since the very beginning." I reply honestly, slowly fighting through the shock as my mind finally catches up to realising what's actually about to happen. Dimitri seems to see my realisation as he throws me a dazzling smile before saying, "I know you are, but that doesn't stop me from asking."

Following his movements intently, I watch as he gets up off the bed and drops down next to it on one knee. I can feel my heart drumming along in my chest as I follow him and go to stand in front of him. I reach my hand to cup his cheek as he looks up at me with the same look of reverence that I know is a mirror of my own intense emotions.

"Rosemarie Hathaway Badica. I promise you that I'll never let you fall. I promise you that I'll be right by your side through everything. I promise to bow before you, my Queen, and give you everything your heart desires. Would you do me the great honour of becoming my Wife through this life and eternity?"

He finishes his little speech with so much devotion that a sob catches in the back of my throat. I kneel in front of him and gently take his face with my hands, looking directly into his eyes.