AN: Okay, during episode sixty-five, who else seriously thought that Lief was going to propose to Jasmine? *Raises hand* It was made even worse for me because literally five minutes before the end of the episode, my power went out, forcing me to wait an entire day to finish it, during which I imagined the many ways it could have gone. Well, since that didn't happen, this is how I thought it was going to end. Now, I'm going off a fan-translation of the episode, so sorry if some of the words are wrong. I hope you all like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Deltora Quest. Emily Rodda does. :)
"Lief is a spoiled kid who is leaving with another girl because he had fallen for her tricks and seduction," Jasmine snarled, her fists shaking and eyes burning as she glared at Prin. "Lief is a totally spoiled boy. He does not know when to stop, so he must have fled the kingdom of Deltora with a..." Seeing the looks that had flashed across her friend's faces, ones of worry, expectation, and the slightest hint of fear, Jasmine allowed her words to trail off into silence as she slowly turned to face the person who had just appeared behind her. Her mouth suddenly dry, the final word of her rant fell without her permission as she stared at her king, her eyes wide and surprised to have found him so easily. "...woman... Lief!"
"Jasmine, you are right," Lief said softly, both his eyes and voice tender yet amused by what he had overheard. "I am the king, but I am also the criminal. I have a lot of things I need to do before the kingdom can grow, and I have too grow up and become a man. One worthy of this country."
"But Lief," Gla-Thon interrupted, taking the momentary silence to answer the question that had been on everyone's mind since this morning, "where have you been all day? Everyone has been worried about you."
"Well," Lief said slightly embarrassed, his head tilting so he could avoid the other's curious stares as he made his confession, "I was actually making something in the forge. Something for a very special someone." Almost as if it had been done without thought, his hand traveled to his pocket, his fingers automatically finding the precious item he had caused such an uproar over. "It's suppose to be for after the ceremony." Giving his friends a little shrug, Lief turned as if he was about to enter the tunnel and return to the palace when a small hand and short voice stopped him.
"You know Lief," Gla-Thon said with a wink and a sly glance towards Jasmine, "if you're really going to propose, there probably won't be a better time than now. If you wait, you risk others overhearing what should probably be kept between the two of you and all of us."
"I must agree," Zeean said with a nod of her head, her eyes glinting with the restrained joy that was the Toran way. "It would be a wonderful surprise for the people of Deltora to be able to hope for such a bright future, and I honestly do not believe a better match could be found." Nodding her head once again, she allowed a reserved smile to grow across her face as she turned to completely face the king. "If you should go through with this," Zeean reassured the blushing young man, "you have the Toran's blessing."
"As do you have the Ralad's," Manus spoke up, his own emotions plan upon his face as he looked between the two teens. "I'm sure the others would love nothing more then to see you two married."
One by one, under Jasmine's confused and hurt glare and to Lief's growing mortification, each of the representative of the other tribes gave their blessings for Lief's coming action. By the time Glock had finished giving his approval, Lief's face had returned to its normal coloring and his eyes had become thoughtful, swirling with ideas and plans that been plaguing him for a fortnight, but that now were being abandoned in the moment he had thought he would need them. Finally, after a long moment in which silence had been allowed to reign, the young king nodded and turned to face girl that stood besides him.
