Pure (COMPLETED)

Epilogue: The Final Stone

He grinned. "I've been told that a few times."

She let out an amused breath of air. "I meant, what about you- are you impatient for me to ask you?"

"No. I'm dancing with the most beautiful woman in the territory. What else could I want right now?"

She raised an eyebrow. "That's all you want?"

His grin grew wider. "What are you offering?"

Maigred rolled her eyes. "Be serious, Finten."

"Alright, what do you want to know?"

Maigred swallowed. "Are you impatient that I haven't asked you to marry me?"

"No. I remember what it was like to not be ready. I would never want to pressure you into something you weren't ready for, Maig. We don't ever have to get married to be a good lord and lady to the people."

Maigred looked away. "That would be like us, to never get married."

Finten cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"We've done nothing in the traditional way."

Finten chuckled softly. "I suppose we haven't, but it's worked out so far."

Maigred leaned her head against his chest again and let out a breath.

Finten's arms wrapped around her pulling her closer. He laid his cheek on top of her head. "I love you, Maigred. I'm just happy to be here with you right now. We'll deal with the future as it comes."

"So if, hypothetically, I were to ask you to marry me, you wouldn't have an answer for me tonight?"

"I would say yes."

Maigred shut her eyes and let her feet follow Finten's steady guidance. She swallowed. "You're a good man, Finten."

"I've been told that a few times." She could hear the smile in his voice.

Maigred heard Cathal's voice. She opened her eyes. Cathal and Aoibh were dancing a few steps away. They were murmuring softly to each other, eyes for no one but each other. They'd had their marriage ceremony nine months ago. Maigred had never seen her brother so happy, or Aoibh either for that matter. She knew that Cathal still had days when he struggled with dark thoughts, but they didn't seem to have as strong a hold on him as they used to.

She shut her eyes again. Everything in her life was falling into place. She didn't know why she still felt unsettled, why she didn't feel ready to commit to Finten yet. A thought she'd had at the back of her mind for months pulled at her attention. Moisture began to fill her eyes. Maigred frowned and shoved the intrusive thought away.

Finten's hand came up and stroked her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said quickly.

Finten didn't say anything else. His feet kept time with the music, his hand caressed her hair.

Maigred made a decision. She opened her eyes and lifted her head. "I need to go out, Finten."

"To the sacred grove?"

"Yes."

He smiled at her mischievously. "Alright. I'll distract everyone so you can slip away."

Maigred looked up into his warm golden eyes. A realization hit her. I don't want to go through life without him. Whatever happens, I want to face it with him by my side.

She took a breath, her hands tightened slightly on his shoulders. "Finten, I want to see you all the time. Not just when we're working together. I want to go to bed with you and wake up with you. I want to eat all my meals with you, I want to do everything with you. Marry me."