Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Thirteen | London, June 2000

Dedicated to Rhi, for restraining herself and me and declining spoilers. ;)

Chapter Thirteen

London, June 2000

 

            The night Andrew stood waiting for Amara outside of the university had magic in the air. Stars were visible through the smog, even the drunks were being polite and her class was let out on time.

“Hey, Drew!” she called, catching his attention.

Flying down the steps, she jumped into his arms and kissed him hard. “What’s the occasion?”

“Oh nothing,” Andrew tucked a stray cinnamon curl behind her ear “Are you ready?”

“For what?”

“I’m taking you out.” He said, spurred on by the surprised squeal.

“A surprise outing, how fun! Where’re we going?”

He smiled mysteriously and led her away from the school. “It’s a secret.”

            They went on a whirlwind of their favourite places. They had a tea at the stain glass window café where they’d gone the first day they met four years ago, followed by a viewing of Little Women, Amara’s favourite. It was dark by the time they left the theatre, and together walked hand in hand towards Hyde Park.

The lights seemed less harsh than usual as they walked the paths, soon coming to the rose gardens.

“Watch.” Andrew whispered, drawing his wand and tapping a single bud on the first bush they came across. As he did, flowers bloomed rapidly along the paths, each centre like a tiny faerie light.

“Oh, Andrew…” breathed Amara, eyes wide as she took it in. “It’s…magical. What’re you up to?”

Andrew merely smiled and knelt down, tapping the ground with his wand. “You’ll see.”

Ice spread from the tip of his wand, rolling over itself like lacy waves. The ice sped down the paths, spreading through the rose tunnels and over the fountains so they too froze mid spray.

“Andy, this is –”

“Sit down for a sec.” he led her to a bench, where he lifted her feet up in the air and made blades of ice on the bottom of her scuffed up boots. He then did the same to his own shoes, and stood smiling shyly. “Fancy a skate?”

“Will they break?”

“Does magic break?” he asked, and she laughed before letting him pull her up.

They strolled through the gardens, raced down the longer ponds and twirled down passages so tight petals fell as shoulders brushed the blooms. Amara’s cheeks turned rosy, hair falling out of its bun; her hand never let go of Andrew’s.

“Amara?” Andrew said suddenly as they skated beneath an long trellis, blossoms so heavy the dropped down like slowly falling stars.

“Yeah?” casting a backwards glance over her shoulder, Amara gave him that smile – the same on she had that first day, when she’d asked him about being a magician.

Andrew pulled her close, and she let out a breathe of surprise as her hands were crushed between them, the flower in her hands falling apart with the impact.

“I have never met any girl like you before.” He whispered. “Marry me, please.”

Amara stared at him, sea glass eyes wide “Aren’t – aren’t you supposed to get down on one knee or something?” she replied breathlessly.

Dropping to both of his knees, Andrew plucked a near rosebud and held it up for her. “Amara Nelson, will you marry me?” the rose unfurled its petals, revealing a simple yet pretty diamond ring, a small oval nestled by a weaving of thin metal.

“Oh.” Gasped Amara, and she brushed the petals with her fingers delicately. “Oh.”

“Mara?” asked Andrew worriedly, and in response she pulled him up by his collar and kissed him just like she had before they’d parted ways that first day when they were sixteen.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.”

“I was counting on it.” She replied breathlessly, sea glass eyes glittering. “Did you really think I’d say no?”

Laughing, Andrew hugged her close “I had my doubts. I thought I had a better chance doing this than in bed one morning.”

Holding her now fiancées lean face in her hands, Amara wondered how she had gotten so lucky to land such a magical man. “I would have said yes in bed, too.”

“I’m glad.” He said softly, brushing the hair out of her eyes so he could see them. “I love you, you know.”

“I hope so, my magic man.”

A/N: FINALLY. OH GOSH YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD IT WAS TO KEEP THIS TO MYSELF POOR RHI DARLING I'M SORRY.

Question: What do you think of Andrew's adorable and beautiful and magical proposal? Amara was Amara, making that magic boy wait! But they're worth it. Are you surprised that Amara said yes?

Rose<3