Episode 49
Let Me Be the One
Elowyn runs her finger over the stitches again. It’s surreal. She can’t feel it at all.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to play with it,” Rominy says as he buttons his waistcoat, as he called it.
“It’s just so odd to feel nothing.” She pokes at it again.
“The doctor said to leave it alone,” Rominy laughs.
“I’m still not sure I trust him.”
“Well, thank you for letting him treat you anyway.”
“I’ll have to tell Tharios all about it. He’d find it fascinating. Appalling, but fascinating.”
“And Cerian?” Rominy asks as he slides his arms into his coat.
“Cerian would just be appalled.” Elowyn wanders toward the second-floor window. The tram is barely visible in the distance, and the sight thrills her. “Is it time to fly?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we should wait for tomorrow. It’s almost lunchtime. We don’t want to arrive at the chalet after dark.”
Elowyn sighs. He’s probably right. “What shall we do instead?”
Rominy studies the sleeve of his coat and rubs at the wool. “I think this is your blood. Unless it’s mine.”
“It’s probably mine from when you wrapped yourself around me.”
He meets her eyes before looking away. “Right.”
Is he blushing? It’s sweet.
“Shall we explore Wolbourne?” Elowyn asks, and Rominy’s brows rise.
“You want to go back outside?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Someone attacked you.”
“Rominy.” She steps toward him. “It was one man. I refuse to believe everyone here is like him.”
“I just...don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“Rominy.”
He hesitantly meets her gaze. There’s fear in his eyes. And something fierce.
“It will be all right,” she says. “I can’t hide forever just because some people are prejudiced against elves.”
“Not forever...just...for today, maybe?”
With a sigh, she returns to the window, and he follows her. The warmth of his chest near her shoulder draws out her own heat again.
“What are you looking at?” he asks.
“The tram, mostly. But the people are intriguing, too.”
“Which ones?”
“Aren’t all people interesting?”
Their eyes meet as she glances at him over her shoulder.
“You’ll make a good queen someday,” he says softly.
A faint smile fills her lips. “Your queen.”
He leans closer until his breath teases her ear. “My queen.”
Whistling wind. Is he doing that on purpose?
Her knees wobble, and she pushes back the fire magic that looms so near the surface lately. When he slips his arm around her waist from behind, she leans against his chest.
He doesn’t say anything, and neither does she. It’s not a moment that requires words. A breathless connection between them. A building of something new. This...touch. This nearness. It sends shivers to her toes, but it feels right. More right than she could have imagined.
Of course his arm belongs there, wrapped around her. How could it not?
But they don’t speak about it. They just...exist.
“What else do you see?” he asks softly near her ear. The tickle of his breath is far too distracting. Does he have any idea?
When his arm tightens around her, her smile grows.
He knows.
Doing her best to return her attention to the window, she studies the people coming and going.
A woman with younglings. A man sauntering along with his lips pursed in a whistle.
A nervous man fiddling with his fancy necktie.
He’s dressed far nicer than anyone else on the street. Nicer than Rominy, even.
And he carries flowers.
“I think that man is wooing a sweetheart,” she whispers. “Unless those flowers are for his mother.”
He stands outside a building, and Elowyn struggles to put the letters above the door into a word.
“It says confectionery,” Rominy says. “A candy store.”
“Candy? Like sweets?”
“Yes.”
“Can we send for some?” She glances over her shoulder at him, and he grins.
“Don’t you have candy in Lostariel?”
“We have sugared plums. And caramel. Sometimes Cook sneaks sugar into my berries when no one is looking.”
“That hardly counts.”
She’d love to visit this confectionery herself, but he seemed so worried about taking her outside that she doesn’t have the heart to ask that of him right now.
Besides, she’s enjoying this, standing here with his arm around her as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Laughter escapes Rominy’s lips, his chest rumbling against her back, and she follows his gaze. The man with the flowers is kneeling in front of a young woman.
“Is she someone important?” Elowyn asks.
“She looks pretty important to him.”
“Why is he kneeling before her?”
“What? Oh, he’s proposing.”
“Proposing what?”
“Marriage.” Rominy pulls Elowyn closer to his chest, and tiny thrills shoot all the way to her toes.
The woman flings her arms around the man as he rises.
“She looks pleased,” Elowyn says. “I think she accepted his suit.”
“Looks that way.”
“Is this a normal courtship ritual?” Elowyn asks. “Bowing before the woman and...proposing a marriage arrangement?”
Rominy laughs. “It sounds much less romantic that way, but yes.”
“And what does the man say? He hopes she accepts his troth? Is that the word?”
“Maybe when my grandparents were children,” Rominy teases. “It’s an archaic word.”
“Oh. What would the proper words be?”
“I’m not really sure. I never composed a proposal of my own.”
For a moment, neither of them speaks as his words repeat in Elowyn’s head.
The sudden desire to experience every part of being romanced by Rominy fills her.
A soft sigh escapes her lips before she can stop it, and his heart rate increases.
As she glances over her shoulder at him, he steps away, removing his arm from her waist.
“Perhaps it would have gone something like this.” He drops to one knee, never taking his eyes off her face. Her heart races along with his as he continues speaking. “I haven’t practiced this, so I may make a complete fool of myself. Bear with me.”
He clears his throat, and Elowyn attempts to hold back the smile that threatens to overtake her face.
“Elowyn Westaria, the first time I saw you, you smiled at me, and it’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Your face lit up in the most breathtaking smile I’d ever seen, and I may have panicked at what happened next, but through everything, you’ve been there to steady me and keep me sane.
And breathing. Though you steal my breath away a lot, too. ”
He pauses to smile up at her, and her breathing speeds up at the look in his eyes.
“I didn’t have a chance to do this the right way,” he says. “And you deserve everything. The romancing and the proposing and flowers and candy and...stars above. I didn’t give you a ring.”
“A ring?”
“I’ll get you one. I promise. Where was I?
Oh. You deserve all those things, and I didn’t ask you this before, so I’m asking now.
Elowyn, I know we just met, but whether it’s magic or not, I’m.
..I’m falling in love with you, and I can’t imagine my life with anyone else now.
Your curiosity and your compassion. How you melt when I touch your ears.
The way you always know how to calm me when my nerves run away with me.
You’re gorgeous. And I love everything about you.
At least, I’m starting to. And you taste so good. ”
He pauses for a moment as Elowyn’s eyes prickle at his words. Who knew Rominy could be so perfectly romantic?
“I probably didn’t need to add that last part. Though you do taste good, so why not?” He shrugs, and she can’t help the laughter that bubbles up inside her. He smiles at her before frowning. “I lost my train of thought.”
“I think you’ve said it all.”
“No, wait. The most important part. Elowyn Westaria, will you marry me? At least, if you hadn’t already married me? Will you spend the rest of your life with me? I’d offer you a ring if—”
But she doesn’t wait for him to finish as she drops to her knees and wraps her arms around his neck.
“Is that a yes?” he whispers, and she laughs again.
“Yes. Always yes. Thank you. I think I understand now.”
“I meant every word. Sorry it wasn’t more eloquent.”
“It was perfect. Because it was real.”
“It was definitely real.” He shifts to sit against the bed, and she doesn’t let go as she leans across him to bury her face in his neck.
To her surprise, his hands slide onto her waist, and he pulls her closer.
There’s nowhere to go but into his lap. Is that what he wants?
“Kiss me, Elowyn.” The yearning in his voice leaves her breathless, and when he nuzzles her ear, she melts against him. She doesn’t even hesitate as he guides her into his lap. “Kiss me,” he whispers again.
“I might grow dehydrated,” she says softly.
“What?” His voice is hoarse as he pulls back to see her face.
“My water magic is all that keeps me from lighting you on fire.” She presses her forehead to his as their breath mingles. Her hands slide onto his chest over his coat, and as she clutches the wool, memories of his bare flesh surface.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “Should we stop?”
“You are not allowed to apologize for igniting my inner flame. Ever.”
His lips stretch into a smile.
“Promise to bring me water if I need it?” she asks softly.
“Always.”
As his heart thuds to match the thrumming of her own pulse, she tentatively brushes his lips with her own.
His flesh is cool against hers, and she pulls back. “Am I too hot?”
“That was pretty warm,” he laughs. “You feel feverish. You’re hot all over.”
“Sorry—”
“Everything about you. Remember? I’m falling in love with everything. Even your fire magic.” He gently circles his thumb on her waist, and she draws on her water magic to cool her flaming skin and the tingling in her palms.
“Waterfalls,” he whispers. “I can smell it radiating from you now. Along with the smokiness.” He leans toward her, grazing her lips once more. Her lower lip. Her upper one. Then he kisses her. It’s a gentle kiss. Soft and undemanding. Unrushed.
When he lets go of her waist, her stomach flips. What is he doing?
Then his thumbs graze her ears, and she gasps.
“May I?” he whispers against her lips, and she can barely manage to nod.
Then he presses his lips to hers again as he slides his thumbs along the tips of her ears.
And there’s nothing else. Just Rominy and his hands and his lips on her flesh. Everything beyond him fades.
It’s all she can do to keep her water magic at the fore as his kisses become more urgent. It’s wonderful and perfect, but when his fingers tease the tips of her ears, her palms tingle again.
“Rominy,” she breathes as she pulls away slightly. “I—”
“You’re growing warm again. Too much?”
“For my magic, yes. Not...not for me. I don’t want this to end.”
He exhales slowly and slides his hands to frame her face and avoid her ears.
“It’s all right. We have centuries to figure this out.
Isn’t that what you told me before I collapsed into the sea?
” A gentle smile fills his face as his caramel eyes gaze at her with an expression so full of delight and acceptance that this moment feels as perfect as every moment leading up to it.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“You care for me and my racing heart all the time. Let me be the one to care for your magic, starting by bringing you water. Your lips look a little dry.”
Before he can move, she wraps her arms around him once more. Hopefully, she’s not too hot. “Thank you,” she whispers again.
“We’re in this together, Elowyn. Until the beating of our hearts fades.” He says it in perfect Elvish, and her heart trips over itself as she pulls back to look at him. “Was that right?” he asks.
“It was perfect. I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either. But those words seem to be etched on my heart now. In Elvish.”
They gaze into each other’s eyes, and he softly kisses her before rising to find her water.