3_48 Endpoint

"How--?" Robert began as the other two just stared. "You said--"

"I said I knew what I was doing, didn't I?" Ali said with a hint of bemused irritation. "I got myself out of there right before you got rid of Marius. It was a close one, but here I am." She lifted herself up slightly, looking at Will and Zane. "You two look like you've seen a ghost," she said, a devilish gleam in her eyes.

Will was too shocked to laugh. Zane regained his ability to function before she did, moving his mouth furiously in an attempt to find the right words. When he found none, he wrapped his arms around Ali in a bone-crushing hug that knocked the breath out of her. "And you call me reckless."

~~~

"Ow, that stings!" Will shifted indignantly as Robert patiently applied salve to her wrists.

"I told you," he said, dabbing more of the pungent cream onto her cuts, which were nearly healed. It had been a day since they had descended from the tower. Robert and Will had sealed themselves off from the rest of the world for the afternoon, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company. "You should've gone to a healer."

"I don't like healers," Will grumbled, but she stopped complaining as Robert wrapped her wrists in clean white bandages. "So now that I'm properly bandaged and whatnot," Will said, letting her hands rest on the table between them. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about? You said you had some important news."

Robert cleared his throat nervously. "Well," he said, trying to find the best way to explain his news to Will. "After you were captured… I had to… pull some strings to get the nobles to agree to search parties."

Will raised her eyebrows. "Did you agree to marry one of their daughters?" she asked, a combination of a smirk and a sneer on her face. "Please tell me it wasn't Lady Viola. She's got more air in that head of hers than the sky--"

"No," Robert interrupted, grinning slightly. "That's not exactly what happened…"

"Then just tell me," Will said quietly. "Whatever it is, I can handle it." She was preparing herself for the worst-- there was always a possibility that Robert would find where he fit in his life as king without her.

Robert looked up at her, slightly surprised. "Are you sure?"

Will raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Of course."

"Will you marry me?"

Will's mind went completely blank. She blinked a couple of times, trying to allow the words to process in her mind. "W-what?"

Robert shook his head. "I'm doing this all wrong," he said, sliding out of his chair so that he could kneel in front of her. He took her hands off the table and held them like they were made out of glass. "Willow Ebonsblood," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Will you marry me?"

Will said nothing. She reached up to her neck, searching for the familiar chain that carried her clan pendant. It was tradition to trade pendants with your partner when you became engaged. Hers had been returned to her after they'd descended from the tower, and it now swung comfortably around her neck. She removed it and let the chain settle neatly against Robert's tunic. "You know," she said, adjusting the pendent so it sat in the center of his chest. "Husbands take their wife's name when they get married."

"Robert Ebonsblood," Robert said, a stupid grin spreading across his face. "It has a nice ring to it."

Will couldn't help it. She began to laugh.

"What?" Robert asked as she covered her mouth with one hand to try and stop herself.

"It's just… when I was kidnapped, I told Borius that you and I were engaged to be married, and now we actually are," she giggled.

Robert's chest rumbled with laughter. He stood, putting his hands out for Will. She took them and he pulled her lightly to her feet. "This all worked out rather nicely, then, didn't it?" he said with another laugh. His face was stuck grinning foolishly as he looked down at his future wife with inexpressible joy.

Will looked up at him, and he could see the same sense of joy reflected in her eyes.  For the first time, Will was positive that this was exactly where she belonged.