A Sky of Spells

queen now. As well they should, Thorgrin thought. Gwendolyn had led them through hard times, had demonstrated self-sacrifice and unwavering leadership, and had suffered travail in her own right, at her people’s expense. She had stared suffering in the face, and had not crumpled in the face of adversity. She had led her people to victory and had come out the other side.

Thor recalled what a great king her father had been, and it was clear to him that Gwendolyn was an even greater ruler. He was proud of her, so proud, as he pushed his way through, finding it difficult to even get close to her in this throng. She was clearly loved.

Thor did not want to take her away from all this, but he had to. He could not wait a moment longer. Now was the time to ask her.

“Gwendolyn,” he said, coming up beside her, Krohn at his heels.

She turned to him, and others parted ways as he stepped forward and stood beside her.

“Can I steal you away for a while?” he asked, smiling.

She smiled back. She leaned in and whispered in his ear: “I was hoping you would.”

Thor’s heart beat faster as he reached out, took her hand, and led the way through the thick crowd, their all parting ways for them, Krohn following. Gwen turned to her people, all watching, and said: “Go on, enjoy the festivities. I shall return in a while. Go on! Enjoy!”

There came a cheer from the crowd as the music started again, and the people turned back to themselves.

Thor took Gwen’s hand and led her away, the two of them walking faster, both of them giddy, like kids skipping school, Krohn nipping at their heels, finally breaking free from all of their duties and responsibilities for a time. It was the first time Thor had managed to get time alone with her since their landing in King’s Court. Thor felt as if they were dating again—and he felt just as elated to be with her now as he did then. He could sense from her grip that she felt the same way, too.

They passed through the high stone gate leading out of King’s Court, in disrepair yet still standing, and took the path heading west. This road, Thor noticed, once meticulously paved with stone and gravel, littered with holes and overgrown with weeds.

“Where are we going?” Gwen asked, excited.

They rounded a bend and Thor stopped and looked up to the cliffs before them, shining in the sun, and Gwen followed his gaze.

“The Kolvian Cliffs,” she said. “But why?”

Thor held his tongue, wondering how much to say. He did not want to give it away. What he wanted to say was: because it is the high ground, with the most beautiful view in the kingdom, overlooking King’s Court. Because it is a quiet and romantic place where we have been together before. Because it is a place that means a lot in our lives. Because it is where I want to ask you the most important question of my life.

But he could not see any of this. So instead, he said: “There is something up there I’d like to show you.”

“Show me?” she asked with a laugh. “All the way up there? Is it another pet leopard?” she asked, as Krohn ran before them.

Thor smiled.

“No, not quite,” he said.

Thor took her hand, and together they hiked up the cliffs; as they went, he noticed Gwen was more out of breath than usual, and that she stopped to rest more often than she had. He was growing concerned.

“Are you okay, my love?” he asked.

She nodded back to him.

“You keep grabbing your stomach,” he observed.

Gwen blushed and looked away.

“I’m sorry. I’m just tired. And I have not eaten. I am fine. Let’s continue.”

They hiked up the rest of the cliff with renewed energy, until finally they reached the top of the highest peak. As they reached it, they turned and looked out.

Thor was in awe at the vista, and he could see that Gwendolyn was, too. He had seen it many times, and yet it never grew old: there, below them, was King’s Court, glorious even in ruin, the afternoon mist embracing it like a shroud. Thousands and thousands of people celebrated, their distant cheers and music audible even from here. It was frustrating for Thor to see King’s Court destroyed, yet it infused him with hope: it was both a vision of what had once been, and a vision of what could rise again.

“It’s beautiful,” Gwendolyn said. “Is this what you wanted to show me?”

She turned and looked all about her, searching the plateau, as if wondering if Thor had some surprise waiting for her.

Thor suddenly became nervous. His throat turned dry, and his heart pounded in his mouth. He reached up and patted the ring inside his coat, to make sure it was still there. It was.

Thor opened and closed his mouth several times, and he felt his knees grew weak. He was wracked with fear. He’d never felt this way in battle, not while facing an enemy. But now, here, facing Gwendolyn, he felt more nervous than he had ever been.

“Well, actually, it’s not something I want to show you…but, well, um—”

Thor cut himself off, looking down and kicking the dirt, his heart pounding, having difficulty getting out the words, as his breathing shortened.

“It was—is—um…it was more a kind of, um, well…sort of something I um—”

Gwen laughed. It was a carefree laughter, a sound he hadn’t heard from her in what felt like years, and while he was happy to see her so elated, it also made him blush.

“I haven’t seen you this nervous since the first time we met,” she said.

Thor took a deep breath, finally mustered the courage, and he looked Gwen directly in the eye. What if she said no to him? His whole world would collapse.

“Gwendolyn, I love you,” he said, stepping forward and grabbing her hands.

She looked at him, baffled.

“I love you too,” she replied. “Have we come all this way for you to tell me this?” she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

Thor shook his head.

“I truly love you,” he said.

She stared at him, smiling.

“What has gotten into you?” she asked.

Thor shook his head again.

“Gwendolyn, that’s not what I’m trying to say.”

He cleared his throat, and took another deep breath, and she looked back at him in wonder.

“Are you sweating?” she asked.

Thor reached up and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and realized that he was sweating, despite the winter day. He cleared his throat again and faced her. It was now or never.

“Gwendolyn,” he said, “you mean the world to me. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. All of my days. I have felt this way ever since the first day we met. I’ve never seemed to have the right moment to ask you. But now that moment has come. There is only question that means anything to me anymore.”

Thor took a knee, reached into his shirt and pulled out his mother’s ring. It was spectacular, huge, its precious jewels glowing, sparkling in the sun.

Gwen’s eyes grew wide in wonder as they flooded with tears.

“Gwendolyn,” Thor continued. “Will you marry me?”

Gwendolyn rushed forward, into Thor’s arms, and she hugged him so tight, he could barely breathe. He stood and hugged her back, and she cried and cried, hot tears flooding his neck.

“Is that a no?” he said.

“Yes,” she said in his ear. “Yes yes yes yes yes!”

Gwen leaned back and kissed him all over his face, and he kissed her back, again and again.

Finally, he smiled, looking down.