[PLOT] Better Late Than Never (Kieran, Calais)[FIN]

[Menelie]

Mene

Kieran had had a little thread tickling his mind for some time. It started as a small, impulsive thought (as happened to him often), but then he couldn't get it out of his brain. Quite a few times he'd tried to push the idea away--it was far too late for this now, wasn't it?--but still, it wouldn't leave him alone.

And so, one morning after Calais had gone to sleep, Kieran slipped out of their alcove quietly, leaving her a kiss on the cheek and tenderly tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. He trekked up, up, up to the Branches of Laisidhiel. He bid good morning to the farm workers, and continued even further up.

His thoughts were on his beloved as he climbed. The storms they'd weathered together. The sons they'd raised. The ways they'd supported each other, figured out disparate sleeping and working schedules. And--yes--the intimate moments as well. He was a warm-blooded male, after all. Yes, their relationship was as steady and stable as an oak tree. So why do this now? Why fuss, after all these seasons?

Because she deserved it.

With that thought, a white blossom came into view. Kieran plucked it and, with a prayer of thanks to the Great Tree, descended once again, prize in hand. Now for the fun part.

---

"Good evening," he'd murmur to Calais as she awoke that night. "I have a surprise for you."

Wolf

Calais sat up in her bed, stretching as she awoke for the evening. "Good evening," she responded to Kieran with a gentle smile on her face. She paused to remember what night it was and perked up as she recalled that she didn't have to work on the night guard this evening.

She and Kieran had fallen into quite a routine since the boys had grown and moved out so long ago. Most days... Or nights in Calais' case...were mostly the same for the couple, and she was perfectly satisfied with their routine which meant she was extra surprised when Kieran mentioned he had a surprise for her. "A surprise?"

What in the forest could that possibly be? It wasn't her birthday. "Do you know something I don't?" She asked suspiciously as she got out of the bed. She was thinking of their son, Takis, was it possible they were finally going to have some grandkids.

Mene

"I know what your surprise is," he teased in response, pinching her hip gently and giving her a kiss. "C'mon, I've been waiting all day!" He hopped out of bed with an uncharacteristic amount of energy for this time of day. The truth was he'd had a nap and also some coffee, in addition to the adrenaline pumping. He plucked her cloak off its hook on the wall and held it out for her. "We're going out!" he said. "But it's still a surprise where!" With a mischievous little giggle, he added, "I thought about blindfolding you but I might need you to see in the dark for us."

Wolf

Calais shot Kieran a dirty look as he teased her, but she still kissed him anyway. "If it was so important, you probably could have woken me up," Calais reminded him, she just might have needed some extra coffee to get going, he clearly had already had his coffee. Her mind was still trying to solve the puzzle. As he handed her the cloak and she tentatively wrapped it around her, she wondered if perhaps she should still have a coffee. However was she going to keep up with her mate that had suddenly been overcome with his boyish youth of long ago. "You need me to see in the dark?" Now she was really puzzled trying to figure it out. "What are you planning Kieran?!" She laughed.

Mene

Kieran opened the door for them and tucked Calais' arm into his. He loved seeing her try to puzzle this out, it made him even more gleeful. He led them down, out, and away from the Great Tree, into the forest that surrounded Laisidhiel. Kieran had lots of favorite little spots, both inside and out of the Tree, especially where he could find hollowed-out trees. As they walked, he continued to tease her about her surprise, and also to murmur sweet nothings (and some spicy ones) in her ears. He led her to one of his spots, a clearing in the trees where the moon shone down onto the forest floor.

"Here we are!" he said with a flourish. "This evening I have planned for you....." He reached into a hollow of a nearby tree and pulled out a blanket, which he snapped open and laid on the ground, followed by a basket. "A moonlight picnic!"

Wolf

Calais would occasionally playfully smack him as he teased her and said things that were.... Well they were appropriate between them... She happily bantered back with him, thoroughly enjoying the play.

"Oh, how lovely!" Calais said excitedly, she still didn't know what the occasion was, other than Kieran perhaps wanting to change things up. It was kind of wonderful to be back in the forests that she had once walked so frequently. She was glad that Kieran had the idea to do something different.

 

[Menelie]

Mene

Kieran beamed. "I'm glad you like it," he said, then knelt on the blanket and began to unpack the picnic basket. He'd had the kitchens pack it up for him, for which he was grateful, as he was no kind of cook. He laid out wooden plates and mugs, then filled them with food: cold sandwiches, fresh fruit and vegetables, and an insulated cylinder of coffee, still hot. Well, warm anyway. He arranged everything, then put the basket behind him, offering Calais' plate and mug to her. "I just....wanted to do something fun," he said with a playful shrug. "I knew you'd like coming out here, and I had a great time putting all this together today."

Wolf

Calais joined Kieran on the blanket and watched in amazement as he unpacked the basket. "You were really busy while I was sleeping," Calais noted. She knew there was no way that Kieran had made this spread so it had to have required some forethought for him to get it put together. "Oo yes, coffee!" Calais said, eagerly taking the mug from her mate. Just what she needed to start her evening, he had rushed her out of their home in such a hurry she hadn't gotten to partake in coffee yet.

Her face looked content as she held the mug in front of her and took a deep sip. As she did, she took a moment to admire the familiar glow of the moon, but the way it shone through the trees in this spot was particularly magical. She gazed at Kieran, still as attracted to him as she had always been.

Mene

Kieran relaxed a little for the first time all day. He watched Calais and smiled. Everything she did, he loved. The way she moved, and sat, and spoke, and held her mug. That's why he wasn't nervous about the last surprise of the evening.

He ate his own dinner as they chatted, perfectly domestic and everyday conversation. They were well past the whirlwind of young love and had settled into a comfortable companionship. But that didn't mean the spark had gone out entirely. They had their passionate moments, especially as impulsive as Kieran was.

After dinner, he got a sly smile again. "I do have one last surprise," he admitted.

Wolf

Calais laughed along happily with their dinner conversation, waking up more as the coffee kicked in and the night got later. "One last surprise?" Calais looked at the sly smile on his face, and she thought she knew what the surprise was. Kieran was so impulsive. "Here?" There was an edge of excitement in her surprised voice. Calais quickly glanced around the clearing. She supposed there weren't any pae around for a good distance, and one of the benefits to being nocturnal was that there probably weren't any other pae wandering through the forest at this time.

Mene

"Mhm," agreed Kieran. He brought his basket and scooted up next to Calais. "It's something I should have done a long time ago. But you know how we are. So, I know it's late, but...better late than never, right?"

He reached into the basket and produced the flower, holding it for Calais to see. It seemed like it almost glowed in the moonlight. "I love you, Calais. It's only ever been you. Would you do me the great honor and pleasure of being my wife?"

Wolf

Something he should have done a long time ago? Well, wait. That didn't make sense with what she had been thinking. Even after having coffee and being completely awake, her mind was still having a hard time figuring this one out. Thankfully, he didn't keep Calais in suspense for very long.

Her eyes sparkled with the reflection of the moonlit flower as he revealed it. A marriage proposal, after all this time? His words were so sweet. She had always considered themselves pretty much married, she had never expected Kieran to actually propose to her with a flower from the top of the tree. She was in so much shock from the gesture that she didn't immediately say 'yes' because why would the answer be anything else. Instead she sat there on the blanket with a giddy little smile on her face, staring at the flower, staring at Kieran.

After what probably seemed like an eternity for Kieran, it struck Calais that she hadn't said anything at all and that she probably should say something.

"Of course I would love to be your wife!" Calais finally blurted out. Saying the word, 'wife' out loud made it feel different. They had been mates before, but now she was to be his wife? She hadn't realized how significant that was until she had said wife. She reached out towards Kieran and flung herself on him. "Yes, yes, I love you, yes!"

 

[Menelie]

Mene

Kieran wasn't worried. Calais' facial expressions said everything he needed to hear and more. In fact, he delighted in watching her reaction before she actually spoke. He laughed as she practically bowled him him over, and returned her embrace with one of his own. "Hang on, hang on, c'mere," he said, situating her in his lap and delicately tucking the flower into her hair. "There," he said, satisfied. "Oh, I wish you could see how beautiful you look," he said, grinning. "I'm sorry it took me so long, my dearest."

Wolf

Calais was glowing (the moonlight probably helped) as Kieran tucked the flower into her hair. She had never felt so beautiful as she did right now, wearing this flower that declared that she was his. "Oh I am sure I will forgive you eventually," Calais teased. It wasn't as if she ever really held a grudge against him, she wasn't about to start now when she had never suggested that they needed to be officially married. "I didn't know how happy this would make me." She sighed in content. "Thank you, Kieran."

Mene

"You're welcome. I love you. I want you to see that flower every day and know that I love you." Kieran gave her a passionate kiss and held her close, one arm around her back and one arm across her legs with his hand on her hip, to keep her close and to keep her steady.

However, now that that was all done, he began to get some other romantic ideas. "I didn't plan any further than this," he said, dropping little kisses on her face and neck. "So we can go home, if you want. Or we could stay out here a while longer..." He shifted his hand and squeezed her "hip" meaningfully.

Wolf

She most certainly didn't need a flower to see that he loved her, but she really liked the flower anyways. She swooned and returned every bit of affection and murmured as he planted kisses all over her. Then stopped as he suggested staying out a bit longer and her mind returned to what she had originally thought that Kieran's surprise was. "I wouldn't mind staying out here a bit longer..." She said with a coy smile to match the sly one that Kieran had earlier.