Y/n Pov

Millions of twinkling stars were seemingly floating in the sky while I was standing at the balcony of the Inn we were staying at. I kept twirling the small box between my fingers. My mind was on constant repeat about how I should propose to Elsie? Should I do it in private or out in the open? I opened it with trembling fingers, nervousness was all I felt. Should I propose to her as soon as possible or wait till we would be in a suitable spot?

Lost in thought, I was startled by the sound of footsteps behind me. I turned to see Irene standing there, her expression thoughtful as she regarded me with a knowing gaze.

"Y/n," she said softly, her voice gentle yet probing. "May I join you?" Her warm and soft tone always surprised me.

I nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of my lips as I stepped aside to make room for her. Irene approached, her eyes glinting with curiosity as she glanced down at the ring in my hand.

"Is that...?" she began, her voice trailing off as she gestured to the ring.

I nodded, a surge of nervous energy coursing through me. "Yes," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's an engagement ring. I... I bought it for Elsie."

Irene's eyes widened in surprise, her gaze searching mine for answers. "Are you... planning to propose to her?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding, my heart pounding with anticipation. "Yes," I admitted, a flush of warmth spreading across my cheeks. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Irene smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "I'm happy for you, Y/n," she said, her voice filled with genuine joy. "Elsie is lucky to have someone who cares for her as much as you do."

Just as she said that I could make out a singing voice coming from the bathroom. Was it really Elsie singing? Her voice sounds quite melodic. As she sang something I heard once, my heart rate quickened for a moment.

"Io canto al ritmo del dolce tuo respiro
È primavera
Sarà perché ti amo
Cade una stella
Ma dimmi dove siamo
Che te ne frega
Sarà perché ti amo"

One which Irene had claimed to be a love song between two people in another language which now no longer exists as it was 400 years ago. Yet she remembers it all so clearly and even wrote it down for me once.

But then, a flicker of doubt crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but voice my concerns. "Do you... think that Elsie loves me?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

Irene's smile softened with understanding as she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. A soft giggle eminated from her as she too heard Elsie singing it. "Of course she does, Y/n," she replied, her voice filled with conviction. "I've seen the way she looks at you, the way her eyes light up whenever you're together. She loves you more than you know."

Her words filled me with a sense of reassurance, dispelling the lingering doubts that had clouded my mind. With renewed determination, I gazed out into the night sky, the twinkling stars above serving as a reminder of the love that bound Elsie and me together.

Irene motioned up to the stars. "Do you see those two constelation up there, Lion and Aries?" She questioned looking at me. "Yeah I do." I stated curtly. Irene trailed her hand on each star. "If my studies about you serve me right you are born under the Lion and Elsie is born under the sign of Aries. The two of you are a match made in heaven." She smiled gently.

The bathroom door opening behind me. Turning slowly, my heart skipped a beat as I beheld the sight comin out before me.

There she was, Elsie, emerging from the bathroom in just a towel, draped around her delicate form illuminated by the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window and spare candle light. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her move with a graceful elegance, the gentle sway of her hips and slow up and down of her hair captivating me with every step.

Her eyes met mine, a soft blush rising to her cheeks as she realized my presence. "Y/n," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her gaze flickering with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment.

I tore my gaze away, my cheeks burning with heat as I fumbled for something, anything, to say. "I... I'm sorry, Elsie," I stammered, my voice betraying my nervousness. "I didn't mean to intrude."

But Elsie merely smiled, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes as she continued with her task, unfazed by my presence. "Don't be you have seen me bare plenty of times." With a practiced ease, she untied the towel and let it fall to the ground, revealing her voluptuous form in all its breathtaking beauty.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to tear my gaze away. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as I watched her, mesmerized by the sight before me.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, the moment passed. Elsie finished dressing with a casual grace, her movements fluid and effortless as she slipped into her clothes. And as she turned to the bed throwing the covers up, a knowing smile played at the corners of her lips while she winked at me.

I stood there in stunned silence, the Tanzanite ring clutched tightly in my hand as I watched her go. In that moment, I knew with absolute certainty that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, to cherish and adore her for all eternity.

. . .

The humid touches of a nose stirred me awake in the morning sun. Knowing who it was I slowly reached out to feel the soft fur of my friend Rose. "Morning Rose." I quietly said and she chirped a gentle meow. "Morning Y/n." She exclaimed and sat right next to me preening herself by licking her paw and passing it over her ear. She gazed over at Elsie.

My eyes trailed up to her pillow, she was still sleeping and Rose with one quick hop landed gracefully in front of her. She began to do the same to her. Nose kisses.

Elsie slowly woke up. Stretching and yawning, all while I noticed on her left hand a ring. All of a sudden she stopped in her motion. Opening her eyes she gazed confused at the hand which she felt something on.

It took her a moment before she let out a surprised scream of pure joy, startling Rose who jumped from the bed across the entire width of the room onto Irene's bed who jolted up from her bed. Rose panicked and instantly searched for shelter under the bed.

"YES YES FREAKING YES Y/N!" She shouted at the top of her lungs throwing herself at me. Right as she was on top she leaned down laying her head right next to mine. "Can you say it?" She questioned silently, her lips just barely a finger away from my ear.

"Elsie will you marry me?" I asked and she nodded, now tears dipping from her watering eyes. "Of course I will." She lightly tapped my forehead. "As long as you can handle a whole lot of children." She teased and I blushed sitting up. "How many? I asked shakily. "As many as I can have." She kept her eyes on mine her hand trailing up to my jaw. 

Then she burst into a fit of laughter. "You should have seen your face Y/n." She stated and rolled on the bed as I still had the look of shock on me. "Elsie." I stated calmly and she hummed looking at me now after she got herself under control. My face was serious and she blushed now darkily. "You know I will do that." I replied calmly at the chance of her becoming a mother to my children.

Elsie's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. She opened her mouth to respond but seemed at a loss for words. Her face radiated a mixture of surprise and shyness that made her look even more beautiful.

Before she could gather her thoughts, Irene made herself known with impeccable timing. "Ah, Y/n, Elsie," she said brightly, sensing the tension in the air and quickly moving to change the subject. "I was just thinking we should go down and eat breakfast."

Elsie shot Irene a grateful look, clearly relieved to have a moment to compose herself. I could see her cheeks were still flushed, but she managed a small, appreciative smile.

Just then, a firm knock echoed through the room, drawing all our attention. Irene walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Juliet, Heine, and Lila standing on the threshold.

"Good morning!" Juliet exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We thought we'd come by to see how you all are doing."

Heine nodded in agreement, a warm smile spreading across his face. "And Lila wanted to see you too," he added, gently nudging the young girl forward.

Lila stepped into the room, her eyes bright with happiness. "I missed you all," she said softly, her gaze moving from Irene to Elsie and finally to me. "Thank you for everything."

Irene stepped aside to let them in, her expression welcoming. "Come in, all of you. We were just discussing our next plans and explain why you came here."

Juliet turned to Irene with a knowing smile. "Lila insisted on coming to see Y/n," she explained, her voice filled with amusement and fondness. "She wouldn't take no for an answer. She wanted to make sure he was okay."

Lila nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with sincerity. "I missed you, Y/n," she said softly, her gaze fixed on me. "I wanted to make sure you were all right." She instinctively came close to me laying her hand on mine.

I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked at Lila, touched by her concern. "I'm glad you came, Lila," I said, my voice warm with gratitude. "It means a lot to me."

Irene, ever the practical one, clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Well, since we're all here, how about we go out for breakfast?" she suggested with a bright smile. "It'll give us a chance to catch up and enjoy a good meal together."

Juliet's eyes lit up at the idea, and Heine nodded in agreement. "That sounds wonderful," he said, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "We could all use a good meal."

Elsie glanced at me, her blush from earlier still faintly visible, but she managed a smile. "I'd love that," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "It'll be nice to spend some time together."

With our plans set, we gathered our things and made our way out of the room, the anticipation of a shared meal adding a sense of excitement to the morning. As we walked through the Inns corridor, the chatter of our friends filled the air, creating a comforting backdrop to our journey. My eyes trailed to Elsies hand. She was playing around with the ring.

As we reached the dinning hall, the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling bacon greeted us, making my stomach rumble with hunger. We found a large table and settled in, the atmosphere filled with laughter and camaraderie.

Heine, ever the observant one, suddenly leaned forward, her eyes widening as she noticed something on Elsie's hand. Her gaze locked onto the Tanzanite ring that I had given her, its deep blue hue catching the light and sparkling brilliantly.

"Elsie," Heine exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "Is that... is that what I think it is?" Her eyes darted from Elsie's face to the ring and back again, her expression a mix of astonishment and delight.

Elsie, who had been laughing at one of Juliet's stories, suddenly blushed furiously, her hand instinctively moving to cover the ring. "Oh, this?" she stammered, her voice a mixture of embarrassment and happiness. "Um, yes... it is."

Heine's eyes widened even further, a huge grin spreading across her lips. "Y/n, you sly dog!" she exclaimed, her voice loud enough to draw the attention of the entire table. "Did you propose to Elsie?"

All eyes turned to me, and I felt my own cheeks flush with warmth. I glanced at Elsie, who looked both mortified and overjoyed, and then back at Heine. "I... well, I haven't officially proposed yet," I admitted, my voice filled with a mixture of pride and nervousness. "But I plan to do the formality too."

Juliet clapped her hands together in delight, her eyes shining with happiness. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy for both of you."

Irene, who had been watching the exchange with a knowing smile, leaned in and patted me on the back. "Congratulations, Y/n," she said warmly. "Elsie, you have quite the catch."

Elsie's blush deepened, but she managed a shy smile as she looked at me. "Thank you," she murmured, her eyes sparkling with emotion.

Lila, who had been watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, suddenly clapped her hands in excitement. "Does this mean there's going to be a wedding?" she asked eagerly, her youthful enthusiasm contagious.

I laughed, feeling a surge of affection for the young girl. "One day, Lila," I promised, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "One day."

They still don't know that we are here on a request which has a wedding in it.

As the conversation shifted back to our breakfast and the stories we were sharing, I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of happiness. The love and support of our friends surrounded us, and the promise of a future together with Elsie filled my heart with joy. Our hands intertweined under the table.

"So, what kind of mission are you guys on this time?" Heine asked, her tone casual but his curiosity evident.

Irene, who had been sipping her tea, set her cup down and grinned. "Oh, it's quite an interesting one," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "We've been hired for a very unique request."

Heine raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Unique, you say? Do tell."

Irene leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. "Y/n and Elsie are going to be the main characters in a wedding ceremony."

There was a moment of stunned silence as Heine processed her words. Then her eyes widened, and a broad grin spread across her face. "Wait, you're telling me that you and Y/n are going to be the bride and groom in some kind of staged wedding?"

Elsie, who had been quietly nibbling on a piece of toast, nodded, her cheeks still faintly pink. "That's right," she confirmed. "A noble has requested us to play the roles for a ceremony."

Juliet's eyes sparkled with interest. "That sounds fascinating! What's the reason behind it?"

Irene chuckled. "Apparently, the noble in question wants to set up a grand event and needed actors to play the parts of the bride and groom. It's a rather elaborate affair, from what I understand."

Heine laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Only you two would get involved in something as unusual as this. So, who's the noble behind this grand plan?"

"Lord Carrington," Irene replied, her tone slightly amused. "He's known for his eccentricities and lavish parties. This is just another one of his elaborate schemes."

Lila, her eyes wide with wonder, looked between us all with amazement. "That sounds like a fairy tale! Are you excited, Y/n?"

I smiled, feeling a mixture of anticipation and amusement. "It's definitely different from our usual missions. But yes, I'm looking forward to it."

Elsie nodded in agreement, her eyes meeting mine with a warm, affectionate gaze. "It'll be an adventure, that's for sure."

Heine's grin widened as she looked between Elsie and me. "Well, I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back. And who knows? Maybe this staged wedding will turn into something real soon."

I felt my cheeks warm again at Heine's teasing, but I couldn't help but smile. The idea of a real wedding with Elsie was something that had been on my mind more and more lately.

Irene, sensing the need to steer the conversation back to more practical matters, clapped her hands together. "But before we get too carried away with wedding plans, we should probably finish our breakfast and get ready for the mission. We have a lot to prepare for."