Chapter 38:The Proposal !

Everywhere I looked, everyone was in a frenzy, running here and there in panic and anticipation, arming themselves with weapons, some changing into battle gear. We were right now headed towards the weapons room. I hadn’t seen the Water Sect’s weapon room yet. I stopped on my tracks as I realized Stephanno was taking me much further away from the mansion.

“Where are we going?” I asked him confusedly.
“To gear you up. I have my battle gear but you don’t” He replied stoically.

I raised an eyebrow at him, then without another word I followed him meekly. I haven’t seen these parts of the Sect before. I had never even wandered here accidentally. This part of the Sect was well hidden by the long trees, with its wide,spreading branches. I had assumed that this pathway leads us back to the woods, but clearly there was something more about this woods. Each Sect had its own entrance to the woods. I jolted in my tracks suddenly, almost running into Stephanno who had come to an abrupt stop too . I went still and gazed in wonder at the huge white marble mausoleum in front of me, resting peacefully in the woods.

“Is that a shrine?” I asked in wonderment.
Stephanno smiled at my open mouthed reaction and nodded. It was just beautiful. Its massive white pillars were beautifully carved and the ceiling had a pinch of Vatican touch to it. I overtook Stephanno and went right in. I saw beautiful and colorful mirror works inside, artistry in the windows…..Oh my god, it just took my breath away. It was magnificent.

I turned around and looked at Stephanno expectantly, waiting for him to catch up so I could begin my exploring. But now it was Stephanno who had his mouth open and his eyes widened.
“Aren’t you coming in?” I asked confused, while my eyes raked over the huge tomb in the middle.

At first glance it looked like it was carved out of glass. But as I looked closer, I realized it wasn’t glass. I touched it and immediately felt a chill go through me. It was ice….pure ice. Never before I have seen a tomb made out of ice. Though I couldn’t make out the face of the man laying inside, I could just make out that he was wearing dark blue robes.

I turned and looked at Stephanno again, who hadn’t even passed the entrance and was standing there, still like a statue, looking at me in amazement, his mouth still hanging open. Oh my god, he looked completely ridiculous standing there like that. A huge mountain of a man, standing in the woods with his mouth open like a moron.

“Stephanno, come in” I said, growing impatient .
“I can’t” He replied simply.
What does he mean by he can’t? He has legs doesn’t he?

“No one can, actually. At least no mortal can.” He said.
He isn’t making any sense. So I pushed my mind into his and I saw his astonishment when I entered the shrine, unscathed. This was the shrine of the Water Deity apparently and there was some kind of force field at the entrance which prevented entrance to mortals. As if to make his point he took a step forward and put one feet, right in the entrance. For one whole second, that feet remained there, then both the feet and its owner were thrown back. Stephanno grimaced as he hit a tree, miles back. He winced, then got back up and made his way back, shrugging as if he was only bit by a mosquito.

No mortal can enter the shrine? I suddenly remembered my training sessions with my father, where he had declared that my weird healing abilities were actually a blessing from God. I guess, technically I was an immortal then. I exited the shrine, embarrassed at my audacity to enter the shrine of the Water God.

“So where were you taking me?” I asked him, fidgeting nervously.
“How on earth did you get past the barrier?” He asked panting.
“Do we really have time to get into all that?” I asked, putting my hands on my waist. He shrugged then got on his knee. I raised an eyebrow at him. He gently took my hand and placed a soft kiss.

“Stephanno, quit fooling around. We don’t have time for this” I snapped at him.
He silenced me with a look, then took out a box from his pockets and opened it. I gasped. No way….He was proposing? Technically, I was still married and the ships are fast approaching and he picks this moment to propose? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“ I have been waiting for you to tell Dominic before I make the move. Now that you have, I can’t bear to wait a minute longer to make you officially mine. We have gone through various ups and downs in our relationship and we will go through rough times again, but this time we will do everything together. I love you......I love everything about you....your arrogance, your childishness, your strength, your smile, your eyes.....Oh that green eyes....I must say I am quite taken with your eyes....Will you marry me, Jess?” He said, with a glint in his eyes.

I chocked back a sob. I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything so I merely nodded to which Stephanno immediately jumped up and hugged me tightly. He released me after several seconds. He took my hands again and frowned. I looked down and saw that he couldn’t put his ring in because there already was a ring there….Dominic’s ring that he had put on me when we got married in the church at the orphanage. For whatever reason, I couldn’t bear to remove that ring from my finger. I had become used to it being on my finger that I felt my entire finger was missing whenever I to removed it.

I quickly snatched back my left arm, then offered him my right hand, my heart beats thundering against my chest.

He frowned at the gesture, but nevertheless slid the beautiful diamond studded platinum ring onto my finger. The moment the ring was placed on my finger I felt nervous and guilty. Why did I have to feel guilty? This was how it was all supposed to be….With my Mate….Then why did this feel wrong?

I gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then he took my hand and slid his fingers inside mine, linking them as we made our way to the storeroom behind the shrine, which I didn’t see till now. My eyes were busy admiring the mausoleum that I didn’t even see a small storeroom with a tiny little shed behind it.

He let go of my hand and went in first and just as I was about to enter ,he threw something at me. I caught it and saw that it was a battle gear made of black leather. He then went out, obviously giving me space to change. I wore the gear and zipped myself up as I took in several weapons being displayed on the shelves. I quickly helped myself to a lots and lots of knifes.

Stephanno came in and went still as he saw me wearing the sexy black outfit which stuck to my body like a second skin.
“Why do I feel that this was made or me? This fits perfectly” I said, parting my lips seductively.
He gulped then replied, “I had it made for you when you had begun your training. I knew your measurements already when we had that incident in the bathroom when you slipped on the conditioner and fell on me.”

Aww....He is such a gentleman.
“Oh my….Who knew that the esteemed Head of the Council could be that sly?” I purred saucily.
He cleared his throat nervously as he avoided eye contact with me.
“ Everyone is in position and waiting for us.” He said solemnly, blinking his eyes rapidly in an effort to concentrate. I closed the space between us and my lips desperately kissed his. It was an urgent kiss, full of passion. After several seconds we broke apart and I gazed into his eyes. I took a deep breath and willed my heart to calm down.

“All right, Let’s do this” I said and took a step back. He smiled contentedly at me, then raised his right hand and stroked my cheek.
Then with a grim smile, he let go of me and walked himself out.

I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself. But somewhere in my heart I knew something was going to go terribly wrong. Ever since my childhood, whenever I felt elated and was beyond happy, some shit always went down...I ignored the queasy feeling in my stomach and walked out resolutely.