As they walked into their and Asha’s home kingdom, Sana felt a swarm of fear and guilt. They hadn’t changed their name. They weren’t sure they wanted to, to be honest. Even though they were eclipse/nonbinary, they liked being somewhat feminine. Though they had magically changed their top half. They were undecided about everything else. They weren’t even sure the use of they was the only way they wanted to be referred to . They looked over to the one other part they were sure about. As they saw one of the truest beauties they ever had seen in the universe, they had the biggest urge to reach over and kiss her. Or maybe find a dark corner somewhere like what the two had done in Withersden one day and..They grew dreamy at the thought.
They snapped out of it at the sound of their beloved’s voice, coming back to the anxiety as they realized what they had to do. The two were there to get Sanas birth notary so they could get it to Withersden. This is in order to put X or E(clipse) in terms of identity marker on any future documents the two might need for the future. Such as the one the two might be getting when they were back in Withersden. But Sana was the only one who knew of the possibility or the second reason for the mostly unpleasant journey back to their home kingdom. After 4 and a half years, three and a half of which they’d been courting her, Sana was almost 100% sure of the future they both wanted. So they were going to ask Sana’s father for his permission. To marry his daughter, now that they had both come of age in both their kingdom and Withersden. However, a great many things weren’t as poorly seen in Withersden as they were in Allstead, like, for instance, marrying someone of the ‘same’ gender or sex. And due to much bigotry, it didn’t look like that would ever change.
People had been cruel to Sana and Asha both for their attraction to each other and others prior. The image of that day was burned in Asha’s mind, the day those boys from S.M.C village threw mud in her face and called her names. The oldest boy had tried to get closer to get in better aim or maybe something worse. Asha burned his hand the moment he tried to come too close. Then, she had been blamed for the incident even by her community. The only few who didn’t blame her were her parents and her grandfather as it was right before he died. They had told her never to be sorry for who she was and to hold her head up high.
So Asha persevered through the hatred she had experienced from almost all sides in her life. As had Sana who people had attempted to force it out of them through the whipping method. They shuddered at the thought. At least for the most part, that part of their life was over, and soon, it would be completely.
Sana hated that they had to go back there, but they had no intention of being as quiet as either of them had been forced to be their entire lives.
********************************************
As Asha looked at her amazing partner, she felt such joy in her heart that it felt like bursting. For what she was going to do when they had their first official dinner with her father. She couldn’t ask Sana’s father, and Sana probably wouldn’t want that anyway. But on the other hand, Sana couldn’t ask her mother (tradition for phoenix) and would likely be too nervous to ask Asha’s father. So Asha just had to ask tradition be damned. God, she hoped they would say yes. Her hopes for the twos future were paramount.
But first, they had to conquer the gauntlet for getting Sana’s record of birth. They’d have to go back to Sana’s home for most of the first fourteen or so years of their life, the place they felt more miserable than anywhere else in the 8 Kingdoms of Wella. She squeezed her partner’s hand as the two got close to the castle gate.
“Sana, my beloved, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” She pressed a chaste kiss to their hand. That more than most would not be allowed anywhere in the Kingdom of Allstead. But she tried it anyway, hoping it would calm their nerves. She was rewarded by a small smile. That smile was part of what she lived for.
“I know, there’s a lot of other ways we could go about this. However, I have to face him. If I don’t, I’ll always regret it.”
Bravery was one of their most wonderful traits, Asha thought, smiling mostly to herself.
Together, they took their final steps towards the gates. Where they were greeted by a stern looking angry guard and one with a small smile on his face. Like he half expected it to come to this. Asher, Sana’s favorite guard who had helped them to escape the kingdom the first time. Though it didn’t look like he was about to help anyone involved now.
“By order of king and state, you shall not pass, sorry Sana,” the other guard poked Asher in the rib with an elbow after that.
He then replied, “We are guards of the royal state. We don’t apologize to half breeds or….” He curled his lip as he spoke the next words, ” Mongrels who happened to no longer be our concern”
Sana looked ready to explode in anger, but Asha, now many years wiser knew 100% why that wouldn’t work. She held up a hand in front of her precious partner. Before saying,
“Royal Guard, huh, well, everyone has a price, or am I false to believe such”
“Well, if the former princess still has a gold coin or too from before she left, we can work something out.” To which Sana sighed and pulled out five of the coins.
“Here, we are spread them around to your friends, and whatnot”
********************************************
Now came the duo’s last challenge, the king. At that moment, it weighed on Sana that this was the last time they’d see their father. But then they realized it was also the first time they’d do so as themself. An ache panged in their chest, but so did reassurance that he could no longer treat them the way he had before. So, 1 good thing, 1 sad thing, they thought. It could be worse. But they looked at Asha, and their heart lightened just a little more looking at her smile. The soft, understanding, hopeful smile that filled Sana’s cup, and then some.
On the other hand, Asha’s heart was already full watching as the person she loved no matter how afraid, made strides toward their own future as well as hopeful, one for their relationship. Many things could be said about Sana, but the one that entered Asha’s mind at that exact moment was Brave. Stupendously, stunningly, stubbornly, they were refusing to let the fear of what might happen control their actions or themself.
They both stopped, looked at each other, with so much love in each set of eyes, and as Sana nodded, entered the room where they had been told they’d find the king.
********************************************
The king had been awful as expected but ultimately ended up relenting and agreeing to give them the document needed. Strangely enough. As they officially left the castle grounds, Asha planted a slightly less chaste kiss on Sana’s Lips. To which Sana replied in turn with an equally tender kiss. Then the couple turned with Sana’s arm wrapped across Ashas back and vice versa. They left on a journey to Ashas home proper. As they walked, they chatted about how much this meant to each of them.
********************************************
So it came time to make dinner. But as it would so happen, both of them, excited to a point of nearly unbearability, moved up their time tables. But Asha’s was just ever so slightly quicker.
As Sana was cutting vegetables, they nearly poked themself with the knife when they saw their girlfriend down on one knee. They sat the knife down on the wooded counters as Asha started to speak.
“You are my greatest light, You my shining star, my wondrous fuel to my flame, the amazing wolf that stole my heart since the first time I saw them, and who has done so millions more times since that moment. Please say.. You’ll be my one in million, my spouse”
Sana looked happily down at their future wife and said
“Of course,but one moment.” Asha looked confused as Sana started struggling with their potion pouch over on the table. And opened it to reveal another ring.
Then they got down on one knee and motioned for their beloved to stand. As she did, Sana started in.
“Yes, to you, my darling daring knight, my heart and soul, my steady hand, and my greatest love by far, my future wife, I want nothing more than that.”
As Sana lifted to their feet, they passionately kissed their beautiful future wife. Then Asha’s father came into the room and nodded to them with a hopeful smile, to which they nodded back. Then he said something unexpected “Asha my lovely daughter, would you come set with me so we can chat about something?”
And so they did.
*******************************************
As Asha flitted with the gift her father had given her, she notified Sana that it was time. As she gave one vial filled with half of her mother’s ashes to one of her twin sons, she felt a twinge of pride. As she watched Sana give the other vial to their other son, she felt it grow even stronger. It just felt right. Happier than she’d ever been. As she watched her sons hold gingerly on to something like this, she felt just that. “Happy 13th birthday, our precious boys, we love you.” Asha said.Then she whispered something in Sanas’ ear that made their grin as wide as wide as the boy’s grins.
“You too, my dear,” Sana replied in turn.
Atlas Ez Poetry 