Page 38 of Orri

Everything is seemingly...somehow...perfect.

Maybe that's not the right word. If there's one thing I've learned from my trials, it's that life will never be perfect. There will always be things you don't expect, heartbreaks you couldn't see coming, and pains that seem utterly all-consuming. But in the midst of it all, there's joy and hope and community andlove.

And that's something worth fighting for.

"Go sit down." I shoo her away with the spatula. "I'm almost done, and then we can eat. Besides, I have a surprise for you."

She perks up. "A surprise? What are you talking about."

"You'll see in a minute. Now shoo." A few more waggles of the spatula later and she relents, stepping around me back into the dining room. I sneak a peek at her backside as she leaves — humans really are just built different. I'm a lucky man.

Speaking of which...

After checking that Isabella's situated at the table, I duck into the pantry and pull out the box I've been saving for this moment. It's the music box I bought at the market that day. I never had a chance to give it to her because when I was on my way, I found out that she'd gone missing.

I may not have a ring, but I have this. And in some way, that makes it even more meaningful. As I hold the box in my hands, my heart starts racing all over again. We're not even in danger this time, but my hands are sweating. My mouth goes dry.

Since when did this human affect me so much more than all the life-or-death battles I've been in? Clearing my throat, I let out a deep breath and step into the dining room.

She's looking up at me, eyes full of life and hope and not a little amount of anticipation. That's one of the things I love about human eyes — they're so expressive. So much more so than Aesirheim women. "So?" She says in that cute, lilting voice of hers. "What's this surprise you're talking about?"

A last minute idea pops into my mind and I run with it. "Close your eyes."

"Wha—"

"Trust me. You'll see what I mean in just a moment. Just close your eyes. I'll tell you when to open them."

"Okay." Her lids flutter closed and she sits there, hands folded in her lap, waiting.

As gently as possible, I pull out the box and place it upon the table. It makes a soft click as I turn the key, and as the first notes spill out, I move to behind her chair and place my hands on her shoulders. "Open your eyes."

And there it is. A tinkling lullaby all the way from Earth, played across the backdrop of a beautiful mechanical music box. She claps a hand over her mouth, eyes widening in shock and recognition.

"Orri..." She gasps, still staring. "Oh my god...you..." Tears well up in her eyes, but they're not tears of pain or fear. Not ever again, if I have anything to say about it. Isabella rips her eyes away from the music box to look up at me, mouth agape and eyes shining with tears. "How did you..."

Thank you, Ulfar, for the tip. Definitely gonna have to buy him a drink after this.

"I found it at the market," I say, rubbing the back of my neck. I had hoped that she would be excited, but I wasn't prepared for this level of reaction. "I remember you talking about a song you grew up with, and when I was doing some shopping the other day I heard it, and it reminded me of you." That's only a half-truth, but she doesn't need to know that.

"It's beautiful," she says, practically sobbing at this point. "Thank you." Isabella turns in the chair and wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my shirt.

While part of me hates to see her crying, I know it's the release from so much stress and trauma in so little time. Perhaps it's the catharsis she needs to move forward with her life. I went through the same thing when I realized that Isabella was it for me.

When Ulfar, Zannah's brother, finally gave me the permission I needed to move on.

So I hold her, stroking a hand through her hair, and think about all that we've been through together. All of the new memories that we can share, and the family we're going to build.

I tip her chin up and press a gentle kiss to her soft lips. I trace the tracks of her tears. I lean in close and whisper through her hair—

"Isabella, will you be mine? Forever?"

She clings even more tightly, and when I meet her eyes again, they're filled with nothing but love. I see reflected in them all of the hurts and all of the struggles, but all of the laughs and joys and dreams. "I would love to," she says, voice breaking at last.

As the last few notes of the music box warble across the room, a different sound catches my attention.

Grrrr.

Oh, right. The food. Sounds like someone's hungry.

---