While the girls went back to their respective rooms to change their clothes, I head downstairs. As I head to the kitchen, someone rang the doorbell. I then open the door to see Mom, smiling at me as she spread her arms out.
"Little Felix!"
"Mom! How have you been?" Accepting her invitation for a hug before sitting on the couch.
"I'm doing good, how about you?"
"Just lonely without you." Mom sadly says. "But, I've been having fun talking with your wives and your friend Ruby.." She says with a mischievous grin.
'That doesn't sound ominous at all. Mom can be a real jokester sometimes.'
"What do you mean by having fun?" I ask her.
"I've taught them some recipes,"
"Uhuh…"
"Told them stories from my youth,"
"Uhuh…"
"How I raise you,"
"Ok…"
"And what type of child they want."
"Interesting… wait, what!?"
"I'm joking." I gave her my best 'I don't believe you face.'
After that, I heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Oh, good morning Mom!"
"Good morning, Felicia."
"Morning."
"Go-good morning, Auntie."
Sally, Lillian, Karla, and Ruby say each of their good mornings to Mom.
"Good morning." Mom replies as they head down the stair.
"I'll go make some breakfast," I say to Mom as I grab some ingredients from the fridge.
"Oh, let me help," Mom says as she took the ingredients from my hand and place it on the counter.
"Let us help!" Sally happily went to the kitchen to grab some plates and places it on the table.
"I'll help you with that, Sally," Lillian says as she also grabs some utensils.
"I'll go make some hot drinks," Karla says as she grabs some powdered coffee and tea from the kitchen cabinet. "What do you guys like?"
"I want some coffee," I say as I grab some eggs from the fridge.
"Me too." My mom says as she toasts some sliced bread in the toaster.
"I'll have tea please," Ruby says as she helps me and Mom
"Bwah! I'm so full!" Sally happily yells as she pats her stomach. "Both of your dishes are so good Foxy! Mom!"
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." My mom replies.
While my Mom and the girls are happily chatting with each other. Ruby who is sitting beside me on the dining table, lightly tugs on my shirt. She then whispers on my ear.
"Me-meet me in my room after this."
"Uh, sure," I whisper back.
"Thank you."
After finishing cleaning the dishes, I went to Ruby's room. Lightly knocking on her door, I waited for her to answer.
"It's open."
With a twist on the doorknob, I open the door to see Ruby sitting on the bed. She pats the mattress, motioning me to sit beside her. When I sat down beside her, she places her hand on top of mine, which we intertwine our fingers together.
"So why did you call me?" I ask.
"It's because… it's about the promise before you left for your mission." Saying that while staring directly into my eyes. "You promise…" Her cheeks turn red as she continues to talk. "You promise to… promise…" As Ruby tries her best to convey what she's trying to tell me, I place my finger on her glossy, thin lips. Before slowly moving my hands into my pocket.
"You don't have to remind me." I then grab a black ring box from my pocket. "Even if you don't ask me, I would still do this." I then open the box to show a dark red diamond on a gold ring.
"Ruby, will you be my wife?" I say with absolute confidence.
"Yes!" Without hesitation, she happily answers my proposal.
I then gently insert the ring on her finger. After that, we longingly kiss each other before letting each other go.
"I c-can't believe this is happening," Ruby says with a red face. "How am I going to tell Mother?"
"We could just go and tell her."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. We can use the helicopter."
"O-ok. When are we going?"
"Maybe a week later. Is that fine with you?"
"Yes."
After a short period of silence, I broke it with a question.
"You want to go downstairs and tell them?"
��I don't kno-"
"There's no need for it. We heard everything." Without warning, we saw Lillian standing on the other side of the open doorway with Sally, Karla, and Mom.
"Felix! You're such a proactive son!" Mom happily says.
"Welcome to the Family, Ruby!" Sally excitedly says.
"Congratulation," Karla says with a smile.
Due to their sudden appearance. Ruby shyly hides her beet-red face by covering it with her hands.
"Th-thank you, everyone." She says while still covering her face.
After celebrating the day Ruby and I got engaged. We enjoy the whole week by spending time with everyone until the day we set off to Remloah. But, someone else came with us.
"I still can't get used to riding in this," Ruby says as she watches the landscape through the window of the Black Hawk with Sheryl. "Only a few people can experience this by joining a wyvern corps."
It was a surprise when Sheryl the rabbit kin arrive a day ago. Ruby sent a letter to Sheryl about us being engaged and how we're planning to go to Remloah to tell Queen Isabel about it. So without notice, she came with us.
"I see."
"I heard that somewhere further east of Xadryae. There's a country that's developing flying ships." Sheryl says.
"Flying ships?' I ask.
"Yes. Have you heard of magic stones?"
I thought for a second before I remember the lessons from the university.
"Stones that help magnify and store magical powers."
"Exactly. There's a country heavily researching anything magic-related and they're the first country to have the knowledge to synthesize those very stones."
"So, you're saying those stones are powering these flying ships? Interesting... but wait, how big are the stones are we talking about? Shouldn't they be fairly large to power a ship as large as a galleon?"
"I heard they manage to make a stone, a size of a boulder."
"If they can make a stone that large… how did they manage to do it?"
"I don't know. That country is very secretive with its research and it was a surprise when they even told the public about this flying ship."
"I guess they want to commercialize it to the people."
"Probably."
As we continue chatting through the travel. We finally arrive at Mardekholm. When I finish landing the Black Hawk, I saw Queen Isabel walking through the main door of the castle.
I then got off the cockpit and open the side hatch, which I help Ruby and Sheryl down.
"Welcome back," Queen Isabel greets us.
"I'm home, Mother," Ruby says as she hugs her.
"I'm happy your back." Queen Isabel says with a motherly smile.
"Your highness." Sheryl kneels as she addresses Queen Isabel.
"Please be at ease."
"Yes!" Like a soldier, Sheryl stands at ease.
"What do I owe you the pleasure of visiting us, Mr. Felix."
"Ruby and I have something to tell you."
"Ye-yes, we have something to tell you."
"Oh? Let's discuss inside the castle shall we?"
"Certainly," I reply.
"Finally! My Ruby snatch herself a worthy man!" Queen Isabel heartily says, which made Ruby and I both embarrassed.
"Mother! Ple-please stop!"
"Sorry, sorry, but I'm so happy for you two. I hope that you'll have a happy life together."
"Th-thank you, Mother."
"Thanks."
Ruby and I say our thanks respectively.
"When and where are you going to have your wedding?" Queen Isabel asks.
"How about two months from now?" I say to Queen Isabel. "Is it ok, Ruby?"
"I'm perfectly fine with it, Felix. I'm just so happy to be with you!" Ruby says as she grips my hand.
"May suggest a place for you to have your wedding?" Queen Isabel interjects...
After that, we finish talking about the details of the wedding.
"Can I ask something, Felix," Isabel says, now dropping honorifics.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Can I visit your Mother?"
"My Mom? I guess so."
"Great! I'll be going along with you."
"Mother! Isn't that a bit too sudden!"
"It's ok, I think my Mom would like to meet her too."
"I-if you say so."
Then someone knocks on the door.
"Sorry to disturb you. Lady Sheryl wants to talk to you." A female voice spoke through the other side of the door.
"Thank you. Please call her in."
"Yes, your highness."
"I'm guessing its time for us to end the talk," Isabel suggests. "Ruby, your room is still the same as you left. I think you'll both be fine staying there together."
Ruby blushes as she heard Isabel say that.
"Ti-time for us to go! Goodnight Mother!" Ruby says as she quickly leads me out of the room.
"Goodnight," I say to Isabel before leaving the room.
"Don't stay up too late!"
Ruby stayed silent while we walk to our destination, which we pass by Sheryl carrying a sachel.