Telling the Family
1219 Words
By the time Luna and Darius got back to Blackwood Manor, every window was glowing warm against the snow.
The cheering had stopped.
Which honestly made it worse.
Luna glanced sideways.
“They know.”
Darius sighed.
“Yeah.”
“They definitely know.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re blaming Mason.”
“I’ve already blamed him.”
“And?”
“He denied it before I even accused him.”
“That sounds like Mason.”
“It was very convincing.”
They walked up the front steps.
Before Darius could even reach for the handle, the front door opened on its own.
Blackwood.
The estate clearly approved.
Luna smiled.
“Traitor.”
The door stayed open.
Inside...
Every single member of the family was standing there waiting.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Mason looked from Luna...
...to the ring...
...and back to Luna.
Then he took in a huge dramatic breath, and Evelyn immediately elbowed him before he could say anything.
“Don’t.”
“I wasn’t—”
“You absolutely were.”
“I was just going to—”
“Yell.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Mason sighed.
“Yes.”
He pointed straight at Luna’s hand.
“So... are we just ignoring the very obvious shiny thing?”
Every eye dropped to the ring at the same time.
Luna had to fight the urge to hide her hand.
Darius didn’t.
He just quietly took it instead.
Their fingers laced together.
Gabriel smiled first.
Not big.
Not dramatic.
Just quiet relief.
“You asked.”
Darius nodded.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
Luna lifted her left hand.
“I said yes.”
For about three seconds...
Nobody reacted.
Then—
Mason yelled,
“I KNEW IT!”
The whole hall exploded.
Ronan laughed.
Kael looked completely overwhelmed.
Ethan actually smiled without trying to hide it.
Amara crossed the room first.
She stopped in front of Luna.
“You’re happy.”
Luna nodded.
“Yeah.”
Amara reached out and gently touched the ring.
“It suits you.”
Then she pulled her daughter into a hug.
Long.
Tight.
When she finally stepped back, Gabriel walked over to Darius.
Neither of them spoke right away.
Gabriel just looked at him for a few long seconds.
Then he said quietly,
“Take care of her.”
Darius answered immediately.
“I will.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
Darius frowned.
Gabriel glanced toward Luna.
“She doesn’t need someone protecting her every second.”
Darius followed his gaze.
Gabriel went on.
“She needs someone who remembers she’s choosing this too.”
Silence settled for a moment.
Then Darius nodded slowly.
“Yeah. I get it.”
Gabriel smiled a little.
“I know you do.”
Instead of shaking hands...
Gabriel pulled him into a quick hug.
Darius froze.
Completely.
Luna covered her mouth to hide her smile.
Mason did not even try.
“Oh, that’s priceless.”
Gabriel stepped back.
“You’ll get used to it.”
Darius looked mildly alarmed.
“I hope not.”
“You will.”
Across the room...
Kael slowly walked up to Luna.
He looked a little uncomfortable.
“I’ve never... done this before.”
“What?”
“Congratulated someone.”
Luna smiled.
“You’re doing fine.”
He nodded once.
“I mean... I’m happy.”
“I know.”
“You make him different.”
Luna glanced toward Darius.
“He makes me different too.”
Kael thought about that.
“I think... that’s how it’s supposed to work.”
“Yeah. I think so too.”
He hesitated.
Then awkwardly hugged her.
For about one second.
Then immediately stepped back.
“I’ve hit my yearly limit.”
Ronan burst out laughing.
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Evelyn finally dragged Mason away from himself.
She handed him a folded piece of paper.
“You promised.”
Mason groaned.
“I regret all my life choices.”
“You’re still reading it.”
He unfolded it dramatically.
“For the record, I was forced into being organized.”
“No one believes you,” Ethan said.
“Rude.”
Mason cleared his throat.
“As acting representative of people who enjoy celebrations...”
“You appointed yourself,” Evelyn cut in.
“I was elected.”
“By who?”
“Myself.”
Evelyn sighed.
“Go on.”
Mason grinned.
“Great.”
He looked straight at Luna and Darius.
“The wedding is not happening tomorrow.”
Darius visibly relaxed.
Luna noticed.
“You were worried.”
“I know Mason.”
Mason kept reading.
“No rushed ceremonies.”
“No political alliances.”
“No ancient rituals.”
“No crowns.”
“No forced anything.”
Luna smiled.
“I like this plan.”
“Me too,” Darius admitted.
Mason nodded proudly.
“Good.”
He lowered the paper.
“There’s only one rule.”
Everyone waited.
“You both have to keep choosing each other.”
Silence.
Then Darius said quietly,
“That was already the plan.”
Mason looked weirdly emotional.
Evelyn gently took the paper before he could pretend something was in his eye.
Later...
Most of the family drifted into the sitting room.
Only Isolde stayed behind in the entrance hall.
She walked up to Luna carefully.
“You turned down a crown.”
“Yeah.”
“You accepted a ring.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.”
Luna waited.
“In House Aurelis...”
Isolde gave a faint smile.
“We spent centuries thinking crowns meant devotion.”
She looked toward Darius.
“You’ve taught us something else.”
Luna followed her gaze.
“What?”
“That devotion isn’t worn on the head.”
Her eyes dropped to Luna’s hand.
“It’s carried.”
Much later...
The manor finally went quiet.
Luna stood alone on the eastern balcony.
She watched snow slowly cover the footprints leading to the gate.
Tomorrow would erase tonight’s path.
She liked that.
Fresh choices.
Fresh steps.
The balcony door opened behind her.
She didn’t turn.
“You walk really quietly.”
“I’ve had practice.”
Darius came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
She leaned back into him without thinking.
His chin rested lightly on her shoulder.
“What are you thinking about?”
She looked down at the ring.
“That forever suddenly feels a lot smaller.”
He frowned a little.
“How?”
“I used to think forever was one huge promise.”
“And now?”
She smiled.
“Now I think it’s a bunch of small ones.”
He kissed her temple.
“One morning.”
“One conversation.”
“One argument.”
“One apology.”
“One laugh.”
“One choice.”
She turned in his arms.
“And then...”
She touched his chest over his heart.
“Again.”
His gray eyes softened.
“Again.”
Behind them...
The reflected Book quietly opened on its own.
Blue ink appeared across the first truly blank page.
Not a prophecy.
Not a warning.
Just the first line of a new history.
THIS IS HOW THEIR LIFE BEGAN.
- Writer
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