The Courting of Arianna Hightopp

Chapter Seven: A Proposal

Author's Note 1: I own Alannah as well as the Stayne and Hightopp children. Everyone else belongs to Burton and Carroll.

Arianna shielded her eyes, gazing happily into the distance. The day had finally arrived-the Patrol was due to return home. She grinned as she noticed a dust plume rising along the road, and began waving frantically, jumping up and down in joy. "Michael! Michael!"

Michael beamed at the sight of his lass waving to him, and gave his father a pleading glance. Stayne laughed, and nodded. Michael grinned and spurred his horse onward, then vaulted out of the saddle, swept Arianna up in his arms, and gave her a passionate kiss. "Your soldier has returned, my lovely lass!"

Alannah smiled softly, and then yelped in shock as she felt Ilosovic's arms grab her from behind. He spun her around, and she felt herself melt at the look of sheer lust and desire on his face. Alannah gulped, and Stayne bent her backward, kissing her until her head was spinning. "Hello."

"H…Hi. Miss me, Ilosovic?"

Stayne moved his lips to her throat, gently nipping, and spoke in a low growl. "You've no idea…if it weren't for the fact we'd startle the more staid individuals of this Court, I'd have you on these steps."

Alannah blushed deeply. "Our son is a few feet away!"

Stayne looked over to where Michael and Arianna stood, locked in a passionate embrace. "I don't think he's paying much attention to anything right now. Michael, remember to breathe."

Michael waved a hand in acknowledgement and resumed kissing Arianna, and Stayne chuckled, and then gave Alannah a look that made her knees go weak. "Any one in the cottage?"

"No," Alannah squeaked, and Stayne grinned devilishly.

"Good." He swept Alannah up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder, and grinned wickedly at Michael. "Your mother and I are going to be busy for the next…two hours. Stay away from the cottage for a bit, will you?"

Michael laughed. "Sure Dad. Mum, you look comfortable."

Alannah giggled and looked up at Ilosovic. "You are going to pay for this."

"Hush."

Arianna laughed as she watched Stayne and Alannah head for their cottage. "It's so romantic. They're still so passionate."

Michael grinned evilly. "You have no idea."

Arianna blushed crimson, and then giggled wickedly. "Mum and Dad are the same way. Josiah and I learned very quickly to knock before entering the Shop! But it is so wonderful to know that they still love each other."

Michael nodded. "That it is. Now, I know you received all my letters, and I received yours. But I still want you to tell me what has happened since I've been gone."

Arianna laughed. "Well, for starters, Josiah is a bit upset that he couldn't sic the Bandersnatch on Lord Duncan…."

The door to the Stayne's cottage burst open and Stayne and Alannah half fell, half ran in, kissing each other frantically. Stayne kicked the door shut, spun Alannah around and pressed her against the wall, sucking hard on her throat. "Gods baby….I missed you…"

Alannah moaned, hooking her leg around his thigh and feverishly undoing the buttons on his shirt. Stayne helped her take it off, tossing it onto the couch, and then slid his hands around to loosen the ties on her dress. Alannah moaned in anticipation as he pulled her flush against him, whimpering at the lovely feeling of him pressing against her.

"We…umm…should get to the bedroom, Ilosovic."

Stayne nodded. "Good idea."

They made it into the bedroom, falling onto the bed, and Stayne slowly peeled off her dress, kissing his way down her body. "My gorgeous goddess, my love, I missed you…I wish you could come on patrol with me, but that might startle the soldiers, especially since I wouldn't be able to…or want to…keep my hands off you, you intoxicate me…even after all these years your body drives me absolutely wild with desire….my beautiful wife…"

"Ilosovic? Less praise, more sex."

Stayne chuckled, kissing her thigh. "As you wish, My Lady."

"Ohhhh…."

Arianna sighed happily, leaning against Michael. They were down by the garden pond, watching the sun set behind the palace walls. Michael picked up a pebble and threw it into the pond, watching the ripples fan outward. "Ari?"

"Yes, love?"

"Would your Dad be in his Shop now? There's something I have to ask him."

Arianna blinked in confusion. "I suppose he would. If he's not there, then he might be at our cottage. What do you have to ask him?"

Michael smiled mysteriously. "Sorry, I can't tell you. But it's nothing bad, I promise. You wait here, and I'll go find your Dad and ask him what I need to, and I'll be back quicker than a Bandersnatch. Alright?"

Arianna frowned. "I suppose. But you had better be quick, Michael Stayne!"

"I will."

Tarrant was in his Hat Shop mulling over the latest orders from the Court when he heard a knock at the door. Eager for any type of distraction, he turned and yelled "Come in!" grinning widely when he saw Michael. "Ah, the soldier returns. I was wondering why Arianna was skipping about the cottage today."

Michael grinned. "I missed her too. Tarrant, I have a very important question to ask you."

Tarrant nodded. "Ask away, my lad."

Michael gulped. "You know I love Arianna very much, right? I would like your permission to ask for her hand in marriage."

Tarrant blinked, and stared so piercingly at Michael that he began to feel a bit scared. But then Tarrant's face split into the widest grin Michael had ever seen. "Permission thoroughly granted, lad! You will be a fine husband to my daughter! Do you have a ring?"

Michael sighed. "No. None of the rings I saw in Witzend were good enough for her. They were either too plain or too showy."

Tarrant frowned, and then smiled. "I have the solution. Wait here a tic." He went to the back of the shop, digging through a small box. "No, no, no, Ah! There it is!" He walked over to Michael, a small ring clutched in his hands. "Here. This belonged to my mother, and would look beautiful on Arianna."

Michael took the ring and nodded in agreement. It was small, with a band of gold and silver and two small green emeralds set above. "This will look perfect on her. Thank you, Tarrant."

"My pleasure. I just have one final question-when are you going to propose?"

Michael grinned. "At the Soldier's Welcome Feast tonight. But you can't tell anyone!"

Tarrant nodded and mimed sewing his lips shut. Michael chuckled, and then hugged him. "Thank you, Uncle Tarrant."

"You're welcome, lad. Take care of my lass."

"I promise."

Arianna looked up as Michael sat next to her. "Did you find my Dad?"

"Yes."

"Did you ask him what you needed to ask him?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"Yes."

"Is that all the answer I'm going to get?"

"Yes."

"You are incorrigible, you know that?"

"Yes."

Arianna rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I love these simulating conversations we have."

Michael chuckled.

The Soldier's Welcome Feast had begun-it was a tradition started by Mirana upon her return to the throne. Knowing that while on Patrol, the Army usually had very little to eat, she had decreed that on the day of their return, there would be a Feast. But only soldiers and their families and friends were permitted to attend. It had long become something to look forward to.

Katarina looked over at Michael. "Why do you keep fidgeting about in your pocket? Aren't you a bit old to try to put dung beetles in the soup?"

Michael gave her a look. "I was six when I did that!" He giggled. "But it was pretty funny seeing Lady Hensen make that face!"

Katarina sighed. "Yes, but are you forgetting what Mum did when she found out you were the culprit?"

"No. I don't think my ears ever fully recovered from that blistering lecture. I even made her lapse into Outlandish."

Katarina chuckled. "I remember. So why the fidgeting about?"

"You'll find out soon."

"How soon?"

Michael grinned at his sister. "Right now." He took a breath and faced Mirana. "Majesty, I understand that part of the Feast allows for a soldier to make a speech. Is that correct?"

Mirana nodded. "That is correct, Private Stayne. Do you wish to make a speech?"

Michael nodded. "Yes…well…more of a proposal, if I may." Mirana nodded in assent, and Michael stood, walking over to where Arianna sat with her parents and brother. He knelt in front of her, clasping her hands. "Arianna, I have known you my entire life. You have been my best and closest friend since we were infants, and I have watched you grow up from a cute if slightly chubby babe to a beautiful and vivacious lass. I love you more than I could possibly say, and will love you all my life. Will you marry me?"

Arianna gawped at him, tears of joy in her eyes, and nodded. "Yes." She grinned and kissed him. "YES!"

Michael grinned, and then echoed the words his father had spoken many years before. "I was hoping you would say that." He pulled her to her feet and kissed her, oblivious of the applause that filled the room.

Stayne applauded, and then turned to Alannah with a look of shock on his face. "I'm going to be related to Tarrant!"

Alannah laughed. "Yes, you are. Don't look so horrified at the thought."

Michael continued to kiss his fiancé, and thought about how their paths had been intertwined from the beginning. They had gone from playmates to friends, and now…they were to be wed.

He found the idea simply frabjous.

Author's Note 2: Should I have the wedding as a chapter or as its own separate tale? (It would most likely be a one-shot unless inspiration strikes.) And on that subject-marriage at sixteen was common in Victorian times, which is when this story takes place. Also, Michael and Arianna are both still innocents.