Dearly Beloved [Max/Ro]

[Max Kameren]

Had it been three years already? Max stared up at the ceiling where a gap of morning light banded through the curtains, silently counting out the months on his fingers. It had been forty-five months since his escape. Forty-two since their breakup. Thirty-seven since Max had brought her to this very cottage, finally coming clean to her how much she really meant to him. Thirty-six since they made the move, disappearing from their previous lives and starting anew here.

And every day since then had felt perfect.

There was the cottage, their home, and the village below where they had made friends. There was Willow and the cats, who thrived on the shores they now called home. There was nursing training, which required some highly dubious muggle-friendly paperwork provided by St. Mungo’s to get Max enrolled. Then tests, late nights studying. Then training in the local hospital, two long years of work made harder by mindfully keeping magic off his fingertips. There were several lauded research papers – written under a pen name, of course. For those there were even longer nights, Max returning from a shift to find her head-down on her research desk. Soon, hopefully, for her editors’ sake, there would be a first book. But what made all of it so perfect was her.

He turned to his side on the too-small bed, his body instinctually conforming to the sleeping shape of Rowena more out of necessity of space than compatibility. She was warm with sleep and her aura hummed contentedly at his touch, though she only stirred when Max pressed his lips to the back of her neck and slipped off the mattress to throw on a shirt and pad downstairs to the kitchen.

By the time he felt her aura stir above him the kitchen was already buzzing with activity; a kettle was boiling for coffee and tea, while pots and pans warmed on the rest of the stove and prepared for the mass of ingredients Max stacked on the counter next to him. Cooking was an elaborate dance, where Max made figure-eights around Willow as she followed him to try to catch herself a snack. He pulled the toaster down from the cabinet where it was kept, only glancing over his shoulder when the footsteps at the base of the stairs matched the aura he’d been tracking around the bedroom.

“Morning, love.” He smiled before returning to his work, plugging in the toaster before testing to feel the heat of their skillet and, finding it satisfactory, carefully laid in the bacon. “Was thinking a full English this morning? I’m starving. Skipped dinner on my shift last night to cover for Eloise leaving voicemails for her mangy boyfriend…”

[Rowena Jones]

Once upon a time, she had considered herself a morning person but as the light filtered through the curtains and the distant crowing of a rooster woke her, Rowena decided that she certainly was not one any more. Perhaps it was the frequent late nights or perhaps it was the knowledge that her life was perfect with no dark magic or heart break in sight. Either way, she relished the comfort of their slightly too-small bed, the warmth of the one-too-many blankets and the steady heartbeat of the man she’d chosen. She had no desire to leave it and for once no deadline to hit. She’d submitted her last manuscript just a few days ago. Max had quietly suggested that she take a break before diving into the next one and after catching sight of some rather scary looking black circles, she’d agreed to a week.

Waking up that morning, she found herself wishing she’d gone with Max’s original suggestion of a month. It was quite pleasant, this not immediately grabbing some hot cocoa and retreating to the office thing. And it gave her plenty of time for other things. Rowena grinned to herself as she shifted, her hand reaching out from the cocoon of covers for Max, only to find that side of the bed cooling. Her smile faded for a second until the muffled sound of pots and pans reached her ears. Time for a different type of pleasure then.

The witch stretched languidly, blinking open her eyes to finally greet the morning properly. She kicked off the covers only to be answered by an angry meow as Yeti scrambled to regain his footing. “Sorry!” she mumbled, giving him a quick scratch between the ears. “But it’s time to get up now. Come on.” Rowena shooed the cat off the bed before putting it all back in place. The pillows satisfactorily fluffed and with a final tweak of the covers, she grabbed an old t-shirt of Max’s and threw it on and padded barefoot downstairs.

“Morning, love. Was thinking a full English this morning? I’m starving. Skipped dinner on my shift last night to cover for Eloise leaving voicemails for her mangy boyfriend…”

“Sounds amazing. Can I help?” she said, torn between kissing him good morning and getting splashed with hot fat as the bacon sizzled. “Did you get the eggs yet?” A quick scan of the empty basket told her he hadn’t. She grabbed it, shooting Max a bright smile. “Be right back.”

Rowena grabbed her coat and pulled on her boots. They lived so remotely that she wasn’t worried about modesty but while Spring was on its way, there was a definite chill in the air. The sun was shining as it reflected off the ocean but the wind nipped at her as she walked towards the small herb garden and chicken coop. The happy clucking of their chickens greeted her as she opened up their hutch to let them out for the day and Eoin, their rooster let out a loud crow. Rowena giggled as she reached in to pull out five speckled brown eggs. She’d named the rooster after her best friend as his constant crowing and general showing off to the hens had reminded her so much of the druid. He had yet to find out about his namesake, but she had a slight hunch that he’d be oddly happy about having a rooster named after him.

Eggs in hand, Rowena pulled the coat tighter around herself as she carefully ran back from the chicken coop. The house door slammed shut behind her as she blew out the cold air and pulled off her boots.

“Always forget the charm doesn’t work outside,” she said putting the eggs next to Max before blowing on her fingers to warm them up. “Did the paper come yet?” She asked as she quickly grabbed a piece of bacon before he could stop her.

[Max Kameren]

“Morning love. Was thinking a full English this morning?” Max laid bacon down in the frying pan, pushing Willow’s snuffling snout away from the stove with his other hand. “I’m starving. Skipped dinner on my shift last night to cover for Eloise leaving voicemails for her mangy boyfriend…”

“Sounds amazing. Can I help?”

“Never.” Max grinned brightly up at his girlfriend and leaned far enough away from the pan to steal a passing peck on the cheek. It was as much space as he could manage while still keeping Willow at bay: when it came to bacon, the beast was relentless.

“Did you get the eggs yet?” Both their eyes zeroed in on the empty basket pushed by other ingredients to the end of the counter. In his hunger-fueled bumbling around the kitchen to get breakfast started he’d forgotten the most important ingredient. “Be right back.”

“Thank you!” Max called after her, his eyes following his girlfriend as she slipped into boots and a coat and out the back door. Their lives had become so radically different than when they first got together – so different that often Max thought of his previous life like someone else’s memory. But somehow in the time since their move to Ushant their schedules had come full circle. When once they’d both been busy full-time healers, now when Max didn’t have a nursing shift at hospital Rowena was busy writing. Celebrating the completion of Ro’s manuscript by convincing her to take a week off had felt to Max like his own small achievement. To make their bartering worthwhile Max matched her, taking a week’s vacation beginning today so they could spend some time together.

Max finished the bacon, but on its transfer to the plate Willow took her opportunity. She head butted Max’s elbow, loosening two pieces from his tongs and into her triumphant jowls. “You little shite…” Max laughed, pushing with his knee at his traitorous pet until she gave him a safe perimeter. “Too smart for your own good!”

“Always forget the charm doesn’t work outside,” In the scuffle Rowena reappeared in the kitchen and handed off the eggs. Max took the first in hand and cracked it into the pan alongside their sausages. He turned to load the toaster behind him, playfully swatting at Rowena’s fingers as she skimmed a slice of bacon off the pile faster than he could stop her.

“Oi! Willow just swiped two, there won’t be any left for breakfast.”

“Did the paper come yet?”

“Magic or Muggle?” Max didn’t know why he was asking, as he didn’t know the answer to either. “Haven’t checked.”

The tea kettle whistled next to him and he pulled it off the stove, replacing it on the burner with a saucepan of beans. He poured half its contents into the waiting French Press. Rowena had disappeared again, presumably in search of the paper. “Ro, do you want coffee? Tea, cocoa?” That last addition made Max’s nose wrinkle at the very thought; way too much sugar for the morning.

[Rowena Jones]

“Magic or Muggle?” was immediately followed by “Haven’t checked.”

She laughed. “Why did you even ask then you mumpty!” Rowena scooped a few quills and notes off their small table so that they’d be able to sit and enjoy their breakfast properly. “Magic though. I don’t expect Pierre to get here before midday these days… their son is apparently refusing to sleep. Elodie mentioned something about teething last time I saw her.”

Sometimes Rowena found herself amused by the topics of their conversation these days. After years of rivalry followed by the terror of the War, it hit her how ordinary their lives had become. Three years of domestic bliss. They’d had the odd argument of course, but really, after everything they’d gone through, a disagreement over whose turn it was to wash the dishes or do the laundry hardly seemed significant.

“Ro, do you want coffee? Tea, cocoa?”

“Tea please. There should be just enough honey left.” By which she meant two heaping spoonful’s at least. “I’ll pick up some more at the market today. Want to come with me?”

Plates and cutlery properly set, Rowena glanced outside just in time to see a familiar shape gliding through the air. She opened the window as the owl glided in, a surprisingly large amount of post attached to its leg. At least for them. Living as they did, in hiding from the majority of the world, meant that they didn’t get much correspondence. Even all her papers were written under a penname and she made sure to get all messages from her editors delivered elsewhere. She gave the bird a few owl treats and left it to rest on the window sill as she perused their mail. The paper was thrown onto the table to be read later as she grinned in recognition of the untidy scrawl.

“There’s a letter for you. Looks like it’s from the girls,” she told Max, putting it by his plate so he could open it when he had finished preparing breakfast. Opening her own letter, she sat down to read.

R.
You’d think after three years I wouldn’t miss you, but I do. I still can’t believe you ran away and that I only get to see you a few times here and there. Life is a little boring now that you’re not dragging me around in life or death situations. Can’t remember the last time I got pissed and talked about how idiotic men are… or got to experience your interesting cooking. Don’t tell her, but Juniper’s is a bit bland sometimes.

Here the messy writing trailed off into a scribble.

Sorry. June hit me over the head. Apparently I’m not allowed to make you feel bed. OR insinuate that I’m not blissfully happy with my wife. Of course I am.

Rowena giggled. She could perfectly picture Eoin’s diminutive wife glaring at her husband and dictating his letter.

Have I told you how much I love my wife? She’s amazing. She is the sun and I am only a mere speck of rock floating around space in the glory of her light. Did I over do it? Back to the point, IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG. So we’re coming to visit. When is a good time? I have to be at home for the Spring Equinox… Druid business as you know… which actually reminds me. I have some stuff for you. Right up your street. Ok. I have no idea what it’s about to be honest. Juniper found it but she says it’s to do with that paper you wrote on Genetics. Anyway. Give me a time and a day and we’ll be there. I have news that needs to be shared in person.

Also this wouldn’t be a letter from your favourite person if I didn’t say something. Has he asked you yet? I’m still utterly nonplussed how I ended up married before you and loverboy.

Rowena rolled her eyes. Every. Damn. Time. She glanced over at Max with a small smile before retuning to the end of the letter.

With love,
E.
PS. Ah fuck it. I can’t keep it from you.
I’m going to be a dad.

She squealed. She didn’t know the last time she’d made such an embarrassing noise but there was no helping it. Rowena jumped up and hugged Max, her face lit up with joy.

“They're having a baby!” She paused, the full impact of that sentence hitting her. "Oh shit," she giggled. "Poor Juniper." Eoin as a father... now that was a funny thought. 

[Max Kameren]

“Coffee, Ro? Tea? Cocoa?”

“Tea please. There should be just enough honey left.” Max rolled his eyes with disgusted affection as he shoveled two heaping spoonfuls of honey into Rowena’s mug. “I’ll pick up some more at the market today. Want to come with me?”

“‘Course, was thinking of heading into town today too. Need to replace the sparkplugs in the Jeep, that’s why it’s been stalling lately.”

“There’s a letter for you. Looks like it’s from the girls,” she told Max.

“Hmm,” Max grunted in distracted acknowledgement, preoccupied with the fried eggs in front of him. With the last of their breakfast prepared Max arranged their plates, taking care to put one less strip of bacon on Rowena’s as penance for her earlier theft. He loaded the plates on his arm and their full mugs entwined in his five-fingered hand with a practiced grace, gently setting Rowena’s breakfast in front of her and pressing as kiss to her temple. Her aura percolated with concentration as her amber eyes followed Eoin’s script across the page.

“How are Eoin and Jun —“ Max’s question was hardly off his lips before it was drowned out by Rowena’s squeal and sparkling aura. She leapt from her seat so forcefully Max put a defensive hand on his coffee cup, grinning in excitable confusion as she hopped around to Hug him. “What?! What’s happening?”

“They're having a baby!” She paused, the full impact of that sentence hitting her.

“What?!” Max managed to catch the owl from Rowena’s flailing fingers and scanned it until he found Eoin’s parting news. An incredulous laugh escaped him, a wide grin breaking across his face. He was elated for them. Thrilled!

Maybe, he realized as an unsettling emotion roiled in the blur of auras but most definitely felt like his: a little envious?

“Oh shit," she giggled. "Poor Juniper."

“Yeah.” Max chuckled, perhaps a bit too heartily to try to fade away his disheartening thought. “A baby and Eoin? She’ll have her hands full.”

Early in their move they’d had noncommittal discussions about their future, still too raw from their experiences in their previous lives to commit to real plans. In the wake of the trauma they’d overcome, Max had found it easier to adapt to what life brought him than to get too attached to ideas of the future. Did he want to marry Rowena? Of course, but he’d been engaged before and found it to be a death knell for the relationship. Asking now felt like jinxing the peace they had. Kids? Maybe, but with his nursing schedule and Rowena’s book they were preoccupied building their new lives in Ushant. It was easier to let Fate decide: if it happened, it happened. They would have kids if Rowena got pregnant, maybe they would get married if they were having kids. It hadn’t. So they didn’t.

But now it had been three years. Max had his certifications and had found his way back to healing, though the Muggle way. Rowena had found success in her research and writing, and her first manuscript was finished. They were stable, established in the world they had started over in. Was it time to revisit the question they’d pushed away for so long?

The thought nagged him through breakfast. It stuck through idle chat and pushed Arianna’s letter out of his train of thought. Max’s chewing slowed as he tried to work out how to approach it. His wit was sharp, but his communication when it came to serious subjects often fell short. It was harder to put words to a conversation leading somewhere this important.

“We could do it, though.” He shrugged at a lull in the conversation, mulling his words even as they fell from his lips. “I think we could make good parents.”

[Rowena Jones]

“Yeah.” Max chuckled. “A baby and Eoin? She’ll have her hands full.”

Rowena hummed in agreement, smiling in amusement as she pictured her best friend’s future. “I wonder how far along she is. Oh imagine if it’s a little girl. He will absolutely be the crazy overprotective dad. Or a little boy! I can totally see them getting into all sorts of mischief together…” she drifted off in thought as she began to eat her breakfast. She was going to be an aunt! How exciting!

Sensing a sort of distance from Max, Rowena turned the conversation to more general things as she devoured the deliciousness in front of her. Maybe it was time for her to try her hand at cooking again. Last time hadn’t gone too badly. She’d accidently left the eggs to boil for 30 minutes which had left them charred and admittedly inedible, but the bacon had only been a little over salted and the bread rolls had at least been cooked on the outside.

“We could do it, though.” Rowena nodded in agreement as she began clearing the table. “I think we could make good parents.”

“Yeah. I was thinking if we planted this month, they’d be ready by---” Max’s words caught up to her brain and she stopped mid-sentence. “Wait what?”

Where had that come from? She ran through their conversation and remained thoroughly confused. Hadn’t they just been talking about the herb garden? And before that, what they needed to pick up in town? Rowena quickly finished putting the dishes in the sink before turning to face Max. Parents... Apparently distance had meant deep in thought... Were they really going to talk about this?

“I think we would too?” she said cautiously. Her amber eyes flitted between her partner and anywhere but him betraying her nervousness about the sudden turn of conversation. It wasn’t that the subject scared her, it was just something they’d long ago decided to not talk about. Their relationship had been a complete whirlwind before they moved to Ushant. From enmity and hostile competition to lovesick companionship to the chaos of war that had driven them apart through fear and independence… Just thinking about it gave Rowena whiplash. So when they’d decided to leave it all behind, they’d also decided to just take the time to enjoy each other with no pressure. Que sera sera and all that jazz.

And it had been wonderful. Three amazing years where they’d been able to grow together, both finding new paths while supporting each other. She honestly wouldn’t change a thing. Except that in those three years, it had never really come up again in conversation. And as the months turned into years and they attended not one but two of their close friend’s weddings (even she sometimes wondered how Eoin had gotten married before her) she had to admit that there were moments where she wondered if they ever would progress past the comfortable life they’d made for themselves. It wasn’t that she doubted the depth of Max’s affection for her. She didn’t need to be an empath to know that he loved her as much as she loved him, but well he never seemed to want to talk about what came next.

But now, here he was, talking about them as parents. And she’d definitely be lying if she said she hadn’t pictured their home filled with laughter and the pitter patter of children’s feet and their never-ending questions.

“Aren’t we skipping a step though?” she finally said, her lip caught between her teeth as they finally addressed the topics they’d avoided for so long.

[Max Kameren]

“Yeah I was thinking if we planted this month, they’d be ready by — Wait what?”

Wrong move. Or at least not gently stated enough. Max reeled in his head, reflecting Rowena’s surprise back at her in his aura, speechless as he grasped for a way to pull back the subject he’d turned loose. There wasn’t really a way out of it; probably why they’d gone so long avoiding the question of their future for so long. Their present was just so good, and before this Max had never lived in a world where change didn’t bring danger. They’d earned these last few years just enjoying each other without worrying about what was ahead.

But maybe, eventually it was time to look up at the horizon. If they stumbled on the subject themselves they would skirt around the edges, referencing some far-off future or leaving it in Fate’s hands.

“I think we would too?” She said cautiously.

“So, we agree.” Even the dust in the air must have felt the tension in the room and paused, making it feel stagnant when Max pushed himself up from the table and came to lean against the counter next to her in the kitchen. Arms crossed, too anxious to keep a bit of his aura from eking out where Rowena could feel it. “That’s… good. Great, even.”

The conversation had really sprung on him as quickly as the thought had, and Max was now wishing he’d thought longer about what he wanted to say. They had both known abstractly that they wanted kids, maybe, someday, in the future. Eoin and Juniper’s news had just reminded Max that their timeline was realer than he’d like to think of it.

“Aren’t we skipping a step though?”

“I – Are you asking?” The nervous laugh escaped Max before he could help it and he ducked his head to stifle it. Ah, the gift of slightly more familiar territory. Proposals were something of a sore subject for Max, a pain point that made him the butt of many a joke among his friends and family: Max would propose to just about anyone, except the one woman he really ought to. Eoin had been haranguing him for the entire three years since they moved. His mum asked nearly every time he called, and Violet had told him not to bother writing again until there was news to speak of. But their relationship status was easily laughed off if it family nagging or waved away by being wrapped up in the romance of attending someone else’s wedding. He’d been swayed by expectation in the past. With Rowena he wanted it to feel right, like they’d chosen it, like they were ready for it. Now it was Rowena reminding him.

Max lifted his head again to meet her eyes, his aura still sparkling with nerves in the atmosphere with him unable to suppress it. “Asking me to ask you?” He shrugged. “Ro, you know I’d marry you today if you wanted me to. Say the word.”

[Rowena Jones]

“I – Are you asking?”

“What? No. Am I? Oh Merlin…” Rowena buried her face in her hands torn between laughter at how hideously awkward the conversation was and cringing in embarrassment that he’d thought she’d asked him. Except… was that really so bad? She refused to look at Max as she chewed her lip in contemplation.

She loved him. Not just in a he was comfortable and easy way but in the way that burned brightly, consuming her. Granted, the burn of that fire had calmed since their more tumultuous days, but that was only because they were secure in the knowledge that they shared this life. There was no need for them to rush across the city in the pouring rain to declare their love for the other. Instead she got to take sunset strolls along the coast with him. Wake up to the warmth of his body in their bed. Feel the strength of his aura permeate their home. Why did they need to shake it up?

Because she wanted to, she realized. Rowena wanted the man besides her to be her husband. She wanted him to be the father of her children. Now that they had made this life together, she was ready to take on the next adventure with him. To commit to a forever of this. 

“Asking me to ask you?” Max shrugged. “Ro, you know I’d marry you today if you wanted me to. Say the word.”

“I don’t actually…” slipped out before she could stop it. Fuck. Why had she said that? Didn’t she? Rowena supposed that maybe there was a part of her that had wondered if Max just wanted this for the rest of his life. They’d been pestered about it for years and he’d always studiously avoided it. “I guess I thought you thought this was enough? And it is!” She quickly added. “But…”

Rowena turned to finally look at Max, her hands clenched by her sides in a feeble attempt to hide her unease as she quickly continued before losing her nerve. “I love you Max. The past few years have been the best of my life and that is in huge part down to you. I’m so grateful that I have someone who will debate the differentiating points of magical inherited abilities with me, even at 4am. Who challenges me constantly and who pushes me to keep asking more questions. Someone who will carry me to bed when I have worked for too long and am just too tired to move...” She couldn’t help but smile brightly as all her favourite memories of their years together came to the forefront of her mind.

“Merlin, I can’t list all the reasons that I love you… And I never wanted a big wedding. As beautiful and Eoin’s and Juniper’s was, I never pictured myself…” Rowena briefly paused to rectify herself. “I never pictured us doing the whole walking down the aisle in a fancy lacy white dress thing. Just me… and you. Promising forever no matter what.”

[Max Kameren]

“I – Are you asking?”

“What? No. Am I? Oh Merlin…”

Her laugh broke him and his aura broke from nervous jitters to a bubbly giggle, too amused by the out-of-body perspective of their conversation to be able to hold a serious face. Two of the most bullheaded, serious healers of their age and in three years they couldn’t get through this discussion with a wand at their backs. They’d faced down a murderous dark magic cult but couldn’t bring themselves to keep a straight face through what their future could look like. Torturous cannibals were nothing, commitment was the real terror.

How much was there to say, really? He loved her. It had become a thing he couldn’t doubt, so ingrained in him that her aura was essentially part of him. Loving Rowena was like breathing, like knowing your heart was beating or feeling sunlight on your skin. Max couldn’t function without her. He couldn’t imagine a world without her in it. He dreaded the idea of opening his eyes in the morning and not seeing her sleeping form in front of him, of going to bed at night without her peaceful breathing to lull him to sleep. The mortified woman burying her face in her hands next to him was his entire universe, the only reason he hadn’t fallen apart years ago and to this day his main reason to get up in the morning. He would do anything for her. She just had to tell him what she wanted.

“Are you asking me to ask you?” Max shrugged. “Ro, you know I’d marry you today if you wanted me to. Say the word.”

“I don’t actually…” Max’s brow furrowed in defeated confusion. Her aura said one thing, her words another. Rowena’s eternal puzzle: the insurmountable task he’d set himself to solving. “I guess I thought you thought this was enough? And it is! But…”

“It’s not that – It is! You are –“ Max stuttered, but before he could give order to the thoughts in his mind Rowena continued.

“I love you Max. The past few years have been the best of my life and that is in huge part down to you. […] Merlin, I can’t list all the reasons that I love you… And I never wanted a big wedding. As beautiful and Eoin’s and Juniper’s was, I never pictured myself…” Rowena briefly paused to rectify herself and Max’s hands found hers and squeezed, then slid up to rest on her shoulders. “I never pictured us doing the whole walking down the aisle in a fancy lacy white dress thing. Just me… and you. Promising forever no matter what.”

Max pulled her in for a kiss, letting his guards down and their auras together sparkle and shine like it had since their very first kiss all those years ago.

“Ro, I… I don’t have the words,” His voice wavered with emotion, “but I hope you know. I hope I’ve been able to show you, after all this time, how much I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you, telling you, promising you… forever. Everything. You’re everything, Rowena.”

With one more kiss Max let her go and took a step back. He still held one of her hands and used his other to use the counter to ease himself into a kneel on their kitchen floor in front of her. His knees had never been the same after his time in captivity, kneeling was normally excruciating but for this purpose it was well worth it. “So, – oh, shit. Hold on.“ His eyes widened as a thought occurred to him and Max started, instead using Rowena’s hand to pull himself back up to his feet and bumbling away to the closet in the study.

“One moment, please…” Max wrenched the heavy closet door open, pulling out boxes of books and junk until he pulled a muggle rolling suitcase out of the far back of the closet. It was filled with objects from Max’s muggle life: paperwork from his London apartment, keys, still photos, old electronic cords, and a few mementoes and heirlooms passed down from the DeVille family. After a bit of fishing Max had found his prize: a small leather ring box lined around the edges with gold paint. An heirloom his mum had given him over twenty years ago, just after his grandmother passed away and their move to London brought him the amazing, terrifying adventure of a lifetime.

Max pivoted from where he knelt, facing a curious Rowena in the study doorway. He clasped the box in his hands, fumbling with the fastener in his fingers until it opened and revealed an emerald ring. The large oval gem was set in gold with smaller diamond orbiting around the setting and easing into a smooth gold band.

He sighed, trying to keep his voice even to get through what he needed to say. This time he couldn’t shy away. “Ro, this always felt like enough because it was you. All of you, all the time, that’s what I want. I want all of our lives: the good, the bad, kids, your ink-stained hands and all the kittens you bring home from our walks. I want to grin and bear a lifetime of your cooking. I want to spend forever debating you, lecturing you, and being lectured by you. I want forever. So, let’s do it. Just the two of us, and I'll be the one to ask." He grinned. "Will you marry me?”


.. .. .. .. ..
The ring =)

[Rowena Jones]

Max pulled her in for a kiss and she melted into his embrace. As always, kissing Max felt like finding the lost piece of her soul that she didn’t know was missing.

“Ro, I… I don’t have the words,” His voice wavered with emotion, “but I hope you know. I hope I’ve been able to show you, after all this time, how much I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you, telling you, promising you… forever. Everything. You’re everything, Rowena.”

He kissed her again and Rowena swore that she’d never grow tired of Max kissing her like that. They’d be old and grey and she would still relish every second of the electricity that sparked between them. And after that beautiful speech, she didn’t like the fact that he was moving away. Except he was… kneeling?! Her hand flew to cover her mouth in surprise.

“Oh you don’t hav-“ she said through her fingers even as he paused and started to stand up before walking away. He’d gone down on one knee. Rowena gave herself a small pinch to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Had he actually gone down on one knee? Granted, he’d gotten back up and left without saying the question that usually accompanied said action but…

She traced his steps absent mindedly, still reeling from the morning’s developments. Was this really happening? She watched as Max mess a thorough mess of the study, her head tilted in curiousity as she waited for him to finish his task. When he finally turned to her, Rowena couldn’t help the way her eyes widened as she spotted the small box he held in his hands. Had he had that in the closet the entire time they’d lived here?

While she had been called a genius in the past, she didn’t need to be one now to know what he held. And sure enough, it opened to reveal the most stunning ring she’d ever seen. There was an audible gasp that she failed to stifle and Rowena was suddenly quite glad that she’d stopped by the doorway so that she could lean against it for support.

“Ro, this always felt like enough because it was you. All of you, all the time, that’s what I want. I want all of our lives: the good, the bad, kids, your ink-stained hands and all the kittens you bring home from our walks.” She giggled even as tears of pure joy threatened to spill onto her cheeks before scowling at his next cheeky remark.

“I want to grin and bear a lifetime of your cooking. I want to spend forever debating you, lecturing you, and being lectured by you. I want forever. So, let’s do it. Just the two of us, and I'll be the one to ask."

"It's not a bloody competition you oaf!" She laughed swatting at him playfully.

He grinned. "Will you marry me?”

Rowena matched his grin, happiness radiating from her as she nodded emphatically. “Yes. Yes of course!” She was thrown back to the day she’d said very similar words when they’d both discovered their individual plans to leave everything behind and had instead joined those plans, ultimately bringing them to this very moment. She threw her arms around Max and kissed him with all the love she’d always felt for him.

When air became a necessity, she pulled back enough so she could meet his uniquely Kameren gaze with her own. “But on one condition. We do it today. I don’t want to lose another minute to our complete crap ability to actually say how we feel. And as much as I love our friends and family… I think we can both agree to being too independent and stubborn to deal with their ideas of what our wedding should be.”

Rowena paused for a second to think. “We were going to town anyway. I think I have…” she trailed off before nodding. “I’m sure Father Vincent won’t mind if we stop by. What do you say oh fiancé of mine? Shall we have the shortest engagement ever?”

[Max Kameren]

“I want forever. So, let’s do it. Just the two of us, and I’ll be the one to ask.”

“It’s not a bloody competition you oaf!”

“If it was I’d be winning.” He grinned cheekily. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes. Yes of course!” The radiation of her aura was enough answer for Max and his free hand found the door frame to give him enough support to make it back to his feet in time for Rowena to wrap her arms around him. His tall frame caved in around the shining light of her love and he gave into the blinding joy of his aura and her kiss, relishing the moment of letting their auras spark and reflect off each others’ happiness.

Living life as a raw emotional nerve often forced Max to distance, pushing away tough subjects and heavy moments in fear of slipping up. In their years together, Max had diligently tried to break down his barrier away from her, but old habits died hard. Now that she said yes, that he held her in his arms, that she was smiling and laughing and crying while he slipped the ring on her finger he didn’t understand why he’d been so afraid of the question. This felt right.

When they broke apart Max found he couldn’t let go of her hand, his eyes glazing with happy tears at the very real sight of the ring on her finger. His rooting around for the ring had been following an impulse; in truth he hadn’t looked at it in fifteen years or thought about in just as long. His gran had been a famously glamorous woman before she was sick, though Max had never known her before. Since Amelia only had sons much of the jewelry was sold, save a few pieces she saved for herself and some select pieces she gave to them as heirlooms. Amelia had told ten-year-old Max at the time that the ring reminded her of him; one glance at the bright emerald center stone and he could imagine why.

“But on one condition.”

“Oh?” Max cocked his head back up at her.

“We do it today.” Max laughed; he’d really only meant that as a figure of speech! “I don’t want to lose another minute to our complete crap ability to actually say how we feel. And as much as I love our friends and family… I think we can both agree to being too independent and stubborn to deal with their ideas of what our wedding should be.”

“Rowena.” Max wrapped an arm around his newfound fiancée and pulled her close enough to plant an affectionate kiss on the top of her head. “Are you asking me to skip out on a large, emotional family gathering? Can I propose to you twice?”

“We were going to town anyway. I think I have…” she trailed off before nodding. “I’m sure Father Vincent won’t mind if we stop by. What do you say oh fiancé of mine? Shall we have the shortest engagement ever?”

Max nodded. “Yes. I don’t think I can stand to go another day without being married to you.”

.. .. .. .. ..

This was most definitely not what Max thought his day would be like. After the excitement of their breakfast revelations the soon-to-be-wed couple set to work. Rowena had more preparation to do than Max; once he’d tracked down his suit and changed, he set to any details Rowena was too busy getting ready to be bothered with. He cleaned his messes from the kitchen and the study. Taking Willow for her morning walk he found a patch of wildflowers and collected an armful, arranging them along the counter for Rowena’s perusal.

By the time he felt her aura descending the staircase inside Max was outside, his suit jacket hanging on the side mirror of the car with sleeves rolled-up and elbow-deep in the motor of their wedding chariot. Ushant was so small that their rumor mill churned even faster than the one at St. Mungo’s had; if they were doing something this memorable in town they would need to arrive in muggle style. He could magically clean out and revive their ancient Jeep’s spark plugs enough to at least make it to town and back, he figured.

With his repairs made Max - very carefully, knowing he had no backup suit if he ruined this one - cleaned off his hands with a damp towel and circled around to start the car. The iron behemoth stalled and Max grimaced, brow furrowed in thought trying to figure out a better spell to give the engine life support. When he pushed open the driver’s door and glanced up at the house, however, all errant thought left him. He only had eyes for the angelic form standing in the doorway.

[Rowena Jones]

“What do you say oh fiancé of mine? Shall we have the shortest engagement ever?”

Max nodded and Rowena’s grin grew even wider. “Yes. I don’t think I can stand to go another day without being married to you.”

She couldn’t resist one last kiss before she raced upstairs to their bedroom. So much to do, so little time. But if there was an area where Rowena thrived, it was under pressure. She pulled open the closet doors and started digging. She had briefly considered her options before even proposing that they wed today and she threw said clothes onto the bed to better peruse her selection. Truth was, she didn’t have a ton of white dresses and as she cast a critical glare over the three she had, all she could see were the slight imperfections that made her want to growl with frustration. Too old. Too casual. Too short.

She returned back to the closet, pushing aside several other dresses before she paused at another almost perfect option. She’d purchased it on a whim, a throwback to the days when she’d regularly attended galas and other formal events. Of course, there hadn’t been any need for such a dress and it had remained buried under actually suitable clothes. Rowena pulled it out, loving the way the silk flowed over her hand. Simple enough but with a little detail so that it wasn’t boring, perfect length… and a deep wine red.

It wasn’t often that Rowena truly missed her old magical abilities. Over the past few years she’d come to accept her new reality. She still had her most powerful asset, her mind, and she’d used that to find as many alternatives to the everyday magic that she’d lost. But as she stared at the dresses in front of her, she felt that old ache re-surface. Once upon a time, she would have been able to perfect the clothes with a simple wave of her wand.

Hoping that an idea would come to her in the meantime, she decided to instead focus on her hair and make-up. She ran through possible solutions as she cleansed her face. She could attempt her magic… Rowena and Max had done a little experimenting in their first year on Ushant. They’d discovered long ago that using her wand increased the chances of an accident. Apparently what was left of her magic hated any sort of limiting conduit, appearing to be closer to the wild magic that children exhibited than the defined magic of adults. So while she could try, she’d be just as likely to set the house on fire. Not really an acceptable outcome.

Did she have to wear a white dress she mused as she brushed out the tangles in her hair. She twisted a few strands and clipped them behind her ear so that her hair fell in a natural looking tumble over one shoulder. Rowena supposed white was just an age-old tradition and not an entirely accurate one at that depending on who you asked… but she’d always pictured getting married in white and she was loath to give up on that image.

Rowena looked into the mirror, checking her make-up for any unwanted smudges when her gaze fell upon a small box in the reflection. She stood, a grin appearing on her face as an idea took root. Grabbing the box, she sent a quick prayer to whoever might be watching over her and opened it. As she’d hoped inside were several small vials that clinked delicately as she pulled them out to examine the almost illegible scrawl that identified their contents.

After she’d almost blown away the roof of their home while trying to do a simple cleaning spell, Max had suggested they attempt to find alternatives. She hadn’t been considered one of the brightest witches of their Age for nothing, and equally Max was an expert in his field. Rowena had thoroughly enjoyed the weeks and months they’d spent trying to develop potions that replicated common spells. It kept her busy even as Max began his nurse training, gave her a purpose as she adjusted to their new, quieter life.

Ultimately, it hadn’t been as successful as she’d hoped. Most spells required too much intention to be simplified into a potion, but the few that had worked were now in her hands. And if she remembered correctly, there was one that would serve her perfectly.

Colorvaria. Rowena whooped for joy as she found it. She padded over to where she’d left the burgundy dress draped on her bed and let a drop of the potion fall onto the soft silk. It turned neon green.

“Shit!” she cursed, as she let another drop fall. Yellow. Again. Navy. Again. Yellow again. Why hadn’t she considered this? She shook the vial and winced as two drops splattered out, one landing on the bed which immediately changed from dove grey to fuchsia, temporarily distracting her from her dress which had finally turned a pearlescent white.

Rowena almost shook out another drop out of habit before she realized what had happened. She carefully stowed the potion back with the others before turning back to her dress and carefully stepping into it. As she pushed through the last button, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grinned. Perfect. Grabbing a pair of nude heels, she went back downstairs only to pause as she caught sight of the kitchen counter. Early Spring wildflowers lay awaiting her choice. She picked out the snowdrops, some red berries and pretty foliage, tying them together with a bit of twine she found in one of the drawers. The remaining crocuses and buttercups, she put in a small jug on their table before following the sound of the stuttering car.

As she pushed open the door, a sprig of berries fell from her homemade bouquet. She bent to pick them up, and instead tucked it behind her ear. She heard the car door open and glanced up, smiling brightly as she saw Max, until she made note of his attire.

“Max! Please don’t tell me you’re trying to fix the car while wearing that?!” she shook her head in despair before turning her attention to their vehicle. “Is it at least going to be able to get us into town?” Of course things couldn’t be straightforward on their wedding day.


----
Ro's Dress

[Max Kameren]

“Damned thing…” Whatever curses were about to fly from Max’s lips disappeared when his eyes fell on Rowena standing in the doorway of their home. When she straightened to smile at him and tuck a bit of something red behind her ear Max shivered. She was radiant; somehow she glowed brighter to him than even during the Shadowed Battle. He had no words, no exclamation to make about his bride-to-be than to stand dumbstruck, leaning against the open car door and staring.

Her grin faltered in that specific way that Max always knew was meant for him. “Max! Please don’t tell me you’re trying to fix the car while wearing that?!”

“What?” Her chiding snapped Max right out of his reverence. He looked down at his clothing and back up at her with an exaggerated shrug. “I’m being careful!”

She shook her head and Max waved her off, returning to hunch over the motor to resume his attempt at repair. When they’d chosen to move somewhere rural Max hadn’t thought about too deeply about the consequences. They weren’t in Ushant long before their magic was outpaced by the cottage’s demands and they each had to expand their skillsets. Rowena - though cooking continued to elude her - had developed quite the green thumb and mastered their garden. Max in turn had to refresh himself on basic mechanics; in such a remote area, when their car broke down it was a hassle getting back to town for parts. Most fixes Max could make with magic, but Repairo wasn’t enough to fix a missing or spent part.

“Is it at least going to be able to get us into town?”

“I can get it,” Max assured his bride, absent-mindedly holding out a hand to send a wrench clanking from the shed into his grip. With it Max unbolted the protective cover of the motor and revealed the rest of the engine. “I just need to be able to see what I’m doing…” He trailed off as he searched until he found the small, darkened bolts of metal he’d been looking for. With a gentle motion much of the rust and grime caked around the bolts dissipated, crumbling off the surface and falling into the engine’s depths. He leaned back to smile reassuringly at Rowena. “That should do it. Can you try the engine?”

The sight of Rowena, so graceful and elegant in her white dress and bouquet, trying to start their stubborn Jeep made Max beam with barely-held laughter. Naturally, this is how their wedding would start. It wouldn’t be them if things weren’t simultaneously chaotic and perfect.

She turned the key and the engine turned twice before sputtering to life. Max cheered, replacing the cover. When the hood slammed closed Max grinned triumphantly at Rowena through the windshield and grabbed his jacket from the side mirror before turning to the shed to clean up.

In the safety of the shed he rolled down his sleeves to reveal a deep grey grease stain spotting his elbow. “Shit,” he grumbled under his breath before putting his jacket on over it. The chill of early spring still hung in the air, if he didn’t take his jacket off she’d never see it.

“Alright!” Max spun back out of the shed with a smile, opening the passenger door to help Rowena inside. When he came around to the driver’s side Max leaned far over in his seat to steal a kiss. She was here, sitting right next to him. With a bright white dress and flowers in her hair, with his gran’s ring on her finger. This was really, actually happening. He could hardly believe it. “Are you ready?” Was he? They were out of time to second-guess it when Max threw the car in drive and started them down the winding, craggy paths toward town.

The only main concentration of people on the island was in the town of Lampaul, on the coast of the bay opposite from the shore where their cottage lived. Despite their distance behind the hills Max and Rowena had become regular faces among their neighbors, often invited to gatherings and doted upon by their elders as sweet, if mysterious, young newcomers. The literal patriarch of that group of elders was Father Vincent of Église de Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau at the town’s center. Something about the warmth of his aura reminded Max strongly of Albert back in London.

The sparkling joy and anticipation of their auras seemed to glide the chugging Jeep to the center of Lampaul where Max brought them to a stop halfway between the farmer’s market and the chapel. Max leaned on the wheel, smiling wryly at his love. “So, which first: groceries, or a binding vow of our everlasting love?”

[Rowena Jones]

“Are you ready?”

Rowena nodded, suddenly lost for words that this was actually happening. As the jeep pulled away for the house, she found that she only had eyes for the man sitting beside her. Her hand rested on his thigh as she took in the man who was soon to be her husband. She’d never grow tired of seeing those bright green eyes furrow in concentration, nor the way his hair refused to be tamed. The scars he bore only deepened her love for him, knowing how hard he’d fought, a reminder of his strength. Max had been her home for years and today they’d promise forever. A forever of watching his nose crinkle as he tried to find a diplomatic way to criticize her cooking, of watching his eyes sparkle as she found a book out of place, of seeing his lips curve into that smirk that made her dizzy with desire.
She barely noticed the landscape pass, only pulled out of her thoughts as Max brought the jeep to a stop in the town centre.

“So, which first: groceries, or a binding vow of our everlasting love?”

She bit her lip in consideration. They had to be the only people who needed to go grocery shopping on their wedding day. Before she could make a final decision, a slightly battered car pulled up beside them.

“Bonjour les jeunes !” called a familiar voice as a car pulled up beside them and the window wound down revealing a welcome middle-aged face. He wolf whistled as he caught site of the pair. “Mais vous allez ou habilles comme ça ? Ne me dites pas que le jour est finalement arrivé!"

"Salut Luc." Rowena found herself grinning ridiculously as their friend took in their clothing. “Et oui, nous allons voir le Père. Celui la m’a déjà fait trop attendre!"

She gave a teasing glance at her fiance.

“Felicitations! Mais... vous êtes tous seuls! Oh la la. Je pari que vous n’avez même pas du gâteau!"

Rowena blushed. The community on the island was so small that they’d quickly become part of the family and even though they weren’t the youngest, as newcomers and foreigners at that, they were often treated as such.

“Maxime! Ça ne vas pas faire du tout! Tu nous fais attendre tous ces années et -

"Non, Luc. C’est bon… On ne veut pas une grande affaire!" Rowena interrupted in protest.

“Oui, je comprends, mais il y a un minimum. Ne vous inquiétez pas. J’arrange tout."

He drove off before they could argue further leaving Rowena looking hopelessly at Max. “I guess vows of ever-lasting love first then.”

They should have known that they wouldn’t be able to sneak in and out. Sure enough, as they drove through the small streets, people called out and cheered. As they drove past the local café, Rowena could have sworn she saw several people point in their direction and coins change hands.

“Have they been betting on us getting married?” she asked Max incredulously, before laughing at how surreal this whole day was turning out to be.

As they pulled up to the church, Father Vincent appeared at the doorway, a wide smile on his grandfatherly face. Rowena exited the car, taking care to smooth her dress as she met the priest’s smile with one of her own.

“Rowena ! Luc m’a déjà appelé mais il ne m’a pas dit que tu étais si belle!” Father Vincent said as he kissed each cheek in greeting before turning to Max and doing the same. “Maxime ! Ça fait longtemps que j’attends ce jour. Bienvenue!"

He led the pair up the uneven steps and into the church. They walked down the aisle together. “Alors je comprends que vous voulez juste une petite affaire mais il vous faut deux témoins quand même."

For someone who prided herself on planning and organization, Rowena realized she hadn’t thought this whole thing through. Of course they needed witnesses! She turned to Max apologetically when the opened again.

“On est arrives!” came a cry as Luc and his wife, Sabine entered the church. “Et j’ai meme trouvé ma camera!” The fisherman had somehow managed to rush home and change into a slightly threadbare suit and now stood by them waving his camera in the air excitedly.  “Alors, on attends quoi? On a tous attendu ce moment pour trop long!"

Rowena laughed, a sudden rush of love for this wonderful community and life they’d found. She turned back to Max, taking his hand and feeling that love only grow as they stood together at the altar. Her focus narrowed on the man in front of her, only dimly aware of the frantic clicking of a camera.

“Last chance to back out,” she teased.


----------------------
TRANSLATIONS

“Bonjour les jeunes! Mais vous allez ou habilles comme ça ? Ne me dites pas que le jour est finalement arrivé!"
"Hello youngsters! Where are you off to dressed like that? Don't tell me the day has finally arrived?!"

"Salut Luc. Et oui, nous allons voir le Père. Celui la m’a déjà fait trop attendre!"
"Hi Luke. Yep! We're off to see Father Vincent. This one here has already made me wait too long!"

“Felicitations! Mais... vous êtes tous seuls! Oh la la. Je pari que vous n’avez même pas du gâteau!Maxime! Ça ne vas pas faire du tout! Tu nous fais attendre tous ces années et -
"Non, Luc. C’est bon… On ne veut pas une grande affaire!"
“Oui, je comprends, mais il y a un minimum. Ne vous inquiétez pas. J’arrange tout."
"Congratulations! But... you are all alone! Oh dear. I bet you don't even have a cake! Max! This will not do. You make us wait all these years and -"
"No... Luke. It's ok. We don't want a big party!"
"Yes, I understand but there is a minimum. Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

“Rowena ! Luc m’a déjà appelé mais il ne m’a pas dit que tu étais si belle!. Maxime ! Ça fait longtemps que j’attends ce jour. Bienvenue! Alors je comprends que vous voulez juste une petite affaire mais il vous faut deux témoins quand même."
"Rowena! Luke called me but he didn't tell me how beautiful you look! Max! I've been waiting this day for a long time. Welcome! Now I understand you want a small ceremony, but you still need two witnesses."

“On est arrives! Et j’ai meme trouvé ma camera! Alors, on attends quoi? On a tous attendu ce moment pour trop long!"
"We're here! And I even found my camera! So what are we waiting for?! We've waited too long already!"

[Max Kameren]

“So, which first: groceries, or a binding vow of our everlasting love?”

A bubble of joy welled up in Max’s chest when she bit her lip. He was going to spend a lifetime watching her amber eyes dart back and forth in thought. The rest of his days watching a lock of her dark hair fall in front of her face and reaching out to gently tuck it back in place. Asking her questions and waiting in the quiet heaven of her aura answering him.

Before Rowena could make their choice it was made for them in the form of a familiar jovial aura pulling up next to them. Luc Pelloutier, the great bear of Ouessant, leaned over to more clearly speak out his passenger-side window. One of their first and fastest friends, Luc was the owner of L’Auberge de L’Ours, a small bar on the edge of town that he used as an apple box to tout the affairs of anyone bold or daft enough to express news to him. With his help, Max had gone from a complete stranger to L’Épouvantail before his name had even made it on the cottage’s mailbox.

“Bonjour les jeunes!” Luc’s musical rasp gradually rose as Max rolled down the window to greet him with a friendly nod, leaning backwards so Rowena could see him. His aura wasn’t needed to see the realization dawn across the older man’s face at the sight of Rowena; Max’s suit was out-of-character, but Rowena’s glow made obvious what their plans were in town that day. “Mais vous allez ou habilles comme ça? Ne me dites pas que le jour est finalement arrivé!"

With a chuckle Max shook his head, half-rolling up the window to the tune of Luc’s laughter and wave. "Salut Luc. Et oui, nous allons voir le Père. Celui la m’a déjà fait trop attendre!"

“Oh, Alors!” Max threw his hands in the air in consternation, his emerald glare turning on his betrothed. “Toi aussi, Ro? Tout Lampaul suffira!”

“Felicitations! Mais... vous êtes tous seuls! Oh la la. Je pari que vous n’avez même pas du gâteau! Maxime! Ça ne vas pas faire du tout! Tu nous fais attendre tous ces années et -

"Non, Luc. C’est bon… On ne veut pas une grande affaire!" Rowena interrupted in protest.

“Oui, je comprends, mais il y a un minimum. Ne vous inquiétez pas. J’arrange tout."

“De toi c’est une menace!” Luc’s laugh faded with his aura as the car pulled away. Max shook his head. “Luc knows, so in fifteen minutes everyone will know.”

“I guess vows of ever-lasting love first then.” Max grinned. He leaned far over in the driver’s seat to kiss Rowena deeply before putting the Jeep in drive and pulling off in the direction of the chapel.

Evidently, their prediction had come true. Every corner they passed Max and Rowena were met with cheers and waves and shouted well-wishes. So many, in fact, that their trek to the church was stalled by Max slowing to give their older neighbors enough time, walking slowly next to the car, to give their blessings to the Fiançailles.

When they passed a café they frequented Rowena bristled in a way that pulled Max’s eyes off their route to glance at her. “Have they been betting on us getting married?”

He shrugged. “Would you put it past them?” He responded. He was fairly sure quite a bit of money would be exchanged at the hospital when he got back to tell his story, if the leading questions following up his week off meant anything.

As with the rest of Lampaul, their reputation preceded them and Father Vincent awaited them at the doorway to the church. “Naturally,” Max smirked, parking the car and getting out to come around and help Rowena to the ground. When they approached Max’s hand found hers and he laced their fingers, squeezing lightly in anticipation as the priest greeted them.

“Rowena ! Luc m’a déjà appelé mais il ne m’a pas dit que tu étais si belle!. Maxime ! Ça fait longtemps que j’attends ce jour. Bienvenue! Alors je comprends que vous voulez juste une petite affaire mais il vous faut deux témoins quand même."

Before Max or Rowena could balk at the realization Luc and his wife Sabine burst through the doorway. “On est arrives! Et j’ai meme trouvé ma camera! Alors, on attends quoi? On a tous attendu ce moment pour trop long!"

“Last chance to back out,” Rowena teased.

“What was it I told you all that time ago?” Max’s eyes rolled to the church’s arched ceiling. “Couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” Max smirked. He couldn’t resist one last kiss before they jumped into their new future, which was immediately broken up by a swat from Father Vincent leading them further into the church.

“Hé! Pas encore avec ça, vous deux!” Vincent led the tiny wedding party to the altar, where behind a lit arc of candles a Livre de famille awaited them.

Max squeezed Rowena’s hand before letting go, watching closely over her shoulder as she filled in her part. When it was Max’s turn he held the pen steadily, going slowly in an attempt to keep his handwriting neat. Maxime Kristopher Kameren-DeVille… He felt a prickle in the back of his mind of curiosity from their witnesses as he wrote his legal name. Though they’d chosen to francocize Max’s name to hide themselves when they embarked on their new life, the idea of legally removing his father’s name from his always made Max’s heart break. He had never been able to bring himself to do it, so the only place their old life lived on was in legal documents.

With the paperwork in order, Father Vincent took Max and Rowena’s hands and clasped them, looking between the two warmly. “Maxime et Rowena, si c’est vote désire de pronouncer le vex qui vous uniront légalement en ce moment, répondez: Je le veux.”

Max met Rowena’s eyes, his smile steady and his aura more sure of anything than he’d ever been. “Je le veux.”

---

Translations:

“Oh, Alors! Toi aussi, Ro? Tout Lampaul suffira!”
“Oh, really! You too, Ro? All of Lampaul is enough!”

“De toi c’est une menace!”
“From you that’s a threat!”

“Hé! Pas encore avec ça, vous deux!”
"Hey! Not yet with that, you two!"

“Maxime et Rowena, si c’est vote désire de pronouncer le vex qui vous uniront légalement en ce moment, répondez: Je le veux.”
"Max and Rowena, if it is your desire to take the vows which will legally unite you at this time, please respond, 'I do.'" (Technically it's 'I want it', but I read that's what they say at French weddings???)