Most everyone was settled into the night of festivities when Ysmir aimed to steer Gwyn off the path and closer to the beach. Where the sight of the glowing fire wouldn’t inhibit their view of the stars quite so much. Out where they could have a little bit of privacy, but still enjoy the hustle and bustle of the party. Ysmir wished that he could tell Gwyn out loud how beautiful she looked tonight, with the moon and bonfire making her circlet sparkle atop her crown. He wasn’t sure he had ever been more in love with her, but that was something he told himself everyday.

He slowed his pace once they were far enough away from everything else. He stood quietly for a moment as he faced Gwyn. Taking the moment to gaze into her deep crystalline like eyes. He smiled softly while he leaned in to touch his dark nose to hers, willing her to feel the deep indescribable emotion that weighed in his heart for her. Carefully he lifted one of her delicate paws, kissing the top of her toes as he brought the appendage to his lips.

As he lowered her paw back to the ground he signed carefully, asking her if she wanted to learn to dance with him. Here under the light of the stars and in the shadows of the massive bonfire.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

Things like the bonfire festival had always felt overwhelming yet somehow wonderful at the same time. There were so many wolves, so much noise and movement all around, but the more their family grew the more warming it became to be around them all. She didn't mingle in amongst them all that much, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling as she watched everyone from the fringes of the crowd, leaning into Ysmir as they enjoyed the party together and lingered in the edges of the fire's warmth. Eventually though, her lovely boyfriend began to lead her away from the bulk of the crowd, taking her across the plains to where the beach was in view and the stars in the sky were more like the bright pin pricks of light she was used to. The others were still within sight and she could hear their chatter and laughter in the distance, but now it felt much more like she was just here with her dear Ysmir.

She lifted her lavender and sage gaze up to his two-toned blue and silver as he turned to face her, making her easy smile widen and pulling a little giggle from her as he lifted her silver-tipped paw up to his lips to kiss the top of it. Gwyn knew how sweet and thoughtful Ysmir could be, but sometimes his spontaneous romance still manage to catch her off guard and make her feel as if he could just sweep her off of her feet. The message he signed for her made her brows lift with surprise, replying with signing in turn to make sure she had understood him correctly. A dance? When he confirmed her question she grinned and nodded in agreement, her tail wagging gently behind her. She had never had someone offer to dance with her before, but if it was with Ysmir she was more than willing to follow his lead through anything.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

Leading Gwyn away from the hustle and bustle wasn’t a difficult task. While he didn’t have the same history as her, Ysmir felt the same uneasiness when it came to being a part of the crowd. Of course most of them were family to the woman that he loved, and he supposed if all went right they would be his family as well. Seeing Gwyn so comfortable in such a place was a blessing in and of itself. He’d watched and helped her recover from that day he’d met her and helped her home. It was hard to imagine that scared young girl would become this amazing woman he called the love of his life.

His heart soared whenever he was able to make her smile, and the longer they lived together the more he got to know exactly how to do that. She flashed him a bashful grin and giggled as he kissed her delicate paw. A grin spread over his own maw in response. The expression that overcame her features was one of joyous surprise as he asked her to dance with him. The small grin on his features broadened when she questioned him, and he nodded enthusiastically.

Of course, Gwyn wouldn’t deny him. Again he signed, ”Something from my people.” With a mischievous grin he motioned for her to follow his lead. With surprisingly graceful movements for his size Ysmir moved to bow to Gwyn before the dance began. He swayed slightly as he first backed away, and with sweeping motions returned to her, chest to chest. The dance had begun, and these steps would be repeated a couple of times before the next refrain.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

He had already captured her attention with the offer of a dance, but one Ysmir added that this was something he had learned from his people she was even more intrigued. She still didn't know a whole lot about where he came from or his family, other than the bits and pieces she was able to glean from their conversations and that the circlet that he had gifted her was related to his culture, so something like this felt even more special as it gave her a little glimpse into his life before she met him. She returned his grin as she stood across from him and gave a little mod as he gestured for her to follow him. Gwyn did her best attempt at matching his movements, giving him a bow in return and stepping back before shifting forward once more. He surprised her with how graceful and easy on his feet he was as he moved. While she wasn't the smallest or daintiest woman around, he was still a good bit larger than she was and still somehow danced easily and naturally with his larger paws.

Her movements were uncertain and awkward at first, having to watch him closely and ending up a beat behind at some points as she tried to figure out and memorize the movements. After a couple of repetitions she began to get the hang of it and slowly began to anticipate the next movement, her look of concentration slowly giving way to a more easy smile as she moved with him. As their dance repeated and she managed to match each of his steps without missing one, she giggled and grinned up at him happily, continuing their dance together under the moonlight with the crackle of the fire and chatter of their friends and family in the distance. Everything else felt far away as she enjoyed this special moment alone with the love of her life. It was hard to imagine a more perfect moment, but somehow Ysmir always managed to top himself again and again for her.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

There were never any real verbal words between them, he’d whispered perhaps two or three the entire time they had known each other. Most of their communication was wordless, even with the ability to sign exactly what he wanted to say. In that way part of him felt like he knew Gwynevere better than any other wolf in the world. She could pick up his thoughts and feelings with barely a glance, and he was learning her the same way. There were no need for words between them because they could already practically read each other’s minds.

She didn’t hesitate to take him up on his offer either, as Ysmir fell easily into the simple steps Gwyn followed along. Back and forth, bowing and twirling until she didn’t miss a beat. The two of them were moving in tandem, just like generations previous. Ysmir grinned, feeling so deeply fulfilled in the moment. This was the right path, Gwyn was his present and future. His grin was broad and all encompassing, there was a spring in his step that couldn’t be counterfeited.

Their pace came to a crescendo, but as slowly as they reached the height, Ysmir began to slow them down. The pace nearly stalling until they were close and nearly in each other’s arms again. Tsmir’s dark star spattered sides heaved as he sought air. His dual toned gaze never leaving Gwyn’s pastel lavender and mint eyes. He didn’t move for a long moment, unable to look away or think of anything but his dearest love. Ysmir couldn’t tell her the feelings he had, but he could show her like this.

Ysmir lowered himself to the ground in front of her, without a token beyond the circlet he had already gifted her in exchange for what he desired. He looked up into her eyes, and for a second wished that he could speak his question. Instead he signed a simple question. ”Would you be my wife?”

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

By the time the pace of their dance began to slow, Gwynevere was dancing and twirling with all her heart, giggling and grinning as she had a wonderful time with her beloved man. She followed his pace, reading his movements as easily as she read the emotions and meaning behind his expressions and motions in their day to day lives. When they first met and then began to spend more time together, she had wondered if it would really be possible to live seamlessly with one another, but it had been far easier than she had ever expected. She was sure it wasn't as easy as it would have been if he could speak, but it was so much more rewarding and had brought them so much closer than anything else could. She loved him so dearly that she couldn't put it into words and luckily she didn't need to. She could speak every word with a glance and a kiss and he could do the same.

Eventually their dance came to an end, both of them breathing hard and grinning, almost caught up in each other's embrace again. She was just about to thank him for showing her this piece of his culture when he suddenly lowered himself to the ground, looking up at her with in infectious love that she couldn't get enough of. She watched him with curious confusion and a questioning look in her eyes until he signed his question to her. Somehow, even though it was an obvious progression in their relationship, he still managed to catch her off guard and surprise her, making her lavender and mint eyes go wide with disbelief and her mouth hang open with a quiet gasp. Happy tears quickly began to collect in her eyes as a huge grin pulled across her lips as the realization that this was truly happening began to sink in, that he truly wanted her to be his wife.

Once the shock finally wore off, all she could do was nod enthusiastically in response, her tail whipping excitedly behind her as she giggled with giddy glee, hardly able to stand still as she was overcome with joy and emotion. She finally threw her forelegs around his neck as she dissolved into laughter, hugging him tight and burying her face into his dark fur as those tears of joy came streaming down her cheeks. She loved him with all of her heart and now finally she would get to be his wife forever and always.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

Ysmir hadn’t ever really lived a conventional lifestyle. He was raised by his mother and had a reluctant father who had sired pups with other women. The young man hadn’t ever really talked to his sire after that. He had followed his mother for a while, but Gwyn had been the siren song of his heart. He wanted to be better than those before him for her sake. Ysmir had seen her at her lowest, and now as he became vulnerable before her he saw her at her highest.

Their sweet dance came to an end with symmetry he had come to adore by the one he loved. Gwyn could read him like a book, and felt the descent of their tempo until completion, where he promptly aimed to turn their world upside down. Ysmir caught her attention with obvious curiosity and confusion before he finally clarified with their sign language. He would put the wish of being able to verbally ask her behind them, she knew who he was and somehow still loved and adored him.

That fact showed through in the way her features shifted and changed into complete and utter surprise. As much as he made her grin with the surprise he smiled in return. The corners of his lips pulling back to their limit as the happiness she created in him blossomed and grew. He couldn’t ask verbally and she had no need to give him one in return, the simple, innocent, nod of her head was enough for Ysmir. His heart felt like it was going to explode as she accepted his proposal.

He shuffled back to his paws just in time for her to throw her arms around him, and Ysmir caught her in his own. In a little shock that everything had gone to plan. Gwynevere was to be his wife. A warm contentment settled in his belly. Despite his many shortcomings Gwyn loved him, and wanted him at her side for the rest of their lives. A soft whine managed to fall from his dark lips as he pulled her tighter. Even though he couldn’t really laugh with joy along with her, inside his heart was doing just that and he would show her with a deep and passionate kiss. The first he would share with his beloved wife-to-be.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"

Gwynevere hugged her new fiancé tight, her tail a blur behind her as she celebrated this next huge step of her life with Ysmir with this wonderful, caring, handsome man. He was everything she could have ever hoped for and so, so much more. His forelegs tightened around her as they embraced and the small whine he managed made her grin, pulling back from his neck with a wide, joyous grin. Quickly her lips were captured with his as he kissed her passionately, telling her silently and in his own way how much this moment meant to him as well. With her forelegs around his neck keeping her chest pressed tight to his, she returned that kiss eagerly, speaking their love to one another in the best way they had. They shared so few words, but Ysmir had taught her that actions spoke just as loudly if not even more so than words. She felt his joy and love on his lips while her paws tangled in the fur on the back of his neck, holding herself as tight to him as she could.

She had to remind herself as she made out with her husband-to-be that even though they were away from the bulk of the wolves attending the bonfire, they were still out in the open and under the stars. As much as she wanted to just lose herself in the man she loved and follow the building heat between them sparked by their passionate kiss, she knew she couldn't really enjoy every aspect of their affections for one another. Gwyn pulled back from their kiss with a soft gasp after several lingering moments, her gaze returning to his with a little grin on her lips. "We should head inside..." she whispered against his lips, the reason and purpose more than clear in the sultry look in her eyes. Gwyn was certainly far from promiscuous and she was sure that even her own siblings were more inclined to physical affections than she was, but something like this felt like it called for every form of love they could manage.

Untangling herself from his embrace, she gave him a little grin and started to walk toward the castle, her tail teasingly brushing his shoulder as she passed. When they first started sleeping together she had felt uncertain and awkward with her attempts at flirtation, but as time went on and Ysmir helped her to grow more comfortable in her own skin she had grown more of a confidence around him as well. She grinned back at him over her shoulder before focusing her lavender and sage gaze on the path ahead of her, having no doubt that he would follow. It was just a quick walk across the plains and back toward the castle and as soon as they were past the large front doors of the castle she quickly pressed another kiss to his lips before tossing him another sly grin and hurrying up the stairs to their room, giggling as she went.

"Gwynevere & Ysmir"