He had the plan in mind. It was good, in his mind, if not a little extravagant. While he was bad at words, bad at feelings, things with Tenshi were different. Like she quieted the storm in his head, like she quelled the poor feelings. His moods are less stormy, his head is clearer. The amount of effort she put in, too? She'd picked up his mother tongue. She'd made an effort to get to know his sisters. She made the shadow king feel at peace in a way that he couldn't begin to describe. Tenshi was everything, as if Víðarr hadn't already known that.

He'd been waiting for the dust to settle after the pack challenge, waiting to really do things right. Víðarr had stumbled upon the tunnel and cavern network that would bring him all the way up to the peak, high in the sky. It was a dangerous one, and he made a mental note to block off the trail so the pups couldn't go mucking around up here. Still, for what he wanted, it was absolutely perfect. The viking king had already been up there once for today, setting up a meal and some plush furs to curl up on. They'd be able to go up, eat, watch the sunset, drink some mead... and he could ask his question.

In the soft light of the autumn afternoon, the sun beginning to drift down in the sky, Víðarr sought Tenshi out. His words are simple, and he's determined to act as normally as possible. This would be a surprise, if he had any luck. "I found another path up higher, come explore it with me?" Víðarr spoke softly, the flicker of a smile in his tone.

"Speech"

The dust swirling around Heidinn finally began to settle. Tenshi was more than pleased with their turnout. From Vidarr’s sisters to his followers to the Stargazer, their numbers were slowly building. While there is a bittersweet twinge in her chest that perhaps she doesn’t fit in completely, she ignores it. The only way for her to fit in is to try. Which is what she does. Learn his tongue, his customs, his gods, his family. All of it. While her own tongue is not from this land, she is willing to forget it and all the bad blood that it comes with for him.

Him is what is on her mind when he seeks her out. Even before he arrives, she can sense him. His being, presence, spirit. It puts all of her nerves on end. She barely looks up when he approaches because just looking at his bright gaze sends her stomach into somersaults. Tenshi cannot believe that he is her’s. All her’s. Of course, she is open, relaxed, understanding. There is room in her heart to love any and all mistakes he makes.

What isn’t a mistake is staying. Staying to be with him and live on this mountain. Finally, a mountain to once more call home. Her heart is full of joy as she listens to his proposition. A curious look crosses her expression as she glances at him. The smile, the flicker of excitement. “What goes on in that mind of yours?” She says softly as she closes the distance between them. Tenshi can only imagine what he has planned. Reaching out to plant a soft kiss upon his cheek, she walks by and brushes her shoulders against his. “Lead the way, Konungr,” Tenshi purrs as she bats her lashes at him and waits for him to start their adventure.

"Speech"

Tenshi is... she's gravity. Well, she has the same effect, at least. She draws Víðarr in, keeps him grounded. Through that, she keeps him safe too. Hell, his head has been in the clouds more than once. In the clouds... with the gods. Both of those things were accurate. Still, having Tenshi by his side had brought him the strength, the power to reach out and seize what was his-- no. What was theirs. Víðarr looks at her like she's hung all the stars in the sky, and to him, she has.

She kissed his cheek. In turn, Víðarr placed a soft kiss on her forehead before beginning to lead the way up. What was going on in his mind? A loaded question, was she onto him? Víðarr wasn't going to ruin the surprise. "Lots of things, mostly thoughts of you." He winked, leaning to playfully blow in her ear as they moved towards the trail to up to the Peak. "Careful, this is a squeeze." He warns softly, taking the forward position as they head up.

"And I was thinking about expanding next, where we would choose. What do you think?" The viking king remains conversational, hoping to keep Tenshi distracted as they make their way to the top of the Peak. He also genuinely values her opinion, so it would be a helpful thing to think about the future. Hell, the future? That's what all this was about. His future, and (if he was lucky), Tenshi's too. As they finally reach the top of the mountain, he steps aside, turning to gage her reaction.

"Speech"

The warmth of his kiss upon her forehead releases a happy hum in her chest. To be loved again is all she had wanted. To be needed, to be cherished, valued, appreciated. Vidarr gave her all of those things and more. There was nothing she could complain about. Honestly, she couldn't hide the smile he brought to her lips whenever he was nearby. How could she not smile in his company? Though he a shadow, it filled her heart with warmth. Even as he blew in her ear and flirted with her, she giggled like a helpless damsel. "You flatter me," she mentions before reaching over to tug on the thick fur of his cheek gently with her front teeth.

It is then that he mentions it is a squeeze to go farther up. Drawing her gaze away from him finally, she lets him move forward to lead the way. The way he moves tells her that he has already been here. Though snow has fallen, she can see the slight depressions ahead of him. What was this man up to? Her brow raises as she stays silent for awhile. Focusing on not falling off the sheer cliff edge, she instead enjoys the trek up the mountainside. To be cold once more, to feel the dry air sucked into her lungs, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

He asked where they should expand. Tenshi stays quiet for a moment while she lulls over the question. "The mountain provides hunting on the lower slopes so I am not worried there. Perhaps we expand somewhere we can make into a home? That is not in the open," she continues to think on it before remembering the time she was exploring with Keila. "Ah, maybe we should look into the mineshafts on the northern side of the mountain? It would be difficult to be raided there, easy to keep secret, but could be dangerous if not fortified," Tenshi continues to contemplate as they amble up the steep walkway.

"Have you been to the other neighboring lands? I have not had much time to look elsewhere for potential," she looks off the side of the mountain and out into the vast expanse of Boreas. Though it is cloudy up here, she can still see blotches of green and blue peeking out through the clouds. Maybe they should take somewhere open and free? Or the deep depths of the crypt she had passed once. The mountain was smack dab in the middle of Boreas so their possibilities were quite endless...

"Speech"

He's excited. It was hard not to be. There's something about her that's... wow. Víðarr has never been a man with all of the right words, but he doesn't need to be. Not with Tenshi. Where words failed, he could just feel. He'd been blessed, that was for certain. His family, his home, and Tenshi-- what more could he ask for? What more could he want? Really, he was on top of the world.

And literally, too, they are on top of the world. Or at least it seemed that way. "That is a good point. Somewhere comfortable," he grinned, taking a deep breath. Trying to relax, but it was hard. The excitement was palpable, and the viking king could barely contain himself. Víðarr was strangely giddy. Strange, but good strange. He followed her gaze, looking out over the mountain.

"Some, but we can go together and look." Víðarr would take advantage of the fact that Tenshi's back was turned. He stepped down onto the broad, sturdy ledge that had been concealing his plan. The view before him was among the most spectacular he'd seen in all his days, Víðarr was certain of it. Beside him, a comfortable bear pelt and dinner. "Tenshi, come look," he doesn't conceal the awe in his voice. Still, peering over his shoulder, Víðarr only has eyes for her.

"Speech"

There was something different about Vidarr today. Typically, the Viking was calm, quiet, and collected. As she looked from the distance to him, she could feel it. See it. How he radiated a sort of energy that was only saved for their most private moments. Was this really just a stroll up to the peak or something more? She began to question as he spoke. Her eyes move back to the distance where Boreas is laid out before them. Snow has not fully covered the mountain peak which makes the visibility better. It distracts her for a moment as Vidarr moves up to his hiding place.

"An adventure would be fun. As long as we don't cross any more jaguars," she teases. It is then that she notices the space has grown between them. A slight shift in the wind and his scent is farther away. Concerned, Tenshi turns to look as he tells her to come to him. Her eyes widen in both awe and curiosity as he meets her gaze. What was he hiding? A smile flickers across her lips as she moves toward him. Up onto the ledge, she peers down at the bear pelt and dinner all neatly laid out for her. She gasps as she looks up to him with a broader smile.

"Min kärlek, what is this all about?" Tenshi questions as she steps over to embrace him with a deep kiss. She cannot help it. The love she feels for the Viking King is insurmountable. When she pulls away, she is slightly breathless. Looking back to the dinner and bear pelt, she is excited. Her heart thumps against her chest.

"Speech"

The viking king gives a warm, brassy chuckle. It's true, he can only hope there were no more jaguars out there. The predators had grown nastier lately, something that... worried him. Worried him more than he cared to admit. He'd been doing his best to keep those thoughts in the back of his mind. They'd been more aggressive, more concerning. Even more now, with a family to protect and provide for. That, and he had his grandchildren to worry about. And with the idea that they hopefully wouldn't be the only pups around for much longer-- it's his job to worry about them.

Víðarr doesn't have the space for worry in this specific moment, though. Carefully, he watches Tenshi as she nears, watches her eyes go wide. He cannot conceal his smile, can't conceal his excitement. His heart pounded in his chest, nearly dizzy with it. Love pure in his shining, icy eyes, he studies the mountain woman as she comes to stand by his side. The embrace is warm, tender. The kiss? Perhaps more than that. Víðarr's warmth was far more than physical in these moments, and he holds to the woman like he'll never let go.

Hopefully, he never has to. "Mitt allt, I cannot and do not want to imagine life without you," he begins, the words carrying weight as they fall from his tongue. One more deep breath, and he pops the question. "Will you marry me?" Víðarr is typically a man of few words, and the succinct request seemed to suit him. His gaze is careful, steady on Tenshi. The viking king has laid his heart at her feet, if Tenshi is willing to take it. By the gods, he can only hope. Unusually earnest, excited, nervous-- all of the things in his chest, between his ribs. Tender and excited, all he can do is pray.

"Víðarr"

There in his eyes, she sees the gleam. Oh, how they sparkle in the dying light of the day. She can see how much he loves her, adores her, wants her. It makes Tenshi’s heart swell, pounding into the cavity of her chest. Even her stomach was twisting and turning to the point of almost feeling sick. Is this what butterflies feel like? She had not felt this in so long she had almost forgotten. Honestly, she cannot help the tears that glisten at the corners of her eyes. To be this happy… This excited… for the future… Her heart finally begins to mend. The past no longer matters as long as the shadow is with her.

Lost in their embrace, she barely wants to move but she must. The bear skin and dinner appear and smell delectable. She wants to stretch out with him and watch the sunset along the horizon. To feel the crisp air flutter against her cheeks as snow threatens to fall. Ah, to be on a mountain once more.

As she turns, his words catch her off guard. She was not expecting him to answer anything other than that he wanted to treat her nicely. Is that not what lovers did? He had a way of doing such things often and she was not surprised at the gesture. Until he paused. Her heart skips as the question is dropped. Her lips parted slightly as the breath was taken from her lungs. A proposal? To her?

“By Frigg, I will,” she exclaimed before leaning once more into him so that she could practically smoosh her face against his. To know that her patience, her loyalty, her determination had all paid off. Tenshi was more than pleased. She would be happy to forget her old life, heritage, and culture to adopt his. She would learn, soak up, and drink all there was to know about the gods and Vikings if it meant being with him. “We must hold the biggest wedding Boreas and Auster have ever known,” Tenshi murmurs against his lips as she slowly pulls away.

"Tenshi"

His heart pounded in his chest, though Víðarr wasn't entirely sure why. Why did this make him so nervous? It's the act of exposing his soul, leaving it bare for Tenshi. Vulnerable. It's vulnerability that he's been patently against for his entire life... but it's vulnerability that he trusts her with, as well. There is trust, comfort in his closeness to her. She has become everything to him, and he would be happy to show the world that. By Tenshi's side is the place that he wanted to be most of all, and that was the place he'd fight to stay. The viking king can't help but allow a broad smile to crack his face as she gives her answer.

The resounding yes leaves him elated. His heart warm, swelling in his chest. The shadow smooshes his face right back into hers, a happy, lively kiss. Víðarr couldn't recall any time he'd been this happy. This well and truly happy. The mountain woman would be his viking queen, and that warmed him in a way that he couldn't describe. In a way that he couldn't explain. He's never been so incredibly and immensely happy, with all the pieces coming into place.

"Anything for you," Víðarr breathed, his face resting against the woman's neck. His embrace is warm, and he doesn't want to let go... despite dinner looking damn good where it lay. Reluctantly, he'd release her so they could eat. "It will be the wedding of your dreams, I promise." He didn't know exactly how to pull it off, but he knew Tenshi would be there every step of the way. That would be more than enough for Víðarr.

"Víðarr"

The warmth of his head against her shoulder sends sparking sensations through her body. Not only are his kisses electric, but any time their fur or skin make contact, she feels more alive than the moment previous. She too does not want to separate, her movements reluctant as he promises her the wedding of her dreams. Inside, her heart swells and surprisingly, she might feel a tear prick at the edge of her eyes. While she was not normally a woman to cry, this moment was making her happier than she had perhaps ever felt in her life. Aside from... no, she wouldn't think of the past. This was her future. This was where she was meant to be.

Tenshi smiles as she fully pulls away from Vidarr and turns toward the elaborate dinner he has laid out. "You have outdone yourself," she comments, hardly able to keep her eyes on the food when all she wants to do is keep looking at him. "Please, tell me, what have you brought?" The soon-to-be Viking queen asks as a smile plays on her lips and she waits patiently for her fiance to give her a lowdown on their feast.

"Tenshi"

The gods had put them together. She'd been chosen for the viking king, and they're woven together by something far more intense, far more beautiful than he'd ever known. Tangled within the red string of fate, Víðarr is wrapped up in her. His understandings of love before this paled in comparison, and it's... it's more than he could have known. She is more than he could dream of.

A proud expression slips over his rough features, and a little glimmer lights in his eyes. "Only the best for you," Víðarr proclaimed, settling beside their spread. "Smoked trout, smoked salmon, fresh reindeer, sugared cranberry, and cured boar. The honey mead, and dandelion wine are here, along with some of the priests' ah... celebration tea." Víðarr winked, alluding to just what exactly may be in that blend. They were blessed by the gods, after all. "For desert, well--" he chuckled, unable to hold back the remark. He leans to place a searing kiss on his wife's forehead. Tender, possessive, and absolutely loaded.

"Víðarr"

Vidarr was... everything to her. How she had not realized it the day they met made her feel blind. She felt as if she had wasted time departing from him that day. What if she had stayed with him? Standing there, in that frigid water atop the falls, staring at him as if their souls knew. Her soul had known, her heart as well. Going to Auster had been good. Had been closure she needed for her pained and broken heart. Now that she felt no... well, okay she felt ill-will toward Nihon and its tyrants, but she was here now in Boreas. Away from them, away from the terror. She was with Vidarr now and that was all that mattered.

Listening to him list off their spread of food, she can feel her mouth begin to salivate for more than one reason. Even his admitting wink in her direction as her belly twisted with anticipation. Oh, she missed this sort of excitement. Her smile spreads as her icy gaze levels with his own. "Maybe we skip desert," she murmurs as he leans forward to place that fiery and possessive kiss upon her forehead. "We can have drinks and get our sustenance elsewhere," there is suggestion in her tone as she leans back and smirks at him. Reaching over to grab some of the honey mead, she takes a deep swig of it before holding it out to him.

"Speech"