After the battle with Tiamat, the world was saved, but like a wounded beast, it could not lick its wounds. Not all mages, just like not all people, were eager to extend their blood-stained hands to each other. Those whose homes had not been touched by the war were especially indignant. But you and Niall had formed such a strong alliance with the human leaders, forged in the fire of battle, that your peoples needed only time—time to heal their spiritual wounds and accept the inevitable changes. Your joint efforts, like sprouts, pushed through the ashes of mistrust, instilling hope for a future where magic and humanity could flourish side by side. And blossom like «a flower from Tiamat's fire.»

But I didn't want to think about politics now. The heavy burden of ruling a magical society, orphaned by the war, was already weighing heavily on my shoulders. It wasn't that this burden was a burden, but the simple joys of life were increasingly rare, breaking through the thick veil of responsibility. Now, more than ever, it was crucial to lay the foundations of a new world, so that blood would no longer stain this land when victory over Tiamat and the end of the world would become only a distant legend.

And yet, no matter how tight your schedule, you managed to steal precious moments from each other. You had to rise with the first rays of the sun, but no matter how tired you were the night before, you always greeted the morning in excellent spirits. It was all due to a small tradition that had become an unbreakable ritual. As soon as dawn broke, you, still sleepy and soft from your warm bed, would wander out into the garden of your castle. The whisper of a stream, the golden silk of sunlight, and a gentle breeze caressed your skin as you settled down under the spreading canopy of an old tree.

Niall, as usual, rested his head on your lap, and you, closing your eyes, relaxedly ran your fingers through his golden locks until the bright light finally drove away the last vestiges of sleep. These moments of solitude, silence, and oneness with nature reminded you every time that you were alive, that a new dawn was inevitable, because the worst was already behind you.

Niall chuckled softly to himself, still basking in the gentle rays of the sun as he relaxed on your lap. You gave the man you loved a gentle smile, and as if sensing it, he immediately opened his eyes and met yours. Usually, you both remained silent during these morning hours, but now your curiosity got the better of you:

"You're smiling like a contented cat, my dear. And while I don't mind at all, I'm desperately curious to know what's going on in your head. So, please, break this moment of silence and share your thoughts with me. Right now."

Niall responded with a soft, velvety laugh. Usually, he himself revered your tradition, enjoying the silence in the rays of the morning sun, but today he hoped you would ask yourself. On this morning, no different from any other, he understood that your ritual was more than just a way to heal wounded souls and ensure the continuation of the world. Every morning, seeing the sun still rising over the earth, he gathered the courage to offer you what he'd dreamed of for months, what he'd seen in sweet dreams before waking:

"I won't break anything, Twilight, for my thoughts are only on how to give us even more such happy sunrises. But for that... marry me. Do you agree?"