by JD Penley
They headed back to the manor with a sense of accomplishment, and on the drive home, they spoke about how he might try to propose or where he might take her to do so. “So how did you do this brother?” Galen asked. “Well I took her on a vacation for just the two of us and then I waited to find the most romantic place I could, and I asked her to marry me” Lucas replied. “How did you know when the time was right to ask though?” Galen asked. “I knew before I went on that trip I wanted to ask her brother. The trick of finding the right time to ask though is to pay attention to your heart. It doesn’t matter where you are or who else you’re with, it’s about what your heart tells you. With Eryn, I was caught up in spending time with her, being with her the way I used to in my youth. I was happily enjoying the company of my best friend whom I loved with all my heart, but I knew I wanted to spend my life with her and my heart did too. When we took that vacation together I was so caught up in being with her that there came a moment that my heart felt like it would explode if I didn’t take the chance and that if I didn’t ask her to be mine forever I would regret it the rest of my life. That was the moment I knew I had to ask her, and no matter how nervous I had been before none of that mattered anymore. At that moment, I knew that I had to make her my wife and spend the rest of my life with her” Lucas replied. “Brother, Eryn was right about you. You always know the perfect things to say. How do you manage to do that?” Galen teased. “I couldn’t tell you, I’ve always just said what comes to mind and spoken from the heart” Lucas replied. “Well brother, I don’t know how you do it but you are pretty amazing. You’ve done things I could only dream of, had adventures and a life I would never have thought possible without a royal advantage and you managed to win the heart of an amazing woman and you created a wonderful life with her. I have to admit I’m quite jealous of it Lucas” Galen said with a smile. “You needn’t be jealous brother, you can have the same things” Lucas replied. “I hope you’re right brother” Galen replied. “You don’t have to hope brother. I have faith that you will have it all, just follow your heart” he replied as he hugged him. “Thank you brother, I cannot thank you enough” Galen said. “I shall always be here for you Galen, you’re my family and I love you” Lucas replied. “I love you too brother and I will always be here for you as well” Galen replied.
Twelve
A Night To Remember
The brothers arrived back at the manor and Galen was filled with excitement, his mind racing and going in every direction possible. Lucas could hear his thoughts easily and warned his brother that his plan would be discovered if he wasn’t careful. “Galen, you and I need to have a talk. Come with me to the library, quickly!” Lucas said. Galen followed him quickly and quietly as to not draw any attention to them. “Close the door behind you brother” Lucas said. Galen closed the door and went to sit down in one of the chairs that sat in front of Lucas’s desk. “So what is it you want to talk about Lucas?” Galen asked. “Not yet brother, hold a moment” he replied. Lucas cast a spell to prevent others from hearing them and sealed the room. “That’s better, now we can speak freely without anyone hearing us or listening to your thoughts” Lucas said with a laugh. “So what did we need to speak about brother?” Galen asked again. “Well, I wanted to offer a solution to your situation. You’ve been trying to think about the right place and the right time to propose to Krystal, and I was thinking on the way home, what if we took the jet and all of us flew to New York? I have a place there, or we could book a hotel, but it is where she is originally from. It would give her a chance to show you where she comes from, and perhaps you’ll find the right place and time there to ask her” Lucas replied. “That’s actually a wonderful idea brother! I think she would love that. You are really good at this” Galen replied. “You make it seem as though it’s some difficult task to be thoughtful. You just have to listen and pay attention to the little things. You care about her and love her, all you have to do is show it. It’s the little things that make the difference brother, believe me” Lucas replied. “I believe you brother. I’ve seen how you are with Eryn, the way you look at her as if it’s the first time you’ve ever seen her every day” Galen replied. “That’s because every day I fall in love with my best friend over and over again. I look at her that way because that’s really how I feel, and every day feels like the first time I’m seeing her. She was always the love of my life brother, and fear kept me from that for too long, so don’t be like me. Tell her how you feel about her, show her you love her, and then spend the rest of your life falling in love with her every day” Lucas replied.
The silence filled the room between them and they exchanged glances for several minutes before a knock on the door broke their focus. “Come in” Lucas called out. Eryn entered the library and ran into Lucas’s arms. “So, you used privacy spell to keep out vampire’s ears? Is he finally going to take the leap?” she teased. “Yes my love, I think he finally is” Lucas replied with a laugh. “I’ve missed you, my love. Did you boys find what you were looking for?” she asked as she kissed him softly. “Yes, we did, my love. It took some time to find something perfect that he was satisfied with but he finally found the ring he was looking for” Lucas replied as he pulled her closer. “I think I’ll leave you two alone, I have a lot to get planned. When do you think we could make the trip brother?” Galen asked. “How would you like to leave this weekend and spend a week there?” he asked. “That sounds wonderful brother, I’ll make preparations right away” Galen replied. “I’ll take care of the arrangements brother, you just have to pack” Lucas replied. Galen smiled and hugged Eryn and his brother before leaving the room. “So what are you up to my love?” she asked as she smiled at him. “Simply attempting to help someone find a love like ours my love” he replied as he picked her up in his arms. “You are amazing my dear Lucas. You care so much about others and the way you help your brother is inspiring. You really are the perfect man” she said as she kissed his cheek. “You aren’t innocent in this my love, I know you’ve been talking with Krystal. You are just like me, willing to help someone else find love. You’re the perfect woman, so I guess that makes us perfect for each other” he replied. “Yes, it does my love. You’re the man of my dreams Lucas, you always were. It’s always been you” she replied as she brushed her fingers across his cheek. “You have always been the woman of mine and it was always you for me too. I knew deep down I loved you all those centuries ago, and I should have told you then, but fate saw fit to give us another chance together. Now I can never let you go” he replied as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Good, I never want you to let me go. I’m yours and you’re mine. Always and forever my love” she replied. “Always and forever my love” he replied as he kissed her passionately before carrying her to their room.
Everyone was packing and getting ready for the trip as the week flew by, and the children were just as excited to travel as everyone else. Jaidyn and Susan played and chased each other through the manor as Lucas and Galen chased them. Meanwhile, Eryn, Krystal, and Alice finished the last of the packing. They drove to the airport and loaded their bags onto the plane, and took off, and headed to New York. After settling in at the hotel, they all split up and went off to take in the sights. While Krystal showed Galen around the city, Lucas and Eryn took the kids with Alice to see the city. Alice hadn’t been to New York since she was turned so many years ago when she had come with Leliana to visit her father. It was the day she and Krystal both became vampires, and the last place she experienced life as a human. Lucas, Eryn, and Alice took the kids to the zoo, walked with them through Central Park, and took them to see Grand Central Station. Later that evening Lucas and Eryn kept the kids so that Alice could go explore the city on her own, and so that she could enjoy a night to herself. She decided to take in a Broadway show and enjoy a quiet flight above the city. Meanwhile, Lucas and Erin got Susan and Jaidyn into bed for the evening and enjoyed some time together while they waited for everyone else to return. Krystal and Galen had visited
some of her favorite spots together, and while she showed him around the city he was constantly scouting for the perfect place to propose. They repeated this routine for several days until Galen finally found where he wanted to propose. He decided he would ask her to take him to the top of the Empire State Building and ask her on the observation deck. He had fallen in love with the city, the view of the magnificent skyline, and the lights at night from above the city. The next morning he asked her if they could go visit the Empire State Building later that evening and set his plan in motion.
He spent the afternoon with Lucas while Eryn and Alice helped Krystal get ready for their date. Lucas and Galen walked the city streets together talking about the plans for the evening. “So are you ready brother?” Lucas asked. “To be honest brother, I’m mortified. I have no idea what to say, and I’m terrified of what she’ll say” Galen replied. “Brother, you have to stop letting fear get to you. Take it from me, being afraid to express your feelings for her could be the greatest regret of your immortal life. I had a chance with Eryn centuries ago, and fear stopped me from telling her how I felt. I’ve lived with that regret for centuries, even after I thought she had died and it’s the reason I never let a chance pass by that I don’t tell her what she means to me now. Had I been braver, she and I could have had a different life, but I also have come to realize that when something is meant to be, the person we’re meant to be with will come back into our lives when we need them the most. You don’t want to have to wait for a second chance if you can seize the opportunity now, so stop allowing your fear of the unknown to prevent you from taking a leap of faith. She loves you brother, there is no denying that, and it’s obvious you love her. Take a chance, take the leap, and go get the woman of your dreams as I did, or you may regret it for the rest of eternity” Lucas said as he put his arm around Galen. “Thank you brother, it means a lot to have you here with me, and that you’ve been there for me as a shoulder to lean on and an ear for my concerns. I couldn’t have asked for a better brother or friend. It means more to me than I could ever express Lucas” he replied. “I understand completely brother. It has meant the world to me having you around. I’ve gotten so much more than I hoped for lately. I got the love of my life back and discovered I have a brother with whom I’ve become close to as if we never were apart and I’ve gotten the family I always wanted. Believe me when I tell you brother there is nothing worse than living with regrets and wishing you had taken a chance on love, so follow your heart and go get the girl” Lucas replied.
They returned just after 5 pm and just as the girls were finishing up with Krystal. She came out from the bathroom and Galen’s jaw dropped. She looked stunning, wearing a strapless red dress and red heels. Eryn and Alice had helped with her hair and makeup and she looked flawless as if she had just stepped from the pages of a magazine. Galen was speechless and Lucas couldn’t help but laugh at how quickly his warrior brother was stopped in his tracks by the sight of a beautiful woman. Lucas whispered to Galen through their thoughts to avoid drawing attention. “Good luck brother, you’ve got this. Speak from the heart, and don’t stress about it. She’s going to say yes.” Galen smiled and nodded to Lucas and Eryn caught the exchange and she smiled at Lucas and winked. Galen rushed to go get ready and Lucas helped him find the perfect suit to wear. When he came out of the bedroom everyone was staring. “You clean up nice Uncle Galen” Alice said with a smile. “Thank you Alice, but your father helped me pick this out” he replied. “Well he’s always had great taste, so you were in good hands” she replied with a laugh. “Well you two have fun tonight, we’ll watch the kids” Eryn said to them before giving them both a hug. “Thank you, Eryn and Lucas, we appreciate all the time you’ve given us since we’ve been here” Krystal said as she hugged Lucas. “It was my pleasure Krystal. I figured you and Galen could use some time alone and he’s never seen your hometown. I also enjoyed getting to spend time with Susan and Jaidyn and they get along great so it’s been lots of fun with them both” Lucas replied. “You two have a good night Uncle Galen!” Alice shouted as they walked out the door together holding hands.
Alice turned to face Eryn and Lucas, and a mischievous grin came over her face. “Ok, you two are not staying here tonight either. You’ve had the kids all week, so you are going out on a date” she said sternly. “Alice you don’t have to do that my dear” Eryn said softly. “Yes I do mom, you and daddy are going out and enjoying some time to yourselves” she replied. Eryn stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes locked with Lucas’s. “Did she just call me mom?” Eryn asked Lucas silently with her thoughts. “Yes, she did” Lucas replied. Eryn ran to her and threw her arms around her. “I love you, Alice, you’re the best daughter I could have ever hoped for. I only wish that I could have had more children with your father, but that just isn’t possible for us” she replied with a sigh. “I know, but I got the best mom I could have hoped for, and Jaidyn is the best little brother and he’s so adorable” Alice replied. “Well I know he loves you and you’re the best sibling I could have asked for him to have” Eryn replied. As Eryn turned towards Lucas he placed his hands on her stomach and closed his eyes, and she felt a strange sensation. The lights went dim, and there was a sudden coldness to the air and a vibration that only they could feel because of their vampire senses. Suddenly the lights and the temperature went back to normal, and they were all confused except for Lucas who had a grin on his face. “What just happened my love?” Eryn asked. “Well, that was just a little spell I’ve been working on for months. I had wanted to wait until our anniversary or a special occasion to let the secret out of the bag, but after hearing you two, I couldn’t wait anymore” he replied. “Daddy, did you just do what I think you did?” Alice asked. “That depends on what you think I did little one” he said with a chuckle. “Lucas, what did you do to me? I feel different, and I can’t explain it” Eryn said as her voice was shaking. “It was a spell to allow us to have children together. Between my already being a vampire and you having to become one to stay immortal we lost the chance to have our own children, so I found a way for us to have that experience together” he replied. “Lucas, what did I ever do to deserve you? You’re the man of my dreams and you do so much for me, you spoil me too much” she said with tears in her eyes. He wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead and took her into his arms. “I keep asking myself what I did to deserve you. Fate was kind enough to see us together again, and I got the woman of my dreams when you came back. I do all these things for you and spoil you because you mean the world to me. I have never loved another soul the way I love you, and will never stop loving you. I always saw myself with you, but I never had the courage to tell you how I felt. I wanted everything with you, a family, and a future, all of it. Now we can have it all, together” he replied.
Alice ran to them both and hugged them tightly, and all of them were crying together. They had finally found a way to have everything they always wanted. Lucas and Eryn would finally have a baby of their own, and Jaidyn and Alice would have a new sibling. This had turned out to be the perfect trip for everyone so far, and the night had only just begun. After several minutes of silence, Alice took Eryn to help her get ready to go out for the evening. Lucas kept an eye on the children until they were finished and then he got ready as well. “So do you have any idea what you’ll do tonight?” Alice asked. “I have something in mind, but it may require you to have to watch the kids overnight in case Krystal and Galen get tied up all night. Do you mind little one?” Lucas asked. “No daddy, go have fun” she replied. “What are you up to Lucas?” Eryn asked. “You will see my love” he replied with a smile as he winked at her. They went downstairs and headed out for the evening, where there was a horse and buggy waiting for them. He helped her into the carriage and took his seat beside her. “Well someone was busy” she teased. “Well I wanted to give you a nice romantic evening, besides you girls took a while so I had the time” he said with a laugh. “So what else do you have planned then my prince?” she tea
sed. “You will just have to wait and see princess” he said as he kissed her. They rode through the city streets with her in his arms as they took in all the sights of the city. He took her to see a show on Broadway, walked with her through Central Park under the moonlight, and then took her back to his penthouse in the city. “So we have the whole place to ourselves, whatever will you do with me, my prince?” Eryn teased. “Whatever you desire my princess” Lucas replied. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. “Oh no, you don’t get that it that easy, you put me down right now” she teased. “As you wish my love” he replied as he put her down gently on the bed. “You stay put, I’ll be right back” she said as she pushed him down onto the bed walked towards the bathroom. “As you wish” he said with a smile.
