Page 70 of Whisker me Away
The decision to expand Bloom & Blossom into a proper educational facility had crystallized over the past few days, fueled by conversations with practitioners like Elena and James who were eager to learn advanced techniques. It felt like the perfect way to honor her grandmother's legacy while building something entirely her own.
"You're really going through with the school idea?" Elena's eyes lit up with excitement. "Because I would love to be your first official student."
"We're really doing it," Freya confirmed, glancing at Kieran for the silent support that had become second nature between them. "The council's already approved funding for renovating the old Grange Hall, and we've got enough interest to start with a class of six students next month."
"What kind of curriculum are you planning?" James asked.
"Practical botanical magic with emphasis on community applications," Freya said, her voice growing stronger as she talked about the project that had captured her imagination. "Healing techniques, protective wards, ecosystem restoration, crisis management. Everything someone would need to serve as their community's nature practitioner."
"And I'll handle the security and crisis response training," Kieran added. "Because saving communities requires more than just magical knowledge."
Their different approaches to leadership had proven complementary in ways that surprised them both. Where Freya's instinct was to nurture and guide, Kieran's wasto protect and strategize. Where she saw potential that needed encouragement, he saw vulnerabilities that needed strengthening. Together, they created an educational approach that addressed both magical and practical concerns.
"It sounds amazing," Elena said. "When do applications open?"
"Technically, they already have," Freya replied with a grin. "You just submitted yours."
The afternoon passed quickly as they continued their restoration work, the Sacred Grove transforming before their eyes into something even more beautiful than it had been before the corruption. By sunset, ancient oaks stood straighter, sacred herbs bloomed with unprecedented vigor, and the very air hummed with magic that felt both familiar and refreshingly new.
"Good work today," Kieran said as the other practitioners began gathering their tools and preparing to head home. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Absolutely," Elena replied, her dirt-stained hands testament to the hard work they'd accomplished. "This is the most fun I've had with magic in years."
After the others left, Freya and Kieran walked slowly back toward town, enjoying the peaceful evening and the satisfaction of work well done. The path wound through forests that showed signs of accelerated healing everywhere they looked, with new growth sprouting from earth that had been poisoned just weeks before.
"Penny for your thoughts," Kieran said when they paused beside Moonmirror Lake, its waters once again crystal clear and reflecting the first stars appearing in the darkening sky.
"Just thinking about how much has changed," Freya replied, settling beside him on the bench someone had placed overlooking the water. "A month ago, I was convinced I wasfailing at everything that mattered. Now I'm planning to teach other people how to do what I barely understood myself."
"Now you're accepting that you've always been stronger than you realized," Kieran corrected gently. "The teaching center isn't you pretending to know things you don't. It's you sharing knowledge you've spent your whole life accumulating."
"Knowledge and perspective," she added. "The whole point is that we learned something important during the crisis. Something about partnership and shared strength that needs to be passed on."
"Exactly." Kieran's arm settled around her shoulders with easy familiarity. "Which is why those consultation requests keep coming. Other communities can sense that we've figured out something they need to learn."
"We make a good team," Freya said, leaning into his warmth as evening coolness settled over the lake.
"The best team." His voice carried a note she couldn't quite identify, something that made her look up at his profile in the starlight. "Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Our teamwork?"
"Our partnership. Our future. Everything we've been building together." Kieran shifted slightly, and Freya felt rather than saw him reach into his jacket pocket. "I've been thinking about permanence lately."
"Permanence?" Her heart began beating faster, though she wasn't sure why.
"About making our bond as official in human terms as it is in magical ones." Kieran turned to face her fully, and in the starlight she could see something glinting in his hand. "About asking you to marry me."
The world seemed to stop. Freya stared at the simple but elegant ring he held, its band carved with protective runesthat caught the moonlight like captured stars. It was perfect, understated but meaningful, exactly what she would have chosen for herself.
"Kieran," she breathed.
"I know we're already mated," he said quickly, the words tumbling out like he'd rehearsed them but was still nervous about the delivery. "I know the magical bond makes us partners in every way that matters. But I want the human ceremony too. I want to stand up in front of our community and promise to love you for the rest of my life. I want to make it official in every tradition that exists."
"You want to marry me," she repeated, still processing the enormity of what he was offering.
"I want to marry you, build a life with you, maybe even have children with you someday if that's something you'd want. I want forever, Freya. The real kind, with paperwork and ceremony and rings that tell everyone who looks that we belong to each other."
Tears were streaming down her cheeks now, but they were happy tears, joyful tears that spoke to dreams she'd barely dared admit to herself. "You beautiful, wonderful man. Of course I'll marry you."
