“I’m yours,” he whispers back, just as soft, breathing her in and taking in this moment forever: he’s asked her to wed him, she’s said yes, and between them both he doesn’t think there’s any problem they can’t solve. First? No problem. Wolves? They can face ‘em. Jay? He ain’t nothin’, not against Rosa. Whatever, whoever, they can face it together.
Of course, when Ghastly clears his throat good and loud, he jumps nearly out of his skin, plainly having half forgotten his brother was there at all, and he goes a guilty red at the thought of what else he might’ve said, if Ghastly hadn’t interrupted.
“Well, I fancies me a walkabout — what’d’ye say, lads?” Pushing his chair loudly back from the table, he slaps his leg to get the attention of the two Guardian bucks, thinking perhaps that they’ll want to linger no more than he does, not to watch the young couple be so sappy with each other. “Ye fancies a stroll? Me lass’ll be waitin’ — ye bain’t met her yet, have ye, han’some?” This last question is for Aelius, of course, and accompanied by a wry grin: Unwanted has already put his ears back at the very mention of Dapplegrimm, who is no sort of thing to force on the unwary. But he will stand nonetheless, having sensed which way the wind is blowing, and nudge Aelius to try and get him to follow. With a bow to Rosa and a promise to drop the Guardians back off in an hour or two, Ghastly will depart .. leaving Last to scoop up his lady and carry her back up the stairs for some time to contemplate the promises they mean to make to each other.
