And so they went all around both the known and unknown world, Tvoznan as the guide, showing Rose all the things he himself had seen and experienced. He didn’t know why, but with Rose the transparent lakes seemed even clearer, the horrid dessert seemed like a pretty white beach, while the cold and harsh mountains seemed even more majestic. He had already seen all these wonders and remembered every detail, because like all great gods he had acuity, but with Rose, he was rediscovering the parts one couldn’t see with the eyes. To feel them he had to completely close his eyes, hearing the loud birds in the distance, smell the frozen winter air and taste the falling snowflakes, as they fell on his tongue and melted. Tvoznan stood there, unable to figure out the secret behind snowflakes, or as he called them, “the falling disappearing pieces of cold white substance”. He looked like a kid, running around the snow with his tongue sticking out.
“Tvoznan, dinner’s ready” came a gentle voice from behind. He turned around and saw Rose walking towards him. A few months had passed since their first meeting and she was no longer the quite shy goddess that he met not so long ago. She was still small, fragile and looked completely innocent, but Tvoznan knew better than anyone else that looks are deceiving. He remembered the painful instances of her beating up the great god and all those kicks and punches he took from her tiny limbs. He was attracted to the quite girl he had met a few months ago, but strangely speaking after he saw her real personality he fell in love with her completely, trying to make her laugh as much as possible for when she laughed, he wanted to laugh with her and scream to the world in happiness, sharing it with the world.
Tvoznan decided to finally tell her how he felt. “I am a god, right? So what if I get rejected” he though. Actually this was his 12[th attempt and every time he tried confessing he had thought the same thing, but failed miserably in the end. They walked together to the fire without uttering a single word and sat by the fire. Rose tried to start up a conversation, but see how she got no answer and stubbornly turned away eating her bowl of stew while facing Tvoznan with her back. Tvonznan was too deep in thought to notice, as he argued with himself and kept on replaying many scenarios that could happen. He finally decided to confess on top of the mountain they were camped near.
He turned to her and said catching her off guard: “Let’s climb that mountain today!” She stared at him as if saying: “Where did that come from?”
“I know this is out of nowhere, but we really need to climb that mountain today, and when we reach the top I have something to tell you” he said in one short breath.
“Actually I have something I had to tell you for quite some time as well, I’ll tell you when we reach the apex of the mountain, ok?” she asked not really looking for confirmation. After finishing their meals, they each hurried to start their hike up the mountain. It was bitter cold and the wind cut the skin like a million sharp blades, but neither noticed neither the wind, nor the cold. They just climbed higher and higher, until they reach the peak. Tvoznan reached it first and looked down and saw the breath taking sight.
He could see the little rivers frozen from the cold, the snow covered valley was covered in animals footprints and trees stood there completely bare, as of saying “Please dress us up, we are so cold!” After a few minutes, Rose joined him, and there was 2 faces with the exact same expression staring from the top of the mountain.
Finally Tvoznan turned toward her and asked: “What was it, that you wanted to tell me?” he asked. Rose blushed and answered: “You go first. You wanted to tell me something as well.”
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Tvoznan was beginning to have second thoughts about this whole confessing thing. He put a stony expression on his face and said that it wasn’t important. Rose, now curious to find out what it was, that he didn’t want to tell kept nagging him repeating the words: “Tell me.” And “please”.
“Ok, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to laugh and take me seriously!” he warned, deciding that delaying it would only cause her to misunderstand later. “I lo-… I lo-…, lo-…” He couldn’t say it. Confused Rose looked at him and then a great idea hit her.
“Let’s do it this way. We each write that we want to tell each other on the snow, switch places and read what the other has written. That way we don’t have to say it directly to the face of the person and don’t have to feel so embarrassed” she proclaimed. It was a great idea and Tvoznan quickly agreed. They each took a wooden twig, which was just long enough to trace with on the snow and started. They finished at about the same time and looked at each other, quietly walked over to the other side, both of them were completely red at this point, maybe from the cold, read what the other had written and looked at each other for a long time. They each smiled. What was written on the snow was:
I love you, Rose.
I love you, Tvoznan.
After a few awkward moments, as they looked at each other without saying a word, Tvoznan looked at her and asked in a stubborn voice: “Why didn’t you just tell me sooner! Do you know how long I suffered, from the first time we met and to this point, this is my 12th time trying to confess.” He looked at her, as he started laughing hysterically.
“Hahaha, I fell in love with you the moment that you gave me that tunic and for your information, this is my 24th time trying to confess.” She kept on laughing, as Tvoznan joined in, sharing the joy with her. Nobody can explain why, but the moment someone finds out that their one-sided love is answered, the world looks so much more peaceful and fulfilling.
Tvoznan took her hand, gripped it tightly in his and said in the cheesiest gentlemanly manner that he could muster: “My Lady, allow me to escort for the rest of your life, be the one always by your side and supporting you in times of trouble.” Rose laughed at his joke and noted to herself that his sense of humor had improved. Seeing her laugh Tvoznan burst out laughing as well, his loud voice covering the whole mountain with its sheer vastness. Thankfully, looking around her just in time and kneeing him in between the legs, the avalanche was avoided!
They journeyed far and wide together, seeing the world, meeting other gods and making lifelong friendships with anyone they met. Soon they were welcome almost anywhere, as their friends were great in number, leading to an accretion in Tvoznan’s powers and jealousy from Varnak and Kernuff, who had already lost most of their sane conscience.
After a few weeks from their adventure at the mountain, where requited love was born for the first time in the world, something happened that changed the world completely, something that was deemed to be impossible. After waking up one morning in the arms of her man, Rose stood up and something foul tasting came to her mouth. She panicked and woke up the sleeping man next to her. His eyes opened wide and he worriedly exclaimed: “What’s wrong? Are you in pain? Tell me!”
She burped, holding onto to her mouth with her hands and then slowly saying: “I think I have morning sickness…”