FOUR MONTHS LATER. The crisp January air nips at Kate's cheeks, but a wide smile warms her face as she forages in the sun-dappled forest. Despite the winter chill, the hardier herbs have surprised her, pushing up through the frosted ground. She plucks them carefully, their earthy scent filling her senses, and deposits them in a hefty pouch. Lost in the rhythm of the hunt, she doesn't hear the soft crunch of footsteps until a dark figure emerges from behind a towering oak. A jolt of surprise shoots through her as a cloaked figure steps into her peripheral vision. Kate whips her head around, hand instinctively reaching for the pouch, a reflex honed by years of solo exploration. But as the figure pulls down their hood and mask, revealing a familiar face, relief washes over her. Gordo's grin stretches beneath his mask, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

(G)Relax, it’s just me.

(K)[sigh] Damnit, Gordo, you scared the shit out of me.

(G)I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I just saw you over here and decided to come see if you were okay. I don’t want bandits coming after you.

(K)Thank you, Gordo, I appreciate your concern, but I’m just picking herbs so I won’t be long.

(G)I know, but still, Merig gave me the responsibility of watching out for you when you're out here, remember? He'd kill me if he knew I left you out here alone. He's terrifying.

(K)I'm sorry, Gordo, I understand, that’s Merig for you. It could be our little secret.

(G)[sigh] Unfortunately, I can't risk that, Kate.

(K)Alright, I’m almost done and then we can go.

(G)I’m glad Merig let me train and join the Royal Guards. Although I felt guilty about what happened at your house and at Cormac’s camp, so I told Merig everything. Let’s just say, he put me through some very rigorous training as punishment. I really am sorry for everything and I actually really love being here in Tara. I have a place to sleep and new friends.

(K)I’m so happy for you, Gordo, and I’m sorry Merig put you through that. You came here and bettered yourself and I commend you for that. All is forgiven, and I was happy to be your friend, too.

(G)Really? Even after everything?

(K)I told you I can be a forgiving person as long as you become a better person. You did just that and as long as you swear to never hurt me again, I can forgive you.

(G)I swear to it, Kate, you have my word. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you again, not after everything you and Merig have done for me. My life hasn't been so miserable anymore since I left Cormac’s camp, thanks to you. I’ll even shake on it to seal the promise.

A warm smile spreads across Kate's face as she meets Gordo's gaze. Brushing dirt off her hands from gathering herbs, she rises and steps towards him. Gordo reaches out, palm open, for a handshake to seal their agreement. Kate's eyes linger on his hand for a moment, a playful glint in them before she looks back up at him. Instead of the handshake, she closes the distance between them, her arms extending in invitation. As she reaches Gordo, she pulls him into a full embrace, the scent of fresh herbs mingling with the air. Surprise momentarily stuns Gordo, his face a picture of wide-eyed shock. He sputters, momentarily speechless, before a smile breaks across his lips. Wrapping his arms around Kate, he returns the hug, the warmth radiating between them. They hold each other for a beat before pulling away, Kate's smile lingering on Gordo's face. He clears his throat, a hint of fluster coloring his cheeks.

(G)Thank you, I’m still getting used to that. But your hugs always make me feel better.

(K)[smiles] That’s my goal. I’ll go ahead and finish gathering these herbs.

With a satisfied smile, Kate pivots on her heel and retraces her steps back to the herbal haven she'd created. Just as she's about to sink back down and resume her foraging, a voice cuts through the tranquil scene. Kate twists around, her brow furrowing in curiosity, to see Barth astride his horse, urging it towards her and Gordo. After a moment, he manages to rein in the steed with a practiced hand, stopping near Kate.

(B)There you are. I’ve been looking for you. Merig said you’d be out here. I just didn’t know where, so I had to do some searching.

(K)Sorry, Barth, you can tell Merig not to worry. Gordo is here with me.

(B)Actually, he sent me to come and get you. He’s back at the pub and said he wanted to talk to you. You can come, too, Gordo.

(K)Oh, okay, I was just picking herbs, but I gathered enough so I’ll come back with you.

(G)I’ll come, too.

As Kate turns around, the rustle of her cloak echoes in the quiet forest. She crouches down, her fingers deftly grab her herb pouch, and carefully tucks it away. Moving gracefully, she approaches Barth's horse and deftly climbs on behind him, securing her grip. Gordo mounts his own horse, and with a determined nod from Barth, the trio set off back to the city.

In the warm glow of the pub, Merig, Larry, and Ashley stand around a worn table, their voices mingling in the air. Merig's anxiety is palpable as he struggles to steady his voice. His eyes darting around the room in a low and panicked manner.

(M)I’m not sure about this, you guys. I’m sweating buckets and my stomach is doing flips, and it’s getting harder to breathe.

(A)Merig, relax, you’ve been rehearsing this for like an hour and I told you it was perfect, you can do this.

(L)She’s right, this is a big step, but you’re the brave Commander Merig Flynn, remember? You have that shiny new spine of yours and a new set of steel balls.[chuckles]

(M)[snickers] Thanks, pal, alright I have to calm down. What’s the worst that can happen?

(A)Don’t say that, you might speak something into existence.

(L)You’ll be fine, Merig, I believe in you.

Merig squirms where he stands, a knot of anxiety tightening in his gut. He inhales a deep breath, letting it out slowly through pursed lips, his efforts to calm himself evident. His droopy goblin ears suddenly perk up a bit at the creak of the pub door opening. The color drains from his face, leaving him pale as a ghost. Nervousness floods back, erasing any semblance of composure. He glances up with the others at the sight of Kate, Barth, and Gordo entering the pub, their path leading straight to their table. Kate's smile widens as she spots Merig, her eyes sparkling with warmth. She reaches out, her touch sending a jolt through him, and takes his hands in hers. With a gentle tug, she pulls herself up for a kiss, the tension momentarily forgotten in the face of her affection.

(K)Hello, my love, I heard you summoned me here. Barth said you needed me.

(M)[clears throat] Uh-uh-uh, Y-Yeah, I did summon you here. I-I wanted to talk to you.

(K)What is it, Merig? Is everything okay? You’re sweating and you look pale.

(M)Y-Yeah, everything is fine.

Merig fidgets in his seat, his face flushing a deep crimson as he tries to form words for Kate. He sputters incoherently, his gaze darting between her and the table like a trapped animal. Kate's brow furrows with concern. Reaching out, she places a gentle hand on his cheek, her touch a grounding force. Merig, under the calming influence of her touch and voice, takes a shaky breath, his sputtering subsiding for the moment. A reassuring smile graces Kate's lips as she speaks in a soft, concerned voice, hoping to soothe his rising panic.

(K)Sweetheart, are you sure you’re okay? You’re now beet red. Are you sick?

(M)N-No, honey, I’m fine. I just need to catch my breath, that’s all. Um, I’ll be honest. I’m really nervous but I’ll get through it. But hey, I love you.

(K)[smiles] I love you, too, Merig. So what did you need me for?

Merig takes another deep, steadying breath before reaching out hesitantly. He gently pulls Kate's hand away from his cheek and, with a shy smile, captures both of hers in his own. A moment passes as he looks down at her hands, filled with unspoken thoughts before he meets her eyes again. A flicker of newfound confidence replacing the earlier nervousness. Merig throws a quick glance over his shoulder, catching the encouraging smiles and nods from Ashley and Larry. Taking a cue from them, Larry rises, his voice booming as he attempts to grab the attention of the pub patrons.

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(L)Can I have everyone’s attention, please?!

Larry raises his voice, and it begins to echo through the pub. Patrons around them hush, the quietness spreading outwards. The pub eventually falls silent, all eyes turning towards Larry as Merig fidgets nervously. Larry scans the room, ensuring he has everyone's attention before he begins to speak.

(L)Sorry about that. If everyone doesn’t mind, our very own Commander Merig Flynn has something he’d like to say to his beloved Kate.

Larry glances at Merig and offers a curt nod. Merig swiftly directs his gaze back to Kate, who waits expectantly. A confused frown appears on her face. Merig steadies himself, drawing in another deep breath to compose his thoughts. He keeps his hands clasped with Kate's as he begins to speak.

(M)Kate, over a year and a half ago, you first set foot in this pub to meet Larry and me for the first time. And when Ashley introduced us, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Well, my one eye, since Larry hit my other eye with a toothpick.

(K)[giggles] I’ll always remember that.

(M)[chuckles] But I couldn’t believe it when I saw you. The most beautiful human I’d ever seen and from then on, I knew I wanted to be with you. It took me a long time to tell you how I felt because I didn’t know how you felt about me yet. So I waited until the time was right, and to my surprise, you felt the same way. I was ecstatic and over the moon. It almost felt like a dream, but it wasn’t. Then I tried my best to make you happy, which I had always tried making you happy since that was my goal to see you smile because I loved seeing you happy. Something about your smile just fills my life with happiness and I can’t help but fall in love with you every time I see you smile and be happy.

Ashley and Larry look over at the two with sentimental smiles while the pub full of people are heart-warmed by the scene before them. A very bashful Kate looks up at Merig as the two share a smile before Kate looks around at the patrons in the pub, who continue to listen to what Merig has to say. Kate and Merig’s eyes meet again as they continue to smile at each other while Merig takes another deep breath before he continues speaking to Kate.

(M)But I never imagined that a beautiful human like you would even consider loving a goblin like me. But here we are many months later and you‘re still with me and you still love me no matter what. You also saved my life. I died in your arms, but you loved me enough to bring me back. Thinking back on it made me realize that you really do love a goblin like me. You didn’t care what I was, and you still fell in love with me and you’re everything to me, Kate. I just never thought I was worthy of your love and I still kind of don’t. But you proved otherwise and I couldn’t be happier. I confessed my love for you and gave you the necklace you still wear, the one you used to bring me back. I asked you out on a date and we danced in the sky as we kissed under the moon. We danced the night away at the banquet after so long, and we even made love for the first time. And best of all, you wanted to be with me and I’ve had the pleasure of being with you ever since. I get to kiss you and hold you and look at your beautiful face every day. And you happily kiss me and fall asleep in my arms and wake up happy to see me in the morning. I show you love and affection and you happily show me the same and I never want it to end.

(K)[smiles] I don’t want it to end, either, Merig. I always want to be with you and give you my love. And I can never get enough of the love that you give me. I want to be with you for as long as possible.

(M)How about forever?

(K)Forever? Only if you can put up with me for that long.

(M)Of course, I can. I want to show you my love and be with you for the rest of our lives. So what do you say?

Merig lowers himself slowly, one knee hitting the floor with a soft thud. He keeps a firm hold on Kate's hands as he kneels. A collective gasp ripples through the pub, whispers erupting like popcorn kernels. Kate, utterly stunned, can only stare, wide-eyed, as tears well up. Her lips part in a silent gasp. Merig reaches into his back pocket with a flourish, pulling out a small, ornate wooden box. He pops it open, revealing a ring unlike any other. Crafted from mahogany, encased in a thin layer of clear resin, and adorned with a single, shimmering emerald in the center, it catches the light like a captured ray of sunshine. Kate's gaze drops to the ring, another gasp escaping her lips as Merig reaches out and takes her hand gently.

(M)I had this ring specially made just for you. Do you like it?

(K)Oh, Merig, it’s absolutely gorgeous, I love it.

(M)I had a feeling you would…Kate?

(K)Yes, Merig?

(M)Do you remember when Donna's kids asked us if we were going to get married and I told them that someday I'd ask you to marry me? And do you remember when I asked you on our first date if you ever wanted to marry me someday, and you said "yes"?

(K)Yes, my love, I remember. How could I forget?

(M)Then I have a very important question to ask you.

(K)[smiles] What is it, my love?

(M)[smiles] Will you marry me? And be with me forever?

(K)Yes, Merig! Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes!

Tears of joy stream down Kate's face, a soft, joyous laugh escaping her lips. The pub erupts in a frenzy of excitement, cheers and gasps fill the air as everyone witnesses the proposal. Merig's face breaks into a wide grin, interpreting Kate's reaction as a resounding "yes" before he springs to his feet. He throws his arms around Kate, engulfing her in a hug as they share a kiss. The pub erupts again, cheers echoing through the room. Ashley lets out a whoop of excitement, turning to engulf Larry in a celebratory hug. They both turn back, beaming smiles at the happy couple. Barth and Gordo join the jubilation, their voices loud in the chorus of cheers for Kate and Merig. Merig breaks away from the embrace, retrieves the ring from the box, which he quickly closes, and tosses it playfully to Larry, who catches it with a grin. With renewed focus, Merig turns back to Kate, takes her left hand, and carefully slides the ring onto her finger. It fits perfectly. Kate throws her arms around Merig, pulling him into another kiss. They break apart, eyes sparkling with excitement, before Kate speaks.

(K)We did it, Merig, we’re going to get married.

(M)Yeah, we are and I get to be with you for a long time, as long as you can stand me.

(K)How about forever?

(M)[smiles] I’d love that.

(K)[smiles] Me, too.

(M)I love you, my moon.

(K)I love you, too, my earth.

Merig dips down, his eyes locked on Kate's as the two share another kiss, fueled by the cheers erupting around them. As they pull away, Kate's grin is radiant, the emerald on her finger catching the twinkling pub lights. Unable to contain her excitement, she practically bounces over to Ashley at the group table, her hand outstretched to show off the magnificent ring. Ashley gasps, squealing in delight, as they both erupt into a flurry of excited chatter. Meanwhile, Barth cuts through the crowd, a wide smile splitting his face. He reaches Merig, clapping him heartily on the shoulder.

(B)Good job, little brother, you did it. I’m proud of you.

(M)Thanks, I was sweating there in the beginning. But then the words just came out. I don’t know what came over me.

(B)That’s love, Merig, it’s a powerful thing.

(M)Agreed.

(G)Congrats, Merig.

(M)Thanks, Gordo.

(L)Merig! I’m proud of you, pal. I knew you could do it.

(M)Thanks, buddy. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.

(L)Nah, you spoke from your heart like I've always told you to do.

(M)You’re right, the love I have for Kate gave me courage.

(L)Exactly! You’re gonna be a married goblin soon. I’m happy for you. Love ya, pal.

(M)Thanks, I can’t wait to marry Kate.

(L)Oh, I bet. Now I just gotta find the courage to ask Ash to marry me.

(M)You, Larry? You have the shiniest spine between the both of us and you need to find the courage to propose to Ash? That’s not like you, Larry.

(L)Hey, listen…yeah I’m scared shitless. Love is powerful, but scary at the same time. But hey, I don’t want to steal your thunder, Merig.

(M)Just propose to Ash after Kate and I’s wedding.

(L)Good idea, but for now, let’s celebrate! Barth, Gordo! Join in and have some fun!

Larry spots Barth and Gordo lingering at the edge of the celebratory crowd. With a beckoning wave, he calls them over. Grinning from ear to ear, Barth and Gordo weave through the crowd, eager to join the growing group huddled around the table. Laughter and well-wishes fill the air as they all congratulate Merig on his successful proposal to Kate. After a few moments of heartfelt congratulations, Larry reaches for his drink and rises, his voice cutting through the happy chatter. He wants to make a toast, to officially welcome Kate to the family and celebrate this momentous occasion.

(L)I wanna make a toast to these two and say a few words.

(K)Aaww, Larry, you’re the best at toasting.

(L)That, I am, but in all seriousness, congratulations to you both. You’ve been through hell and back, and your love for each other has only gotten stronger. Fate brought Kate to Tara, and that’s how it all started. A love between two people blossomed into something beautiful. You cared not about the other’s appearance or any other differences. It seems your differences only made your love for each other that much greater. We’ve watched your love grow into something people only wish they had. But we wish nothing but the best for you both and we will all have the pleasure of seeing you two get married and watching your love grow more as time goes on. To Kate and Merig, cheers to you both.

(A)Cheers to Kate and Merig!

(B)Cheers!

(G)Cheers!

(K)To us, my love, my soon-to-be husband.

(M)To us, my soon-to-be wife.

The afterglow of the proposal bathes them in warmth. Merig and Kate share a tender smile before their lips meet in a kiss, fueled by the well-wishes washing over them. Glasses clink in a toast as everyone raises a drink to the happy couple. The pub buzzes with an energy of pure celebration. Food circulates, drinks flow freely, and laughter spills into the air. New memories are forged as stories are exchanged, old times are reminisced about, and some even take to the dance floor, their joy a physical expression. The future stretches before them, and with a contented sigh, they both know what comes next. The whirlwind of wedding planning.