Chapter 120 Under Light Of Aurora
The next morning, Astrid slowly opened her eyes as the bright rays of the rising sun streamed gently through the window, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. As her vision cleared, she noticed Alex lying quietly beside her, still fast asleep.
A soft smile spread across her face. Without hesitation, she leaned closer and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a gentle embrace. Resting her head against his chest, she looked up at him with a slightly pouting expression.
"Why did you come home so late last night? Hmm?" she asked in a spoiled, affectionate tone, like a lover seeking attention.
Alex responded with a faint smile, his eyes still closed, his body heavy with exhaustion. His breathing was slow, and his voice came out soft and drowsy.
"Hehe… you should go back to sleep too… so you can wake up tonight… because I… have a… surprise… for you…"
Before he could even finish properly, his voice trailed off, and he drifted back into sleep.
Hearing that, Astrid's eyes lit up with excitement. A delighted grin appeared on her lips as she leaned in and gently kissed Alex's neck.
"Hehe… I can't wait," she whispered playfully.
Carefully, she slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake him. She stretched lightly before heading downstairs, her mood clearly lifted.
In the kitchen, Astrid began preparing breakfast for Lucia. Soon after, the two of them sat together and enjoyed their meal, while Alex remained fast asleep upstairs.
After a few moments, Lucia looked around curiously.
"Where's Papa?" she asked.
Astrid, still in a bright and cheerful mood, smiled warmly as she replied,
"Your papa is still tired. He'll probably come down a bit late and eat with us."
After Astrid said that, Alex came down the stairs while yawning, still looking half-asleep. He rubbed his eyes and glanced toward the dining table, where Astrid and Lucia were eating together.
"Hey…" he greeted lazily.
Lucia immediately turned to him and said in a slightly loud, complaining tone, "Ah! Papa is late!!"
Alex chuckled, still rubbing his eyes as he walked closer.
"Hahaha, sorry, Papa slept late last night, so I woke up late," he said with a sleepy smile.
Astrid stood up and went to the kitchen, then returned with Alex's breakfast and placed it neatly on the table.
"Here you go. I thought you'd wake up even later, so I kept it in the kitchen first," she said.
Alex leaned in and gently kissed Astrid on the cheek.
"Thanks, love."
After that, they all sat together and began eating breakfast.
In the middle of their meal, Alex looked at Lucia and spoke gently,
"Lucia, this evening Mama and Papa might go out and come back at night, so Papa wants you to take care of the house. Can you do that?"
Lucia's expression immediately turned a little gloomy.
"Aww… Lucia wants to come too…"
Astrid then added softly, "We'll bring you some food when we come back, okay?"
Lucia's eyes instantly lit up.
"Woooh! Alright, Mama, Papa! Oh, right since you're going out, can I invite my friends over?"
Astrid blinked in surprise.
"Eh? Who? Are they boys?"
Lucia nodded innocently. "There are boys and girls. I want us to have a sleepover together."
Alex and Astrid exchanged a worried glance.
"Hm… what should we do, dear?" Alex asked.
Astrid paused for a moment, then seemed to get an idea.
"Alright. If Lucia wants to invite friends over to eat, that's fine," she said, then added firmly, "but boys are not allowed to stay overnight. Only girls can sleep over. And Mama also wants to make sure your friends have permission from their parents, okay?"
Lucia's face immediately brightened with excitement.
"Really?! Okay!!! Thank you, Mama and Papa!"
The two of them continued their meal, finishing breakfast together.
Later in the afternoon, Alex stood downstairs, dressed as usual, waiting for Astrid to finish changing. After a moment, Astrid began walking down the stairs. Her outfit was simple like a village girl but it only made her natural beauty stand out even more.
As Alex looked at her, he couldn't help but speak without thinking.
"Wow… an angel is descending the stairs."
Astrid immediately blushed, embarrassed by his words. She looked away shyly before saying softly,
"S-so… umm… let's go."
Alex snapped back to his senses, then smiled gently and took her hand.
"Yeah… let's go."
They spent the rest of the afternoon together outside Whiterun. The scenery around them was peaceful the lush green grass swayed gently in the breeze, and the sound of a flowing river created a soothing harmony. As time passed, they watched the sky slowly turn into a breathtaking sunset, painting the horizon with warm, glowing colors.
Their date felt truly beautiful.
They realized that nature itself was already stunning… but its beauty became even greater when shared with the person you love.
After the sun had fully set, Alex gently took Astrid to an abandoned tower one that had been left in ruins after a dragon attack long ago.
"Astrid, let's go up that tower. I want to show you something," he said.
Astrid, who was already in a joyful mood and feeling incredibly happy, didn't hesitate for even a second. She simply nodded and followed him.
Once they reached the top, the two of them sat side by side, looking down at the land below. The night air was calm, and the world seemed quiet around them. As they sat there, they began reminiscing about the beginning of their journey together.
"You know this tower, right? The place where you defeated your first dragon?" Alex asked.
Astrid nodded softly.
Alex smiled faintly before continuing,
"This is also the place where I first admired you… You were so brave, facing that dragon all by yourself. Back then, I didn't really understand what I was feeling. I didn't know if it was just admiration or something else… But later, I realized… that admiration had turned into love for you."
Astrid was completely captivated by his words. Her heart fluttered, and she looked at him with a gentle, emotional gaze before speaking.
"I feel the same way… I misunderstood my feelings too, back during our adventure. I thought you were just my comrade… my close friend, someone who fought alongside me."
She paused for a moment, her expression softening as her memories surfaced.
"But I realized it was more than that… Back in Riverwood, when everything happened… I was so scared of losing you truly, deeply terrified. And that's when I understood… that I want to be with you forever… maybe always forever with you"
Alex felt a deep, overwhelming sense of happiness settle in his chest as he realized that Astrid's feelings truly mirrored his own. It wasn't just relief it was warmth, comfort, and something almost indescribable, like everything had finally fallen into place.
For a while, they simply sat together at the top of the worn, abandoned tower, quietly sharing stories of their past. The stone beneath them was cool and slightly rough, weathered by time and scarred from the dragon attack long ago. Around them, the night stretched endlessly, calm and undisturbed. The distant plains outside Whiterun lay blanketed in darkness, broken only by the faint silver glow of moonlight reflecting off winding rivers and swaying fields of grass.
The air was crisp, carrying a soft, whispering breeze that brushed gently against their skin and rustled through Astrid's hair. It was quiet so quiet that even the smallest sounds, like their breathing or the faint chirping of night insects far below, felt vivid and alive.
Then, slowly… something began to change.
A faint glow appeared in the sky above them.
At first, it was subtle just a soft shimmer woven into the darkness. But within moments, it blossomed into something breathtaking. Streams of light stretched across the heavens, flowing like silk in hues of green, blue, and faint violet. The aurora danced gracefully overhead, shifting and rippling as if the sky itself had come alive.
"This… Astrid…" Alex's voice softened, almost a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the moment. "…this is what I wanted to show you."
Astrid lifted her gaze, and the moment her eyes met the sky, she froze.
Her breath caught.
The glowing aurora illuminated her face, reflecting in her wide, sparkling eyes. The colors painted the world around them in a soft, ethereal glow, turning the ruined tower into something almost dreamlike. The gentle wind continued to pass through them, cool and soothing, carrying with it a quiet serenity that wrapped around their hearts.
She didn't say a word.
She couldn't.
All she could do was stare completely captivated, completely lost in the beauty above as the sky danced just for them.
Then, Alex slowly reached into his inventory and took out a diamond gold ring. His expression turned serious as he stepped closer, then went down on one knee and gently took Astrid's hand.
"Astrid… in this world, you need an Amulet of Mara to get married. But… I also want to use a tradition from my world."
He paused for a moment, swallowing softly as he steadied himself, his gaze fixed on her with sincerity and determination.
"Astrid… will you be my life partner… until death do us part?"
Astrid was completely stunned. Her eyes trembled as they slowly filled with tears.
"Of course!!!" she cried out.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke again, her voice shaking with overwhelming happiness.
"Of course, you idiot… huu… huu…"
She immediately threw her arms around Alex, hugging him tightly as she continued to cry tears of joy.
Alex hugged her back warmly, but then he gently pulled back just a little and said with a soft smile,
"Wait, Astrid… in my world, the man is supposed to place the ring on his partner's ring finger."
Astrid slowly loosened her embrace, though her hands lingered for a moment on Alex's shoulders, as if she didn't quite want to let go. Her cheeks were still flushed a soft shade of pink, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears that caught the glow of the aurora above. Her breathing was slightly uneven, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady the overwhelming wave of emotion in her heart.
Alex gently reached for her hand again, his touch warm and careful, as though she were something precious he feared might slip away. His fingers intertwined with hers for a brief second before he slowly guided her hand forward. There was a softness in his expression nervous, sincere, and filled with love.
With a small, tender smile, he slid the diamond gold ring onto her ring finger.
The metal caught the light of the aurora, glimmering faintly as it settled perfectly in place.
"This is proof…" Alex said quietly, his voice low but steady, his eyes never leaving hers. "…that we are now husband and wife."
Astrid's lips parted slightly, her gaze dropping to the ring as if she couldn't quite believe it was real. Her fingers trembled faintly.
Then Alex lifted his other hand, a shy smile forming as he showed her the identical ring already resting on his own ring finger.
"See? They're the same," he said, letting out a soft, almost bashful chuckle.
For a moment, he looked away and scratched the back of his head, his expression turning slightly awkward, though the warmth in his eyes remained.
"I'm sorry about the Amulet of Mara…" he began, his tone a little hesitant. "If I had gone all the way to Riften, I was worried you'd have to wait too long… and that you'd feel sad. So I thought maybe doing it like th "
He didn't get to finish.
Astrid suddenly go closer, her hands grabbing onto his cheeks as she pulled him toward her. Without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his.
The kiss was deep and full of emotion soft at first, but quickly filled with all the love, relief, and happiness she had been holding back. Her eyes closed tightly, and the tears she could no longer contain slipped down her cheeks as she poured everything she felt into that single moment.
Alex froze for a split second in surprise, his eyes widening slightly, before he melted into the kiss. His hand moved instinctively to her waist, hug her closer, as if afraid she might disappear if he let go.
The world around them seemed to fall silent.
Above, the aurora continued to dance across the sky, its shimmering colors casting a gentle glow over their figures. The cool night breeze wrapped around them, carrying the quiet stillness of the moment, as if the world itself had paused just to witness them.
When they finally parted, their foreheads rested against each other, their breaths mingling in the cold night air.
In that moment under the vast, glowing sky their hearts felt closer than ever before.
And the love they shared grew even deeper.