Chapter 7: Happiness
"Good morning," he said, not coming in through the open window. He knew that some people didn't care about a girl's reputation, but the Baron was very old-fashioned in this regard, and while he was quite comfortable with the idea of meeting a sweetheart at her window, he was not about to step through that window.
"I was wondering if you might help me with something," he asked, as polite and bland as he possibly could be however much he was sweating inside. If he had not been wearing a high collar and bow tie, it would have been possible to watch his Adam's apple dance in nervousness.
"Of course, anything Baron," she said, curious what he could possibly need her help with.
"I've been having rather sleepless nights, I was wondering what you would suggest to calm them," queried the Baron, leading up to his real problem by starting with a symptom of it.
"Well, that depends on why you're sleepless. If it were because you aren't tired, I would suggest a book, or if it's because your mind can't wind down I'd say count sheep." The young woman said, crossing her legs on her bed before him.
"I find myself unable to stop thinking, and all my thoughts lead back to one subject in particular," he confessed, while at the same time confessing very little.
"If Hiromi said something like that, I'd ask her what the guy's name was, but for you, I suppose it would have to be a girl."
The cedar figure could hear and see the pain that the young woman was trying to conceal as she spoke.
"Her name is Haru," said the cat, looking up at her, nervous to see her reaction. He saw surprise, and looked down quickly, not wanting to know any more, but when she extended a hand to him, palm up, he climbed on without thought.
"Give me five minutes, I'll be down at the front door," she said softly, breathing tantalisingly in his ear.
He nearly fainted with delight, but the pixie dust was still going strong and he flew out the window, floating gently down to the doorstep to wait for the one that he loved so strangely.
The feeling was just so big, he wasn't sure his small body could fit all of it in. The pixie dust started to itch between his ears; lights flashed behind his eyes and something inside of him went pop! He felt dizzy and was bracing himself against the doorframe when it opened.
"Well, this is unexpected," Haru said, smiling uncertainly at him.
Something was different, he knew. It took a couple of seconds, but then it hit him. She was looking up at him, and he knew his feet were still on the ground, so he wasn't flying.
"I have no idea how this happened, but, I think, I'm glad that it did," mused the Baron, looking at the girl before him. She was wearing a white summer dress with a yellow stripe around the hem. He thought she looked like an angel
"I know I am," the girl said, he smile becoming more certain.
He smiled back, and brushed a lock of orange-blonde hair out of still slightly cat-shaped emerald eyes. Reaching into the pixie dust satchel, he gave Haru a little, as well as a little more for himself, just in case.
"Fly with me?" he asked, extending a hand to her.
Rather than answer, Haru just slipped her hand into his and beamed another smile. They took off together in the morning light, but they hadn't gone far when the Baron headed down again. Haru could barely go down at all when she saw the church that was the Baron's target.
Landing, the Baron went down on one knee before her, gently holding both of her hands in his. "Marry me?" he asked.
She couldn't even speak. She couldn't make her mouth do a thing, it was too busy smiling, and her vision blurred as tears of happiness filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She nodded.
He stood all in a rush, wrapping his arms around her and twirling her about him.
"Well, that's a wonderful way to start the day," said the priest as he opened the doors. The ceremony wasn't long, there were no speeches or family members to cry, laugh or present congratulations, but there was a kiss.
It was a new sensation for the Baron, and sent fireworks off inside of him, and the world looked more bright and beautiful than it had for a long time.
Leaving the church behind, Baron was ready to finally ready to see how he fared with Mary's tape measure. Somehow, it had found it's way into his pocket. It read: Baron Humbert von Gikkingken, purr-fectly whole at last.
"Now that I have you to share my life with," he said, kissing his wife lightly as he returned it to his pocket.
She wasn't going to let him get away with that, and pulled him firmly by his neck so that their faces practically collided. They didn't notice that they had started floating again.
They decide where to honeymoon later.