Chapter 11

"Come on, we're almost there,"

Saladin was dragging Faragonda by her hand to the place where he had prepared a surprise for her or rather Helia and Flora had prepared it. He was feeling very nervous. He had never proposed to a woman before. His marriage to Kremena was arranged so he had never had the need to do it officially even though he had wanted to. Maybe he was a little old fashioned but Saladin believed that every woman deserved to get her dream proposal and he intended to do exactly that. He had had to ask around some of Faragonda's friends because, let's face it, women liked to talk about these kinds of things to each other and he finally found what her dream proposal was.

It was already sunset and Saladin led her to a picnic basket on a blanket on the beach. There were no people around and he was glad about that. He helped her sit on the blanket and took off the blindfold from her eyes. Faragonda gasped. Everything from the sunset to the picnic basket was so very perfect.

"Saladin, this is amazing," she said.

"Thank you, thank you very much," he replied, "I'm glad you like it but I had help, too."

"I see, "smiled Faragonda, "remind me to thank them later."

Saladin smile, knowing that they were probably watching them from nearby. He took the bottle of champagne from the basket and poured it into the glasses, handing one to Faragonda. Then he took out the food. They stood like that for a few minutes, enjoying being close to each other and watching the sunset.

Saladin put his hand in his pocket and closed it around the ring box, clearing his throat nervously.

"Faragonda, I know we haven't talked about it but you are the only woman I have ever loved," he paused when Faragonda turned to look at him, "and you mean the world to me. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I would want nothing more than for you to become my wife. Will you marry me?"

Saladin opened the little box and showed her the ring. Faragonda had tears in her eyes and couldn't form a word. She knew he had been hiding something from her but she had never imaging it would be something like this. She leaned forward and kissed him passionately, causing him to lie down on the blanket.

Saladin giggled, "I take it your answer is 'yes'?"

Faragonda smiled brightly and replied "Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes," before kissing him again.

***
Nearby another couple was watching them. Helia and Flora were grinning from ear to ear. They were pretty excited themselves. They had helped organize everything, leaving to Saladin to bring Faragonda and propose to her. They had even helped pick the ring. Well, Flora mostly because Helia and Saladin really had no idea what they were actually doing. They had intended to make it as perfect as they could and it really had been perfect. They had succeeded in their mission and now were very happy.

They walked away leaving the other couple to themselves. There was a picnic basket nearby, waiting for them, too. They found the place and sat down. They weren't very hungry yet so they just sat there enjoying the sunset with Flora between Helia's legs and his arms around her tightly.

"I'm really happy for them. They look so cute together," said Flora, smiling.

"Yes, they do, don't they?" he replied, smiling in return. He had never imagined being happy about his grandfather spending his life with someone that was not his grandmother but he was genuinely happy for Saladin and he really liked Faragonda. Besides now he knew what it was like when someone didn't approve of your choice for a girlfriend. His grandmother had called him to apologize and he had accepted it but then she had told him that she will probably never accept Flora and he had hung up on her without another word.

Helia didn't care what his grandmother said because he loved Flora with all his heart and maybe in a few years if not sooner he planned on asking her to make him the happiest man in the world and spending the rest of her life with him. Of that he was absolutely sure.

"Flora?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course, I love you, silly,"

"Good because I love you, too."

THE END

A/N: OMG, I cannot believe that I have been writing this story for like 4 years and 7 months, I think? I had finally finished it! Fin, finito, the end, adios! First, I would like to apologize to all the people who patiently waited and kept reading the story and to those who stayed until the end. I'm very, very, sorry that I had kept you waiting for so long. You have no idea how much your reviews meant to me and I hope that you have enjoyed the story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I would also like to thank the person who wrote this story with me and say: WE FINISHED IT!

People, I just want to say that I WANT to write a sequel but I have no idea when that will be so do not, I repeat, DO NOT get your hopes up too much.

Bye