The Proposal

[knightoftheswan]

"I think you're just playing around," the last in the latest round of challengers sneers at Lohengrin.

"I beg your pardon?"

"A knight in shining armor who miraculously appears with a white swan to defend a murderess. I think you just like playing the hero."

"This is not playing," the Knight firmly states, knocking his opponent's sword out of his grasp.

"When's the last time you had a good fight like this? Weeks? Months? And why do you defend her?"

"Because she is innocent."

"Where is your proof of her innocence?"

"Where is your proof of her evil?"

"Gottfried is gone. That is proof enough."

"It proves nothing in relation to Elsa."

"You have no reason to defend her, Knight of the Swan. She is nothing to you and you are meddling in affairs you have no business in. You have come to Heinrich's kingdom to play."

Lohengrin glares and says, "What Elsa is to me is no business of yours."

**************************************

"Your challengers are truly beginning to vex me," he grumbles to Elsa later, his head resting in her lap. "And no matter how many come, their source continues to elude me."

"But he does have a point..." she admits, her fingers nesting in his hair.

Lohengrin sits up and turns to face his Lady with a somewhat indignant, "What?"

"You came here to defend me, just as you did in my dreams before you arrived."

"Your dreams?"

Elsa nods, "When the days were darker, my only saving grace was the night, when I would sink into a sweet slumber and see you with your swan and golden chariot. The night you actually arrived, I thought I might have dreamed you into being. But now that you've come, why do you stay?"

"Because the danger will not be past for you until whoever has framed you is exposed and the truth of Gottfried, whatever it may be, revealed."

"But once that has happened, any reasons for you to stay will be gone."

"No they won't."

"Yes they will."

"No. They won't."

"And how do you plan to prove that?" Elsa asks, rising and crossing her arms under her bust.

Lohengrin is on his feet after her with, "I have no intention, no thought, of leaving your side, my Lady."

"My Knight..."

"I'll marry you if I must to prove it to you," falls from his lips before he can stop it. He claps a hand over his mouth as his Lady's eyes widen before her brows furrow.

"If you must?"

"I mean I would marry you. I will marry you."

"Don't I get a say in this?"

"Then what do you say?"

"I say I think you need to try this again."

Lohengrin drops down to one knee and says, "Marry me, Elsa."

"That still sounds like a command," she replies, turned away and glancing at him over her shoulder.

"Must I beg?" he asks, but he immediately regrets it as he sees the corner of her smirk.

"That might be nice."

The Knight stands again and takes his turn to face away. He can almost hear Elsa's expression drop.

"You're a tease," Lohengrin states.

"You're even worse," Elsa retorts.

"But I can't live without you."

"Nor I without you."

"So marry me."

"Very well."

"Fine."

"Fine."

And without even looking back, he walks away, not even completely realizing that he got engaged until he's on the other side of the door.