Preparing for a date is like preparing for a battle. You need to be prepared for everything. So, I have three steps on my list.
The first step is the simplest and yet most crucial one. You need to invite your partner. To my fortune, Livinia agreed to my invitation already.
Secondly, I needed to find a good location. Luckily, this was relatively easy since the cafe of my mom was perfect for a date. I have reserved an outdoor table and pre-ordered the best food possible.
Thirdly and most importantly, I needed a gift. A gift that was simply perfect. I slept over this for many days before I finally decided what it should be. With a clear goal in mind, I decided to make a stop at my father's workshop.
Like a clock a hammer struck down on glowing red metal continuously. Second after second in a perfected rhythm. Sweat ran down the face of my father as he worked the metal with extreme focus.
This focus spread to all parts of my fathers life. If he did something, he did it the right way. Never have I seen him letting go of a task – private and professional - even once.
Sometimes this could get quite annoying. For example, he would order me to redo my chores because I didn't do them 'well enough'.
Straighting my clothes I knocked on his workshops door:
"I am here to collect my reward father."
"What the hell are you talking about? What reward?", he barked, continuing his work.
Time is an essential aspect of blacksmithing. Every metal need to be cooled down and warmed up in a specific timeframe in a specific temperature. If you time it wrong, you screw up.
"You remember last Friday? The anniversary festival where I protected you from any wrath that may incur to you?
Breathing heavily he replied in this sauna like room: "Huff… What do you want?"
Clearing my throat I answered: "I want to make a ring for Livinia."
"You? You want to make a ring? Mr. I would rather read a book?!", he said visibly shocked.
"Don't look at me as if that were impossible for me! I just didn't see the need for it until now!", I remarked like the 14 year-old boy I was.
Cooling the metal fencepost he was currently working on, he looked at me.
"You know... When I was your age, I also gifted your mom a self-made ring. It was absolutely ugly, but she loved it more than any gift I could have bought. I think it's a great idea. Let me finish this real quick and I can help you out."
True to his word he soon finished the fencepost and in consequence started to interrogate me:
"How do you want the ring to look?"
"I would be nice if it was silver and had a green stone embedded to match her eyes.", I recited my plan.
"And where do you think the materials are coming from?", he said raising an eyebrow.
"Ahm, from you?", I replied nervously, trying to convince him.
"Haha! Good joke! However, I need to disappoint you. Silver isn't exactly cheap. Still, I can get use some leftover iron which I can treat to look like silver.
And for a simple coloured gem, I can just form one."
Knowing I had no alternative I quickly agreed.
Going over to a large chest he grabbed some old work clothes of his. There were dirty and resembled rags. However, this was the best I would get.
After I put them on my dad started to spew orders:
"First of all we need to heat the melt the metal."
[Heat]
"You know back in the good old days we didn't use magic for everything, making this quite a hassle, however, I must say this is just too convenient to miss out."
While talking to me about how his generation had such a hard life, he heated the metal until it was liquid.
[Telekinesis]
Quickly and swiftly, he started to reform the liquid in a ring form.
"Joshua, take the forging tongs and put the gem on top of the ring.", he commanded seemingly stressed from holding the metal in form.
Doing as he said I took the tongs and pushed the emerald looking gem inside the iron. With awe I witness how my father formed the metal around the gem.
"This feels way to easy.", I muttered.
"Kid! I practiced these spells my entire life! If you say another word, you can try to get your ring on your own!"
Staying silent I looked at the ring where the metal visibly cooled down and after a few more minutes the ring was finally finished.
As I touched it, after it was cold, I noticed that the surface was way too rough.
"You thought that was all?", my father voiced his amusement, "You still need to polish it. However, you can do that on your own."
Without complaining I got to work. I knew. The ring will and must be perfect. Just like her.
Three hours. It took three hours before the surface was so perfect, it could act as a mirror.
I was ready. I was ready for the perfect date.
It wouldn't ever go wrong, right?