"I'm sure you are quite powerful and although I am a god, I ask you to please lower your magical defenses so that I can accurately portray the past," Sora said with a polite bow.
The King and Queen looked toward Celeste, who gave a polite nod.
'Eye of Lockheart,' Sora thought. He didn't want to give his spells away.
The King saw the exact scene from when Brie grabbed Sora's hand:
Brie grabbed Sora's hand, pulling him towards her, preventing him from leaving the room as the rest of the party walked through the exit.
"You should ask Rook to say hi to your Mother," Brie said shyly.
Sora smiled and nodded.
"I wasn't finished. You should ask him to say Hi to your parents and have Rook let them know that--"
Brie paused as a single tear fell from her cheek. Sora looked at her with a smile as Brie wiped the tear from her cheek. Before Sora could speak, Brie took a deep breath and said, "Let them know that I love you, Sora."
She started tearing up and Sora grabbed her quickly and hugged her. Her kind, nervous smile and tears showed how much saying those three words weighed on her.
"You really mean it? I love you too," he said as he gave her a kiss.
"Yes. When I didn't say it back to you, I wasn't 100% certain I loved you. But when you used your linking magic to link to me and wouldn't let me take it back, I remembered my conversation with Sasha on the way here."
"Well, it's ok if you don't love me yet, you know that right?"
"I love you Sora. Sasha told me everything. About the seal you two made, about how you're always worried about not just me but everyone in the party."
"So much for the seal," Sora laughed.
Brie chuckled. "Anyway… after what Rook said about finally being able to see his wife and child--I just couldn't imagine life without you! You said you dreamed about your mother— in school we learned that in ancient texts, gods and goddesses can visit anyone they wish while they sleep. So, if you saw her, I think she would be happy to know about us."
Sora smiled. "You're right, she is the goddess of love. Maybe that's why we found each other."
He gave her a hug and Rook noticed the two hadn't moved to the next floor.
"You too will make a great King and Queen someday," Rook said with a smile.
"Hey Rook. Could you do me a favor when you reach paradise?" Sora asked.
"Certainly, my friend, what is it?"
"Can you please tell Aphrodite and Cyrus that their son and his soulmate are happily in love? I'd really appreciate it!" Sora said excitedly.
"Of course my dear boy! Now please, hurry! I fear the other trapped here with me is either no longer here or worse, dead!"
Brie and Sora smiled, thanked Rook and headed to the exit.
*****
"Amazing. Truly amazing Mr. Lockheart. Brie, please, come inside. I believe we can set aside our differences, as long as Master Bishop can verify that it was indeed Rook!" the King said proudly.
"My name is King Xavier Fang. My wife is Queen Mina Fang. Welcome to Meadowsong!"
'I have to do that again? What the hell…' Sora thought, rather annoyed at the whole charade.
"You look beautiful my darling. Are you excited to be married?" Mina finally opened up to Brie. "You look no older than 18. Sora you are a lucky man… or should I say god?"
"Man is fine. I don't view myself as a god," Sora said politely.
"You really should," Xavier stated firmly.
"Well, on the battlefield, when my comrades' lives are in danger, I view myself as a god. The demon sins Pride and Wrath are no joke. We dealt with Gluttony just fine. I fear they have found the Titans. That is why we are here. I'd say it's simply fate that the Chimera's chose to hide away in peace with you," Sora said kindly.
"Fate indeed. I thought Brie would have been sent to the gallows for beheading by now," Mina said with a laugh.
"I was prepared to!" Brie said with her usual charm.
That's what everyone in the party loved about Brie the most. She could be sassy at times, but she was a genuinely happy and caring person.
"You really came here knowing we'd likely kill you? That takes courage," Xavier said with a kind smile. "I have to say I am rather impressed with your party and I never thanked you for our Scepter back. It's an ancient relic, once stolen by the humans. Thank you very much. You could have sold it on the black market for a rather large sum."
"I'm happy it's in its true owners hands. It's quite beautiful." Brie said while smiling. "I'd like to present you with another gift for putting together and hosting our wedding, if you'll accept it, of course." Brie said with a polite smile.
"That's not necessary my dear," Mina said politely.
"I'd say it is quite necessary, your Majesty. Sora could you please pull it from your dimensional void?" Brie said politely.
Brie was stealing the show and the party walked in silence as they followed the King and Queen into the castle. Even Sora couldn't help but smile at his fiancees' brilliance with the elves.
Sora pulled the Demon Elemental Whip from his dimensional void and it formed in Brie's hands.
"This was also found in a demon dungeon. It's the Demon Elemental Whip," Brie said and politely bowed.
"This is a quite generous gift indeed. Also it is not lost on my wife and me that you've brought Dorian and Camilla Ashwood. Vampires were always our biggest ally. Brie, thank you for these kind gifts." Xavier said with a smile. "Dorian, Camilla, Jubelle and the beautiful young Ms. Valencia, I believe?"
"Yup, I'm Sasha. I'm the youngest daughter of Soren and Lyra. They turned me at 18 when they found out I was dying of a human illness," Sasha said as she politely courtseyed.
"After we visit with Bishop, would the four of you please join my wife and me for a private chat?" Xavier asked politely.
"Of course," Dorian said.
"How are the other original families doing? We had some great parties when we were younger," Mina said while laughing.
"Alive and well. Maybe after this wedding is over you and Xavier could join us for a trip to Dreadspire and we could have a party to celebrate," Camilla kindly suggested.
"That would be nice. We're here, Sora, are you prepared to show Bishop what you showed me?" Xavier asked politely.
"Absolutely your majesty," Sora said politely.
After knocking on the large door, a large red-furred Chimera with a black mane opened the door. He was slightly shorter than Rook and not as muscular, but he still stood around 17 feet.
"Why hello! A human in MeadowSong? What is going on here?" Bishop asked angrily.
"We were just as angry as you were at first, but we were wondering if you could verify if Sora's memory recall magic does indeed show them in good terms with your brother!" Xavier asked.
"Rook?! He's alive! Bless the gods, where is he?!??" Rook exclaimed.
Sora took this as his opportunity and thought, 'eye of Lockheart.'
Tears began flowing from Bishop's eyes and when Sora thought 'release,' he was lifted off the ground and given a giant bear hug from Bishop.
"You even offered to save him. Did he make it to Paradise?" Bishop asked as he set Sora down and picked up Brie to give her a giant hug.
"Yes, he is. Sora's mother visited me during one of my dreams to bless our marriage and informed me that Master Rook, his wife and his child were happily united in Paradise," Brie said with a smile. She couldn't prevent herself from tearing up though.
Bishop kindly wiped away Brie's tears with his soft, red fur.
"Xavier and Mina, you heard what my brother told Sora and Brie correct?" Bishop asked excitedly.
"Which part are you referring to? Sora's recall magic is quite impressive," Xavier said with a smile.
'I really hate that they keep calling it recall magic. It's an illusion, it's just a real illusion based on the memory I have from meeting Rook," Sora thought somberly.
"He told them you two will make a great King and Queen some day and to rescue whoever else was trapped there with him. That must be you, my lady Fury?!" Bishop exclaimed.
Leila stepped forward and Bishop set Brie down to give Leila a hug.
"I'm so glad you're still with us and I'm so sorry about all of the other dragons," Bishop said politely.
"Thank you. I'm sorry for the loss of your brother. If it wasn't for Sora, Brie and their party's quick thinking, I would have died that day as well," Leila said with a smile.
Bishop's excitement caused him to tell story after story to Sora, his party and Julius, who all sat in his large room enjoying each one.
The King asked the vampires to please accompany him to another room. They agreed and Dorian gave Sora, whose arm was around Brie's shoulder a thumbs up once the King and Queen elves turned to walk away.
Xavier whispered to his wife, "I guess we actually have to put on a wedding and consider aligning with the humans. That's why I want to talk with the vampires."
"Indeed. Brie seems like such a sweet girl and I'm sure you've noticed, but she's marrying a god." Mina said with a smile.
"Yes. I did. I'm sure Azazel has a god or goddess working with him, so it'd be better to align with the humans, vampire and Uthra I think. Let's see what the vampires have to say," Xavier whispered back.