Elinadette smiled as she looped her arm through her husbands, "Of course, child. We've decided to allow it and your Royals are in agreement. However, they won't seem to budge on the age you may marry, so we're forced to be without the blessed union for another couple of months."

Joenarthene smiled, "However, once we have it, we'll truly have a cause to celebrate! Have you put any thought into how you'll reign as Queen? A Queen has a very important role in our Kingdom, do you believe yourself prepared for the role?"

Dimitrius icily glared at his father as he replied in a similar icy tone, "For the hundredth time, I will never take your place as King. Quit trying to make Ariala turn against me and side with you. It won't happen."

"We'll see about that, my dear boy," replied Joenarthene in a similar tone.

Rolling his eyes, Dimitrius brushed past his father and made his way to the Elimlee Royals. Bowing, Dimitrius began apologizing for his conduct, "Please forgive my coldness towards my father, your Majesties, and please let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to marry Ariala. You don't realize how much it means to me that we have your blessing."

Ariala stood awkwardly during the confrontation, not wanting to say anything. Setting down Dimeria, Ariala made her way to stand beside Dimitrius. "Thank you." She said politely as she curtseyed to the Lord, a smile never leaving her face.

Dimeria followed Ariala and squirmed her way between Ariala and Dimitrius, wrapping her arms around Dimitrius' leg. Looking up at the Royals, Dimeria blushed and hid her face in Dimitrius' leg.

Dimitrius chuckled as he stood upright, "Forgive her, she hasn't had much of a chance to see me so she hardly leaves my side when she does."

The Royals simply chuckled and said that they understood. They then went on to ask about the wedding plans, their living arrangements, how things would conduct with the children they would have - the customary questions for such marriage arrangements.

Ariala smiled with relief at the Royal's questions, their future plans starting to unravel. She went on to explain the plans they had laid out, the house on the border, their wedding in the meadow. The Royals nodded approvingly at their plans before giving their blessings and dismissing the couple as well as the Winterglade royals.

"We're getting married!" Ariala cried happily as she flung her arms around Dimitrius's neck. She blushed quickly as she realized that his parents and Dimeria had seen her outburst. "Thank you for coming to support us." She smiled politely, unwrapping her arms from around Dimitrius.

Dimitrius laughed as he pulled Ariala back into his arms. Placing a tender kiss upon her lips, he smiled, "We can finally begin work on the house, love. Not to mention you can begin arranging the ceremony in the Meadow."

Picking her up and twirling her around, holding her close, he couldn't help but smile and pull her in for a deep kiss, "We'll finally get our Happily Ever After, love! Can you believe it?"

Elinadette smiled as she watched the happy couple embrace, "Congratulations, my dear children. I look forward to the ceremony."

"Ah, yes, the Coronations as well!" added Joenarthene slyly, "and the Coronation Ball of course."

Dimitrius ignored his father as he bent down and placed a kiss on Dimeria's cheek, "Ria, love, you'll have to let go of us, you know."

Dimeria shook her head and clung tighter to Ariala's dress, burying her face in her lap.

Dimitrius sighed, "Ria, you can't stay with Ariala. And you can't stay in Winterglade with me, you have to return to the Palace with Mama and Papa."

Dimeria through her arms around Ariala's waist and looked up at her, "Please? May I stay with you Ari?"

Elinadette looked up at her husband, "Joen, what are we going to do? Surely it'll be a burden for Ms. Gallagher to take care of Ria.. And you will not allow her to remain in the village with Dimitrius in Winterglade.."

Joenarthene sighed as he turned to Dimeria, "Dimeria, come at once. You know our rules, you're forbidden to remain outside the Palace Walls without supervision. Ariala doesn't wish to babysit you, now let us take leave and return to the Palace."

Dimeria, however, remained at Ariala's side and simply clung tighter.

"I don't mind watching Dimeria." Ariala said quickly, put off by the King's harshness. "It won't be any trouble to watch her for a while. Though I'm afraid I'm not prepared to watch her for a long period of time." She said, picking up Dimeria and holding her in her arms, still standing tight at Dimitrius's side. "Unless you wish it otherwise?" She asked the King and Queen.

Elinadette smiled, "No, my dear. If you are fine with keeping her, then we are not against it, are we my love."

"No, I simply didn't wish to burden you with the child. However, if you wish to keep her for awhile, you may," added Joenarthene quickly.

Dimitrius smiled at Dimeria and whispered softly, "You'll stay with us, my brave little girl. Go say goodnight to Mama and Papa."

Dimeria nodded as she squirmed down from Ariala. Running over to her mother, Dimeria hugged her and placed a kiss on her cheek as Elinadette bent down to hug her daughter.

Curtsying in front of her father, Dimeria wished them both 'Goodnight' before running back to Ariala and motioning to be held once more.

"I assume she'll be staying with one of you for the night?" inquired Joenarthene, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Dimtrius smirked, "Yes, father, my sister will remain with us. I shall return her to you when she wishes to return. Until then, she will remain by our side, I promise you."

The Winterglade Royals then took leave of the couple and began their ride back to their Palace.

Dimitrius laughed as he put his arm around Ariala's waist and placed a tender kiss upon her neck, "You were brilliant. Now, where shall we sleep, love? Winterglade or Elimlee, the choice is yours."

"Would you mind sleeping here in Elimlee?" Ariala asked shyly as she lifted Dimeria into her arms. "Its not so cold here." She smiled weakly, hoping he wouldn't be bothered by her choice. She loved Winterglade but a break from the cold would be nice.

Starting in the direction of the gates, Ariala glanced over at Dimitrius. "Your father was nicer then I had expected." She said. "Besides the very obvious hints of us taking the throne, he didn't seem unkind." She said.

Dimitrius rolled his eyes at the mention of his father as they left the Palace grounds, "You don't know him well enough. If you did you'd be appaled at his thoughts. But for now, let us just return home and get Dimeria to bed."

Dimeria snuggled her head into the crook of Ariala's neck as she rested her arms loosely over Ariala's shoulders, her eye-lids already heavy.

Dimitrius chuckled, "Think you can grow another tree when we get home, love?"

"Of course." Ariala smiled, deciding it would be best if she didn't mention Dimitrius's father again.

At the base of her tree house, Ariala grew a small tree and stepped on a branch. "Hop on the next one." Ariala advised as she grew the tree taller so that she could easily step onto the rope ladder and glide gracefully through her door. Moving to the bedroom quickly, Ariala laid down Dimeria into the small guest bed. "Are you comfortable?" She asked the smaller elf. "Would you like something to drink, anything?"

Dimeria shook her head as she snuggled into the bed, falling asleep in moments.

Dimitrius leaned in the doorway, smiling at the scene before him and picturing Ariala in a few decades doing the same to their children at that age. Grinning at the thought, Dimitrius couldn't take his eyes of Ariala. "I think she likes it here," he whispered softly, "I don't think you'll be able to get her to leave now that you've said she could stay."

"I don't mind." Ariala whispered as she moved into the kitchen, taking Dimitrius's hand and leading him there with her. "She's so adorable. Though that's probably the hundredth time I've said that." She laughed, shaking her head. "I'm just glad that today went well." She confessed, slipping her arms around Dimitrius's neck.

"Today went well enough, though I'm still ashamed I'm forced to call that man Father," Dimitrius said softly before slipping his arms around Ariala's waist, placing a tender kiss upon her lips before resting his forehead against hers, "But Dimeria is adorable.. I'm still beating myself up about not being in her life until now.. I didn't really think about her when I left the Palace and turned my back on the Court.. It was a bit immature, I admit, but I wasn't really at an age to think of such things. But, at least we have her now, which I'm very thankful for. I think she's taken quite a liking to you, it's a good thing you like children - I think she may just turn into one of ours she keeps sticking to us like glue as she does," he teased as he placed another deep, tender kiss upon her lips.

Ariala stood stunned for a moment from the kiss while her head cleared. "At least now you've come into her life and I think its better late then never." Ariala said, pulling herself closer to him, leaving inches between their lips. "Don't apologize for your family." She added quietly. "Your father was pleasent enough."

Dimitrius rolled his eyes, "Not if you knew him like I did. But let's not talk of him, he's ruining a very pleasant evening. Besides, I'd much rather just be able to be with you right now instead of talking about that vile thing," he added with a smile as he gently caressed her cheek and kissed her tenderly, deepening the kiss as he tilted his head and his tongue slipped between her lips.

Ariala supressed a moan at his kiss, closing her eyes with her arms around Dimitrius's neck. Her lips moved slowly, passionately across Dimitrius's as one of her hands slipped into his hair, twisting around his hair. "I love you." She murmured in the brief moments that their lips weren't touching, mixed with her whispering of his name. Ariala felt her hand slide, somewhat involuntarily, to Dimitrius's chest, begging to take off his shirt. Not too fast... Ariala reminded herself yet the temptation grew with each kiss.

As the hand around her waist tightened against her hip, Dimitrius pulled Ariala closer against him as his other hand roamed her sides and back, caressing her curves as he continued to kiss her. "I love you too Ariala, so so much," he whispered against her lips before resuming his kisses, his lips trailing her jaw line, tenderly kissing her earlobe, before turning his attention to her neck where he placed a number of tender kisses, his tongue gently brushing against her soft skin.

Ariala's eyes rolled back slightly as Dimitrius's kisses traveled over her smooth skin. The hand that laid on his chest curled the fabric into a ball in her fist as she shivered with desire. She continued to tell herself to keep it slow but that voice was shut out by the adrenaline that was racing through her veins from Dimtrius's kisses. She tightened her grip around him, pulling gently on his hair to raise his lips back to her's.

Dimitrius' lips eagerly pressed against Ariala's, gently massaging her curves as he pulled her closer. His kisses deepened as he suppressed a moan, his hands roamed under the hem of her dress, sliding gently up her thigh and hip as he continued to kiss her.

Ariala decided to ignore the voice in her head that was warning her to stop things before things got out of control. Slowly, Ariala untwisted the fist on Dimitrius's shirt to start unbutton his shirt as she revealed more of his bare chest. Ariala's hand began to trace the lines of his toned chest, moving her lips to kiss the smooth skin of Dimitrius's throat. Making her way to meeting of his collarbone to his throat, Ariala gently kissed his marble-like skin.

Pulling her tighter against him, Dimitrius slipped his hand out from under her dress and into her hair, gently caressing her scalp as he pulled her lips closer to him, "Ari.. we really shouldn't.. but you're making it so difficult.."

Ariala sighed, she'd seen this coming, and she tried to block out the part of her brain that knew how absolutely wrong this was. "I know." She sighed. "But its getting more difficult to stop." She admitted as she rebuttoned his shirt. "We should be going to be sleep." She said, hoping the disappointment in her voice wasn't as obvious to him as it was to her. "Wait here?" She asked before going into her room to change into a nightgown and brush her teeth in her bathroom.

"Okay. I'm dressed." She said as she came back into the kitchen.

Dimitrius took Ariala's hand and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her close for a deep, tender kiss, "I know, Ariala, it's getting harder for me as well.. But.. are you sure you're ready, Ariala? Part of me still wonders if we're both one-hundred percent ready to go that next step.. Believe me, I want to.. but.. not if you're not ready.."

"I'm ready for that next step." Ariala said shyly. "But I know we should wait." She said, her voice as quiet as a whisper as her fingers lingered innocently on his chest. "Is it bad to be nervous?" She asked, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks from the question, her eyes still lowered away from his.

Tilting her chin upwards so that their eyes met, Dimitrius smiled, "Not at all. I'm nervous too, Ari. It's natural that we'd be nervous.. I mean, it's a major step for us.. It's the start of deepening our relationship and bond further than it already is.."