Ariala skipped happily towards her house when Adan stepped in front of her path. "Hey, Ariala." He said with a small smile.

"Go away." Ariala said as she tried to pass by him.

"Come on, Ariala. Please just talk to me." He sighed as he stepped in Ariala's path.

"I'm going to get Dimitrius. We have some people we need to talk to and I'd appreciate if you step off." Ariala warned, her voice low. Adan raised his hands in a surrender as he walked away. "But remember, we have a lunch with your parents in two days." He winked. Ariala shoved him aside and started up the rope ladder to return to her house.

Walking inside, Ariala walked up to Dimitrius and have him a quick kiss before turning to the kettle. "Tea?" She asked as she leaned against the counter.

"Yes, I just made a pot, would you like some?" he inquired as he set his cup on the small saucer on the table before looking over at her. Seeing her expression, Dimitrius sighed as he stood up and walked over to her, slipping his hands around her waist. "Only two scenarios could bring out this look in you.. One being your Master wasn't happy with you and didn't understand.. The second being you saw Adan.. Which is it, love?"

"The second." Ariala mumbled as she wrapped her arms around Dimitrius's neck. "My master was a piece of cake next to him. He set up a lunch with my parents for me and him." She sighed as she buried her face at the base of Dimitrius's neck.

Holding her close, Dimitrius sighed as he gently rested his chin upon her shoulder and caressed her back, "Ariala, my love, you needn't fear him going to your parents.. There's nothing they can do to force you into marrying Adan, we're married, forever, remember? I'm yours for eternity, and as long as you'll allow it, you're mine for just as long. Adan can schedule a thousand lunches with your parents, but nothing will change that."

Placing a tender kiss upon her cheek, Dimitrius linked his fingers through hers with one hand as the other softly caressed her cheek, "Now what say you we have a cup of tea and then go and see your parents, hm?"

"Alright." Ariala sighed as she reached to give him a tender kiss. "We should've stayed at your house. It was much more fun there." She teased before going to the stove and pouring them both a cup of tea. Moving to the table, Ariala set the teas down and slid into her chair.

Dimitrius chuckled as he sat down in the chair he had been sitting in when Ariala walked through the door, "I agree with you, on that point love, but if we had stayed at our house in Winterglade, you would never have spoken with your Master, nor would we be speaking with your parents shortly," he added as he took a sip of his tea.

"Exactly." Ariala teased as she crossed her ankles under the table. "Its much more fun at your house. Even if it does give me goosebumps from the cold." Ariala smiled as she took another sip of her tea. "The ice is pretty but very cold." She laughed.

Dimitrius chuckled, "Aye, but just think, the border won't be as chilly so it'll be much more comfortable for you and the children." Finishing his tea, Dimitrius took his dishes, and the teapot, to the sink and began to wash them, "Would you like anything to eat before we go see your parents?"

"No, I'm fine. I just want to get this over with." She sighed as she finished her tea and brought her dishes to the sink. "I'm going to get changed out of these Winterglade clothes. Then I'll be ready." Ariala said before slipping into the bedroom and changing into a light Spring dress.

"Better." She said to the mirror as she watched the pink dress swirl around her legs before returning to the kitchen.

Finishing up the dishes and setting them on a towel to dry, Dimitrius dried his hands on another towel before walking over to Ariala and slipping his arm around her waist and leading her out of the house, "Are your parents at the castle, love?"

"Yes. Its after dinner so they'll be on their walk around the grounds." Ariala said before slipping down the rope ladder. "Its your last chance to back out." She teased, only half-serious, as she waited for Dimitrius.

Dimitrius shrugged his shoulders as he climbed down the rope ladder and half started walking towards Winterglade as he teased, "Sounds perfect, love. Let's go home."

Chuckling, Dimitrius turned back to Ariala and wrapped his arms around her waist before placing a tender kiss upon his lips, "My dearest Ariala, it will be fine. We'll make your parents see just how much we mean to each other, especially how much you mean to me.. We'll make them see that we're right for each other and that our union is perfect. They'll see in time, I promise you."

"I know." Ariala laughed as she placed another kiss on Dimitrius's lips. "But I still like the idea of chickening out." She smiled as she entwined her fingers in Dimitrius's and led him towards the Palace. "Just promise you'll still love me and that's all I care about." She mumbled softly, not sure whether Dimitrius could hear her.

"Ariala?" Ariala heard her mother, Taylyn, called as she broke form her husband's side and ran to embrace Ariala.

"Hello, mother." Ariala said softly as she wrapped her arms around her mother, wishing that things would run smoothly. She missed being able to just be with her mother without the complication that was Adan. "Father." She said respectively to her father, Arvan.

"Hello, my darling." Her father said, giving her a brief hug after mother had stepped away. "Its been so long." He said quietly. "What's kept you away?" He asked as he stood beside Taylyn and took her hand, both of them giving Dimitrius a curious look.

"I came to introduce my husband, Dimitrius." Ariala said, her cheeks a slight pink from nerves, as she gestured to Dimitrius.

As Dimitrius stood by Ariala's side, he gave a respective bow to Ariala's parents, "It is a pleasure to meet the both of you. My name is Dimitrius Cordei, I wish we could have met sooner, Ariala has told me great things of you."

"Husband?" Taylyn said softly, her expression hurt. "He's your husband?" She asked.

"It was made official a few days ago." Ariala said, watching her parents carefully. "I love him and he loves me so we decided to be married. We were planning to wait until a few months from now but we didn't want to wait. We're still having a large wedding for all of our friends and family on the original date though." She explained.

"Its not just that your married." Arvan said coldly. "We just assumed with Adan back-" He started before being interrupted.

"I am not going to ever be with Adan." Ariala hissed, her face contorted in anger. "He left me at the alter! I cannot and will never love some one like that. I'd think that you'd be happy for me that I found some one I love." She said, trying and failing to hide the hurt in eyes.

"Oh, sweetie." Taylyn cooed, bending to give Ariala a hug which she quickly dodged to wrap her arms arond Dimitrius's waist. "We want you to be happy. We just didn't realize that it'd be with this boy. We've never even met this Dimitrius." Taylyn said.

"You haven't met him because I knew you'd bring up Adan." Ariala seethed. "I didn't want him running from the hills because my parents can't seem to realize that leaving me humiliated and hurt is the wrong thing to do."

Placing a hand upon Ariala's shoulder, Dimitrius whispered soothingly, "Ari.. It's alright. I warned you this would happen, stay calm. I'm alright," he added as he placed a tender kiss upon her forehead before stepping closer to her parents.

With a bow to them once more, Dimitrius began in a soft tone, keeping eye contact with both of them as he spoke, "I realize this is coming as a shock, and I'm sure a great dishonor, having a man you've never met say he has wedded your daughter without your permission. I ask forgiveness, from both of you, for not coming sooner. Had I not feared your reaction, I would have. I know I am not of Elimlee origin, and it is strange to find your daughter with one of Winterglade, but I promise you, I love your daughter more than life itself.. And as silly and childish as it sounds, I cannot imagine my life without her.. I know you have high regard for this Adan you speak of, and I know it will take some getting used to, but I do love your daughter and I do wish to spend my life with her. My hope is that you will bless us and will accept our marriage with open arms. I also hope that you will attend out wedding in just under two months time, it would mean the world to us to have you there and supporting us."

"Of course we're coming to the wedding." Taylyn said, shocked. "Did you think otherwise?" She asked.

"You shouldn't have gone behind our backs, Ariala." Arvan said, his arms folded over her chest.

"Would you have approved of it if I'd told you?" Ariala asked calmly. "Or would you have tried to stop me and ruined the best day of my life with your blindness af Adan?" She asked, earning shocked looks from both parents.

"I wanted to be there for you on your wedding day." Taylyn said softly, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm tired of this." Arvan said sharply. "We'll speak again later." He said before turning on his heel and leaving Taylyn with the couple.

"I wanted you there to, mom." Ariala said quietly, putting her arms around Taylyn's waist.

"Don't worry about your father. He's just feeling betrayed that he wasn't there. He'll come around." Taylyn soothed as she smoothed out Ariala's hair.

Dimitrius bit his lower lip as he stayed back and added softly, "If it makes you two feel any better, it was a simple ceremony to prove to each other and the world that we were strongly committed to one another. You haven't missed as much as you both may think. Your husband will still be able to officially give your daughter away the day of our official wedding ceremony, which is May 9th. And you will still be able to help your daughter plan the details of the wedding and help to see things through. We've decided to get married in the Meadow near where we met here in Elimlee, that way both sides of the wedding will be able to comfortably attend. There is a lot to be done, and we hope you and your husband will help us and stand by us as best you can. I love your daughter, Mrs. Gallagher, I truly hope you can accept me as a son-in-law.."

Taylyn smiled softly at the Winter Elf as her chin rested on her daughter's shoulder. "I understand what its like to be young and in love. We've all been there. I only wish I could've been there for my daughter." She said, tears forming in her eyes as her voice started to break.

Ariala clinged tighter to her mother as she felt a few tears fall from her eyes. "I wanted you to be there as well." Ariala admitted softly. "But I didn't want you to stop us. I love him, mommy." She said, unsure of what had reverted her to her name for her mother when she was young.

"I'll be there at the next one." Taylyn assured her, laughing to keep the tears from falling anymore then they had already started. "And I hope you won't hide things from me anymore." She said. "I want to be a part of your life." She said as she wiped the tears from Ariala's face.

Dimitrius smiled at the women in front of him, glad everything was running smoothly with Ariala's mother, at least, "As do we, Mrs. Gallagher. We were simply afraid you'd stop us and try and get Adan back into the picture.. We promise you, we will inform you of anything that goes on in our lives as much as we can. We've begun plans for a house, it'll be right on the border so it won't be too far from your home and will be perfect climate for all of us. We've also been given a Cottage a few hours from here, as a wedding gift from my Aunt. If you would like to be kept informed on the status of the construction and decoration, we'll be more than happy to send word or come and visit to tell you the details."

"I want to see Ariala in the wedding dress. Before the wedding." Taylyn smiled shyly. "I should've been there the first time." She sighed as she looked at the couple.

"Of course, mom." Ariala said, her cheeks red from happiness as she wrapped an arm around Dimitrius's waist. "Its gorgeous." She smiled. "I think you'd be proud."

"And I'm sorry I seemed cruel before." Taylyn said to Dimitrius, slightly embaressed. "I just wish I could've been there for my daughter." She said as she wrapped her arms around Dimitrius. "Please don't think poor of me or my husband. He'll come around eventually. He's just more stubborn. Like Ariala in some ways." She teased lightly.

Dimitrius smiled as he hugged his mother-in-law and soothed, "I could never think poorly of you or your husband. I expected this reaction, I myself would have reacted the same had I been in your shoes. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for blessing us Mrs. Gallagher.. It truly means the world to me, to us.. I must apologize for one thing, however.. I'm afraid you won't be able to meet my parents until the wedding. They are currently on vacation. However, if you wish to meet the most important family I have, I can arrange a meeting with my Aunt Cindalina and my sister, Dimeria."

"That sounds wonderful." Taylyn smiled as she pulled away from Dimitrius. "But now I must go. I'm Arvan will scare all of the guards on his way back to your wing. Goodbye, loves." She said kindly, kissing Ariala's forehead before kissing Dimitrius's and returning to the castle.

"That wasn't so bad." Ariala laughed as she led Dimitrus away from the Palace. "I'm sorry about my father." She sighed.

Dimitrius smiled as he slipped his arm around Ariala's waist and placed a tender kiss upon her temple, "Don't worry about your father. I can understand his point of view. If we have a daughter, I'd be upset that I wasn't able to give her away at her wedding as well. But under the circumstances, I believe he'll come around, just give him time."

"I hope so." Ariala sighed as they walked outside the gates of the castle. Letting out a long yawn, Ariala leaned against Dimitrius. "Its been a long day." She smiled as they reached the rope ladder and she climbed up it quickly.