He was so sweet to her. Apple thought that's what she loved most about him; he was gentle by means of nature, not just afraid to hurt her. He was tender. Kind. He lit a fire in her that had nothing to do with lust and just made her want to… be better. Try harder. Smile more.

Dante was curious, but cautious. Apple wasn't surprised there were questions, especially around the finality of the oath.

It means that unlike ties like alliances or even marriages, that can be dissolved by word of the monarch, this oath goes beyond our law. When one of the pair die, there is no other Sword for the Chosen, and no other Chosen for the Sword. She sucked in a deep breath, keeping his gaze. Yes, but the same is said for me. Your actions represent my will, my life is in your grasp.

A soft exhale.

You would be one of the most important, closest figures in my life, she held her breath, gaze dropping to her fidgeting paws for just a single fleeting second before returning to his emerald orbs, Comparable to a mate. But not always! Siblings, friends, a child protecting their parent; the trust is the basis of the relationship, and it's not one made lightly.

Did she trust him so? Irrevocably.

You've joined our kingdom, played with my kids, patrolled borders that aren't firm, hunted, everything. You opened up a world of possibilities for me that I thought had been lost. You've taken me to bed. You are… so important to me. The light of my life, my gem in the sand. You do so much, for me, and I see it. I see you. And I want to show you what you mean to me. I want to grow together.

Apple barely noticed that she hadn't extracted them from the water before delving into the topic at hand. Their gazes locked. She could see the uncertainty in him, the pressure of it, hear the flutter in his breath; was she wrong to offer now? He was still new in her life, but Apple believed that someones true colors couldn't be hidden for long. If he had wanted her hurt, he could've done it a million times over in a million different ways.

He would die for her, he said. For the kids. For the kingdom.

He didn't sound as shaky as he looked.

'I see you too, mi girasol. The way you reach toward the sun, desperate to shed your winter coat and properly bloom. Your future is so bright.' But here, he looked away. Was he scared, too? It often seemed like they were two sides of the same coin, didn't it? Apple blinked, unwavering, patient.
He asked for time, and Apple dipped her head before he'd even finished the sentence. She knew it was a heavy ask of him, one that would change their lives, their futures.

He looked back to her, and she smiled. He wanted to say yes, he said, but he wanted to be sure. He wanted both of them to be sure.
Apple didn't need to think on it anymore. She wanted him to share her life; her den, her bed, her family, her kingdom, her secrets. She wanted the excuse to garden with him in the warm summer evenings, to fish with him on warm days and deliver the meals fresh to the citizens of their home.

Take as much time as you need, my sweet shadow, and don't think you have to say yes. We can still figure out what we mean to each other in different ways. It does not need to be this.

She touched her muzzle against his.

Do you want the day alone? I was going to go mark the borders a bit.

He could join her, or he could remain here, nearer the den. Sparrow was with the kids, but an extra guardian was never amiss either.