@crowsalvation sent: send 💍 for my muses reaction to your muse proposing to them. || accepting
the following afternoon, after the founders ball carried with it the delicate warmth of the sun, softened by the shade of a lilac parasol that katherine held with effortless grace. she wore a gown of deep crimson, the silk catching the light with every measured step she took, the lace at her sleeves brushing lightly against her gloves. beside her, the sound of damon’s voice lingered from his earlier request, and so she found herself walking at his side toward the gardens, toward the grand pond where a fountain sent water arching upward in a crystalline dance. sunlight fractured across the ripples, scattering gold and silver across the surface, as if nature itself conspired to make the moment more enchanting.
they stood there for a moment, talking about what a beautiful day it was, no hint about the events of yesterday that must have deeply displeased him. when he paused, when the ring appeared in his hand, katherine’s brown eyes widened just so, betraying her surprise before she smoothed it over with practiced poise. she had not expected such a gesture, not after an evening where her attentions had seemed directed elsewhere. and yet here he was, earnest and vulnerable in a way that struck her more deeply than she would admit aloud.
she let the silence linger a heartbeat too long before her lips curved into a tender smile. "damon," she said softly, her tone carrying both affection and caution, "you honor me more than words could ever say. but i am not the sort of woman who belongs within the confines of marriage." her voice remained steady, gentle, as though she wished to shield him from the sharper edges of truth.
stepping nearer, she lifted her gloved hand to rest against his cheek, her touch light, reassuring. "you must know," she whispered, "that your devotion needs no symbol, no vow, no ring to bind it. my love for you does not demand such things." leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his, soft and lingering, as if to seal her words with a promise that was hers alone to give.