Finished Long Time Coming pv Sarai

Aside from the muffled jubilee of both native and international students in attendance of the Gala of Mysteries chatter and cackling away beyond the doors of her botanic sanctuary, the greenhouses were tranquil and placid. It indeed was a welcomed atmosphere since the chaos they all had endured only a few days prior, and it was incredibly arduous for one Herbologist not to fold into herself musing on the tragedy experienced. The woman would offer her greenhouses as a sanctuary for students affected and herself as a willing ear to listen to their woes, and many would accept her offer. Her unusual accessibility and direct involvement with the students was perhaps a means of escape; listening to their woes took precedence, allowing the woman to avoid confronting her own. Sarai was no stranger to peril, of course, but it was not until the devastation in Hogsmeade that a harsher reality manifested before her very eyes. Never once would the woman ever fear for the lives of her sons, her partner, or her familiar, Badriyah. Not until that day.

Every time her silvery eyes closed shut, the woman found herself right back in that gruesome scene. Her mangled body bleeding out, broken and scorched, and worst of all, witnessing the seeds of terror manifest in the eyes of her sweet, innocent Briar. The bitter image crippled her morally, chipped at her psyche, and left her spending some private moments choking back gut-wrenching sobs. Her boys weren't babies anymore, far too large for Sarai's arms to hold and cradle close away from the world's dangers. It made Sarai especially grateful for Fabian's steadfast presence in their lives to help her find peace and shoulder the load, but the reality would remain clear-sighted for her; for he, too, could easily be snuffed away just as her babies could. And that was a damning thought in itself.

Withdrawing the scalding metal tray and atop a freshly baked walnut strudel from the oven, the steamy, sweet aroma wafted into the air. A small smile formed on her lips as she sliced two pieces, knowing that her surprise for him would be revealed the moment Fabian noticed the scent emanating in the air. Sarai would soon deliver two small plates to the candle-lit table where he peacefully sat and planted herself adjacent to him. "It's not dinner, but I figured we both deserved something sweet. Our little secret," she stated with a smile before taking a sip of a frosty glass of Barbancourt; her hand instinctively slid over his own as her mind began reminiscing over the last six, almost seven years of their relationship while taking a bite of her strudel.

Considering the lengthy duration of their relationship, it was growing difficult to imagine their dynamic could get much better than this. Even during the short-term intermittent bouts of his absence from his profession at Ilvermorny, Fabian made plenty of effort to be present in some capacity each and every day. Despite Sarai's hesitance to trust another man early into their meeting, Armand's infidelity once a looming shadow in the vestiges of her mind, Fabian had proved her wrong in the best of ways. And, most importantly, her children gravitated towards him like satellites in Earth's orbit. He took her boys in and loved them as his own, being the equally capable horticulturist and cultivating their unique talents individually. Her boys were over the moon about him, and so was she.

Alight was her gaze as Fabian took her hand in his own and rose to his feet. The adoration evident in his gaze made her heart flutter, but a wistful glint entered Sarai's eyes. The Herbologist would slightly compress a frown behind another swig of Barbancourt, assuming he was about to depart to check on the boys and students at Ilvermorny -- not that Sarai held any contempt or begrudged him for doing so. Mentally unprepared was she for Fabian's abrupt departure from their sanctuary at the moment and would squeeze his clammy hand as if to savor his presence just a second longer before he was to leave her.

Her mind's solemn, manic overthinking would halt as the following words slipped from Fabian's mouth, catching her off guard: "I wonder if you would do me a great honor."

"Fabian.." she murmured, her eyes brimming with joyous tears as he began to drop to one knee; "W-what ar-“

A black, velvety ring case was presented to her, and nestled inside of it was the most beautiful piece Sarai had ever laid eyes on: a gold-banded ring sculpted into leafy vines, tiny emeralds encased as the leaves, adorned with an exquisite oval moss agate stone. Tears spilled from her adoration-filled eyes, and she nodded rapidly, the fast-paced beating of her heart and joyful laughter and sobs disabling her from forming coherent words momentarily as Sarai pulled him into a tight, trembling embrace.

"Y-yes, yes, of course!" she responded with a radiant smile, her voice both shaky yet full of conviction, "Yes."