Unlike many might think, life doesn’t end at “Happily Ever After,” though it did maintain that mode for Gux and Lily. Lily continued to teach Gux, trying to help him discover his particular form of druidic magic that aided him in his role as the forest’s protector: a role he took quite seriously. While he still loved to grow plants, chat with animals, and help around the farm, this was balanced by his time in the woods hunting down creatures that would do them harm or would try to hurt the village. He never killed them, and always made sure to leave them sleeping outside of the forest, a berry placed on their chest to help them heal and ease their hunger.
It was after one of these instances, once more with a pack of gnolls from his old tribe, that he returned to Lily, finding her talking to Berry. Gux had learned how to do that properly himself, and rather enjoyed his chats, but seeing her talking to him… He frowned. “How long this happen? Berry, you telling my secrets?”
Berry turned to look at Gux, the magic animating the bush in its plant pot. “What? No. Early on we used to talk about how you were doing as a student, but lately Lily’s been-”
He was cut off by Lily. “Nothing! I haven’t been doing anything, we were just talking!” Her flawless deception was easily sniffed out by Gux, who sighed.
“If it embarrassing, no need worry.” He went over to her, licking her cheek lovingly. “You still my favorite.”
Lily sighed happily, leaning over and nuzzling him and kissing him on the muzzle. “You’re too good to me, Gux. But no, I was asking for something special from Berry, but it’s a surprise… you’ll find out soon.”
Gux was excited, but he sat down at the table, his face slowly darkening. “I think warmatron mad… Sending more gnolls to find village again…” He leaned on his paw angrily. “Just no want to hurt… If killed, so much easier…”
Lily went around behind him, hugging him and starting to braid little flowers into the fur on his back. “Hey now, none of that. Both of us know you don’t want anyone getting seriously hurt from your fighting… And you’d feel awful if you killed anyone. Remember what happened with the sparrow?”
Gux winced just remembering it. He’d been practicing throwing his club properly, in case people ran away, and the throw had bonked into a low-flying sparrow, killing it instantly. It as one thing when an animal died from old age, but even those he often buried (if there wasn’t a carrion eater who needed it nearby) and left flowers to remember it by. He did his best to save animals from hunts if he could feed the predator, and killing one himself? It was unheard of.
He ran back to the hut with the bird in his paws, whining constantly in his sad cry. It took quite a while for him to even get out what he’d done wrong, having to resort to druidic because common was failing him. When, finally, Lily knew what was happening, she knew both what she was supposed to do and what she did.
She was supposed to let the creature remain dead and explain how even the accidents in life were important and part of nature… Which she tried, but Gux shook his head. “Not accident! Mistake. Fix?” He couldn’t be reasoned with, and the way he was wailing over the bird… She went over to a special cabinet, mixing many oils and herbs and preparing a large ritual. It took forever, and scavenging for the needed materials to do it when someone was in need was going to be… hard at best, but she did it anyway for her love.
At the end of the ritual, there seemed to be a magical cocoon that weaved itself over the dead sparrow… and a moment later, it returned… as a cardinal. It hopped around excitedly, and when Gux cast the spell to speak to it, it was, indeed, the sparrow, though his colors were all wrong… and he was now a she. She’d take some getting used to her new body, but she thanked him all the same for bringing her back and promised, after much hugging, not to go flying near the practice range again.
Watching the female cardinal hitting on female sparrows for a while was amusing, but eventually she was able to find a mate and seemed quite happy with her life now.
Gux pouted at Lily for bringing the sparrow up. “It was accident! And she happy now.”
“I know. Her first chicks just started flying, and she came by asking about you. She gave us these.” She held out a few small sunflower seeds. “It wasn’t much, but a sweet gift nonetheless.”
Gux’s face lit up at the gift and hearing that the birds had started flying, and he looked like he was about to say something before he stopped himself, calming down. “I glad she alright… But yeah… I no hurt people…” He leaned on his paw again, seeing his reflection in the water used as a scrying pool in the center of the table. Flowers were woven through all his fur, and he looked quite pretty… His face even looked a lot softer than it had been when he’d first arrived. The year and a half he’d spent here had changed his life completely.
He caught Lily’s reflection in the pool and smiled, turning to kiss her gently. “I love you. Thank you.” He then nuzzled into her as she held his head to her breast.
“You’re wonderful, Gux, and a protector like the forest has never known.” She kissed his head, then purred into his ear. “I think I know what will cheer you up after a long, hard day on the job.”
Gux hadn’t been thinking about that at all, but his ears perked up, and a quiet thump hit under the table. “... We go to bedroom. Dinner wait.” Lily smiled at him, leading him to the bedroom with a hand gripping his newly-grown handle.
The next morning Gux left early, saying he was going for a patrol, but instead heading into the village. He still got strange looks from time to time, mostly from those hurt the most from the gnoll attack, but everyone knew who he was, and he was friendly, waving and smiling to those who looked down or who waved at him. He had a few places he wanted to go, but first he went to the baker, finding the fire rising from her shop built underneath a giant mushroom.
He went into the building,finding Juniper hard at work on a multi-tiered cake. When the pregnant elf turned around to see him, she jumped for a moment, a hand going to her belly. “Woah! You scared me, Gux!”
He looked sheepish. “Sorry! I not mean to.”
She shook her head, laughing. “Oh, it’s no problem… I just wasn’t expecting you. Normally Lily is the one that buys things for you. So… what’s up?”
Gux kneaded his paws together for a little bit. “I wondering… how you ask your mate to be your mate.”
Juniper looked a little confused for a bit, then it clicked. “Oh, you want to know how I was engaged to my husband?”
Gux nodded. “I want to know… Tribe… not romantic. Want to know customs here.”
She grinned at him. “Oh, you getting serious, hmm?” Gux looked even more sheepish, but didn’t deny it. “Well, he asked me. Most of the time, the men ask the women, although there’s nothing wrong with it the other way around. Maybe… 40% of the time the woman asks first? Anyway…” She removed her apron, revealing a necklace made of golden leaves and amber, at the center of which was a single blue feather.
“There’s a tradition… Well, there’s a lot of traditions, depending on who you ask, but the one who is going to ask brings a gift of the most important thing that reminds them of their partner… For me, we were sitting in a golden tree when we saw the most beautiful blue bird… He kept a feather that had fallen off of it, and made this for me…” She blushed, her hands going to her cheeks as she beamed. “It was so cute!”
Gux thought about things for a moment, nodding. “And… After?”
“Once you’re engaged, there’s a ceremony to make it official… There doesn’t need to be anyone except one witness and someone to lead the ceremony, and it can be a big affair or not… Ours was just our families and we had Birch officiate, but technically anyone could… It was less than a month before we were married, and I’ve been happy ever since!” She grinned widely.
Gux nodded, smiling too. “I’m glad… Sounds much nicer than tribe… I like it.” He started to leave, but Juniper called out, stopping him.
“I know it’s not much, but… You saved my life all those months ago, and I found out I was pregnant soon after… I was wondering if you would be willing to be the child’s godfather, once they’re born?” Gux looked baffled.
“God...father?”
Juniper smiled warmly. “It’s… like a second dad to the kid, in case anything happens, and to help lead them in the right paths in life… It’s not really a druid tradition, I bring it from my home village, but… Yeah. Would it be okay?”
Gux nodded, his smile widening as he hugged Juniper gently. “Yes! I will be godfather! Thank you so much!”
Juniper nodded. “Good luck with your proposal, big guy. I know you two are perfect for each other.”
Gux left the shop quickly. He’d wanted to ask others about their mates, but now he was too excited, rushing into the forest to get to work on his gift.
That evening Gux came back from his work late. He had something special in his pack and a spring in his step. When he got home, he saw a whole meal prepared out for him, Lily waiting behind it, her face lighting up when she saw him. “Gux! Welcome home! I saw how late it was getting, and I was starting to think you were having a hard day… I hope everything’s alright?” She brought him inside, setting him down at the table while she moved around.
Gux nodded. “Things fine… Working on something. I have a question, if okay?”
Lily smiled, moving a bit nervously at the spring that provided water in the cooking area. She was mumbling to herself a little, and then turned around. “I have a question too, and I hope it’s okay.” She then got down on one knee, holding out a bracer made of vines, with little rubies in it that looked like goodberries, and a lily placed right at the clasp. She looked him in the eyes, blushing profusely and holding her breath, as she said in very choppy gnoll “Gux, be my mate?”
Gux’s heart leaped into his chest, then he burst out laughing, a sound that caught Lily off guard and made her look very sad. He quickly reached into his bag, pulling out his own gift: a necklace made of vines woven together, with rubies looking like goodberries weaved among them, a lily placed right on the clasp. He got down on one knee as well, holding out his gift. “Yes, Lily, if you marry me?”
Between the happy tears that streamed down her face, replacing the hurt ones, Lily burst out laughing as well, both of them falling to the ground laughing together, before it turned into a kiss the two were sharing between giggles. They gave each other the gifts, then held each other close, as Gux laughed. “So… This big secret?”
Lily nodded. “I’ve been working on gnoll with Berry… You?”
“I went to town to ask about making you mate… Spent all day making this. Was, lucky, quiet day of patrol.” He snuggled up to her, his bracered arm placed right over her heart when they hugged, while her necklace landed right above his. They both smiled, kissing deeply once more. “I love you, Lily,” he said.
“I love you too, Gux… forever,” Lily replied. They both just lay on the ground for a while, enjoying each other’s company as the feast slowly cooled, not caring the least about anything other than each other.
