[Crystal Heart]

Arty smiled at the Innkeeper as she brought pints all around.

"Well here's the story. If you have time to listen, I'd be glad to tell it. Here's the story. General Dorian, Crystal's father found out that I was courting the wonderful Miss Heart. He was furious for you see I took her out at night to show her what life was like outside the confinds of her home. He never let her out. He had found out while Crystal's mother-Sandrina was still alive. Sandrina, even though weak and ill still had some control over her husband's temper. She died suddenly, when we all believed and were told by the doctors that she would survive. Suddenly, mind you. Creating suspicion in the minds of Crystal and I that Dorian had posioned his wife."

He paused momentarily to take another drink from his tankard and continued:

"I was just a lad then, not much older then fifteen. I became angry at the sadness that had finally taken control of my lovely Crystal. So I confronted the man. I accused him of killing his wife. He became angry and fought me with his swords. I wasn't as skilled as he and was slashed in the stomach. I stopped breathing and laid so still that he thought I was dead. He didn't even come over to check if I really was. He left with Crystal crying. Now, by the time any strength had come back to me I had already fallen to unconsciousness. Some travellers who had saw the fight took me far away for they knew the dangers that Dorian could present to a young man who was wounded as badly as I was. They travelled a lot while I recovered. By the time I was fully recovered I returned to Rohan with a band of travellers. But by that time Crystal had fled Dorian and he had started up the search for her. I decided to start a search of my own."

"Crystal is a sneaky little thing. When she wants to be found she can be, and it was obvious she didn't want to be found by anyone. I followed her trail, but I couldn't find her. I was always days behind or even weeks behind her at some points. Bartholomew-my brother had no idea I was on this quest. This journey lasted three years before I finally lost her trail. So I decided to take my revenge on the man that had sent her into hiding and the one that had tried to kill me. I went after Dorian. I was the one that killed Dorian. That quest took another year and a half to complete."

"Now I'm about to turn twenty soon here in a couple of weeks and finally found out that Crystal has been hiding here in the Shire. I decided to come and find her. That's why I'm here. To save her once again."

He looked over at Crystal and smiled at her lovingly. She was the one thing that had kept him going even though she had no idea he was alive. He never was going to leave her side again.

"What about Angry, Crystal?" Adu asked her softly. Arty looked at her in confusion.

"Arty, Angry is the name of the hobbit I have been residing with. Adu-he has disappeared. I have no idea where he is. I had given up hope that Arty was alive, but I have always loved him. His family didn't agree anyway. It relieves pressure off of him now." Crystal answered quickly.

Arty took her hand. He had waited so long in trying to find her. He had even purchased several items that he knew that she would love once he found her to give them to her. But there was one item in his pocket that he could never have found in any store. He had traded it with a family that he had helped on his journy in looking for her. A valued item that she would never have believed could still exist. An item she had treasured as a child, but he knew that she thought she had lost.

He pushed back his chair and knelt down on one knee, right front of these people that he had no idea who they really all were. But it didn't matter to him now. As he had retold his story he knew that now was the best time, during this time of celebration.

"Crystal I've searched for you for quite a long time. I ask you now if you'll consent in marrying me." He asked her as he slipped onto her left ring finger her grandmother's wedding ring that her mother had wore and had passed onto her before her death. Dorian had taken it away from Crystal and traded it sometime afterwards. He hadn't known when they had traded, but the name in the band was all he needed to know that it was really her heirloom.

Crystal sat in shock, not speaking and not moving. She barely blinked. She suddenly swallowed and started to cry.

"My grandmother's, my... Where did you?"

"I found it on my journey to finding you once more."

She continued to cry and shook her head in disbelief. Finally she answered in a soft whisper, "Yes, I do consent to marrying you."