Chapters 98 and 99: The Proposal Ceremony Halfway Through...

"So you absolutely have to jump this?"

Damian watched the video, arms crossed, looking incredulous. The video showed Dick and Cassandra performing a cover dance. The moves weren't particularly difficult, and were even quite ritualistic. Combined with Lyra's somewhat rough but surprisingly moving vocals, it created a wild and even mysterious plea.

"Three backup dancers will be more effective than one."

Dick stroked his chin, speaking quite frankly. He had studied the ritual; the entire process and the composition of the dance were just right to make the ritual look perfect. Any more would make it crowded, or rather, it wouldn't resemble a marriage proposal but rather a sacrificial ceremony.

"Fine, does the background music have to be this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Damian saw Lyra's angry eyes. Dick couldn't help but laugh out loud, and Tim and Jason also laughed. Lyra heard everyone's laughter, let out a deliberately unpleasant cry, then lightly pecked at each of them before flying away through the window. She flew back in less than half a minute.

Just then, Stephanie and Bruce walked in. Stephanie looked excited as she saw everyone was there but hadn't started practicing yet. However, seeing Lyra's expression, she seemed to understand something, and walked over to Tim, casually patting Lyra's head.

“Great, I’m not late. Actually, Bruce and I are the guest performers for this performance. I’ll sing and Bruce will play the piano.”

“Yes,” Bruce nodded, “how are your rehearsals going?”

Speaking of which, rehearsals have obviously just begun, but fortunately everyone has had the boost from training, so mastering the movements shouldn't be a problem. It would be even better if Damian didn't look like he was about to fight.

Of course, this is only temporary... soon...

"Great job, Damian, you did a great job!"

Seeing Damian's performance, Dick reached out and applauded him. Damian, who had just been hitting people, had already mastered the essence in the blink of an eye. In response to Dick's praise, Damian raised his chin happily, and his tone was also a bit smug.

"TT, of course."

Just then, Jason and Tim finished as well. Dick, treating them equally, praised them one by one, after all, they had both done a fantastic job, hadn't they? Jason looked indifferent, while Tim smiled slightly. Dick had an idea and glanced at Bruce, who was still watching.

Bruce…received a hint.jpg

“You did a great job, including you, Dick, and you, Stephen.”

Stephanie's singing was so moving that she finished first and was already watching the show. She thought she had nothing to do, but after being praised, she couldn't help but smile. Dick was also slightly taken aback when Bruce praised him.

"Yes, Stephanie, you sang wonderfully!"

"Thank you for the compliment. I know I did a good job."

So you're getting shy about the compliment and changing the subject? Stephanie didn't call her out on it. Instead, she secretly wrote it down, planning to share it with Enid later; Enid would definitely be very interested. Dick saw through her thoughts. Well, it doesn't matter if Enid finds out.

"Barbara's calling, wait..." Dick saw Barbara's call coming in and answered, "Barbara, what's up?"

Meanwhile, Barbara and Cassan were shopping with Enid, trying to divert her attention and find out about her situation. Things were going very smoothly.

"Just some good news: Fia has completely forgotten about that incident. Don't worry, the plan can proceed as normal."

“Great,” Dick Jason chimed in before Dick could finish, “Finally, I don’t have to learn that damn dance anymore. Why does it have to be a brother and not a sister?”

Seeing Jason's resentment, Barbara couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry, good luck Jason, but I believe you've made good progress and learned it, right?"

"Yes, it's not that difficult."

Tim gave an affirmative answer. Jason didn't say anything, but just crossed his arms and looked over. Good, he'd learned it too. Barbara noticed that, but Enid and Cassan were almost done with their call. She said goodbye to them and ended the call.

After ending the call, Bruce was also observing the subsequent developments. In fact, they had agreed on a time in three days, a week, or later, depending on the learning progress, with the earliest being three days later.

"I just hope those damn guys don't come out and cause trouble in three days." Jason's tone was a little annoyed. On the way here, he had casually handed over one of the guys to the police station earlier that day.

Upon hearing Jason's words, Bruce recalled the topic he had discussed with Clark a few days ago and spoke about it in a casual tone. After all, almost half a year had passed since he returned from there, and seeing Dick and Enid's relationship and Dick's conflicted longing, he certainly didn't want all of this to be interrupted.

“I’ve already spoken to Clark, and he’ll be there to help that day.”

"Thanks, Bruce."

...

While shopping with Cassandra and Barbara, Enid was surprised to find that six months had passed much faster than she had imagined. In fact, they had just celebrated Bruce's birthday together not long ago, and Enid had prepared a gift for a long time, as had everyone else.

At the birthday party, everyone rushed over to hug Bruce, and she seemed to keenly sense the moist smile in Bruce's eyes.

Even so, Enid still made a bunch of ribbons, and Bruce's hair even started to shimmer a few days later. However, Alfred secretly revealed that Bruce didn't throw away the suit covered in sequins and glitter; instead, he carefully kept it, along with the decorative lamp that Enid made.

Inside the lamp are small figurines that everyone made together. The whole family is inside, huddled together around Bruce in a fluffy garden. The starlight is made of inextinguishable cinnabar, forming an eternal lamp. Although it seems a bit too bright at night, since there is no switch to turn it off, it doesn't really need to.

She likes this lamp, and everyone else likes it too.

The lamp was placed where Bruce could see it every day, and it was one of his favorite gifts.

The surprise they prepared a month in advance was perfect. However, there was still one person left to plan; it was Dick's birthday, and Enid started thinking about the surprises for everyone's birthdays.

"What are you thinking about?" Barbara's gentle voice suddenly rang out.

“Birthday…” Enid paused for a moment, “Dick’s birthday is coming up soon, and I’m thinking about what gift to prepare.”

Barbara remembered that the birthdays circled on Enid's calendar were ones Damian had mentioned before, and Jonathan had told her about them. Superman's calendar was also full of his friends' birthdays, and Enid got her inspiration from that, decorating the calendar in a cute and pretty way.

"I think Dick would really like anything you give him, wouldn't he?"

"I love birthdays, so preparing a surprise is the happiest thing."

Enid's eyes, when they smiled, were like the sky, or even more so, the sky within the sacred forest—pure and dazzling. Barbara reached out and touched her hair.

"So, do you like it?" Cassandra asked, inquiring whether she liked the birthday party they had thrown for her. The moment the words left her lips, Cassandra saw the answer: her face clearly showed she loved it.

“Of course I love it!” Enid kissed them both on the cheek. “But this is my first birthday! My mother never celebrated my birthday before. Actually, this is the happiest day of my life!”

Enid vowed that she would remember this time forever, and she believed that with this memory, she could get through the long journey ahead.

She actually had a feeling; she knew they might be carrying out some secret operation, and she was both excited and scared.

It's not that she's afraid of being exposed; she enjoys the surprises and the birth of secrets, and she's open to the existence of love. But there's one thing she doesn't know: will it be acknowledged?

At night, after returning home.

Gotham and Brud Haven were relatively well-off today, not too busy, so when Dick got home, he saw Tim there; he hadn't gone to sleep yet and was probably waiting for him.

"Timmy, what's wrong?" Dick landed nimbly beside him; he probably knew what he wanted to ask. "Are you thinking about the proposal ceremony?"

"Yes...do you know the meaning of the last words spoken during the proposal ceremony?"

This is not a common phrase. After Tim translated it, he thought about it for a long time. He knew for sure that Dick knew all the contents here. He had seen it countless times, and Dick had seen it no less often than him. After all, he was just recording it, while he was doing it out of love.

"Of course I know. I've thought about it for a long time, and I'm very clear about it now, after half a year."

Are you sure you won't regret it?

"No...there always needs to be someone who stays with her, right?"

That phrase wasn't something the suitor needed to say, but rather the Archdruid's response to his partner—a divine permission. The words were ambiguous, without a fixed format, but the meaning was unchanging and eternal.

This is a marriage proposal to an immortal being.

At that moment, Tim suddenly saw the thin mist over Gotham dissipate, revealing a bright moon and stars. He probably saw what had happened that day.

It was within the dazzling music...

One person makes a promise to another, and the other person agrees.

"I pray to all things that you may grant me the right to pledge to the Archdruid, Enid Grady Wayne, the right to enter into an eternal marriage contract for all the rest of my life, in the name of Richard John Grayson."

As the rhythm ended, Dick knelt down on one knee. The blues' piano and Stephanie's singing also came to a close. Jason Timm and Damian's dance stopped after the music ended. The lilies of the valley blooming all around made a crisp sound. Enid could only look down and see Dick's pure blue eyes in front of her.

Will you spend the rest of your life with me?

His voice was firm and sincere, and he made an absolute promise in the loving gaze of the gods. Aura's horn also emitted a soft white light in the sunlight, and all things bloomed brightly.

The gods bestowed their blessings, and melodious music began to play in the sacred grove, as if He were silently agreeing.

Enid didn't speak. She watched as the horns on Cilan's head suddenly bloomed with flowers. Naya walked between Dick and her, meowed softly, and squatted down to the side. Serd's huge wolf head didn't squeeze in; it just squatted down to the side and watched for a long time, remaining silent.

Lyra obediently landed on Cielen's feet, then bit off a flower and flew to Enid's side.

She emerged with a smile as bright and gentle as a flower, kissed a flower petal, and the flower transformed into a long, three-colored hemp rope, while mistletoe seemed to bloom on the tree above. Lyra bit the rope and handed it to Dick, who took it and met her eyes, which held the same tender affection as Saint Lin's.

"I agree, I agree that you will have the right to kiss me and to be my groom."

The hemp rope formed knots in their hands. The three knots corresponded to three vows, both a bondage and a promise. The three knots were tied under everyone's gaze. Enid took off the rope and placed it in the hole in the huge rock behind her.

“You have the right to back out before the sacrifice to the idol.” Enid paused, swallowing the rest of her sentence, and Dick simply lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand. “Then we should choose a better day. So, may I kiss you now, my future wife?”

With her silent consent, Dick lowered his head and kissed her lips. Above them grew mistletoe that was overly vibrant.

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Author's note: Actually, the story is officially over here. I originally wanted to write 99 chapters, but I feel that stopping here is just right.

Okay, actually I just can't write anymore...

This is the grand finale!

Hmm~ If you're interested in seeing more details about the birthday party later, feel free to comment below.