"Bondmate and wife...Will you marry me?" echoed through a very stunned Mira's mind and it was a few very long seconds before she could gather her wits enough to respond.

"Bran," Mira's eyes searched his, "I don't expect you to marry me..." Mira had started to give him the 'just because of this, and your not obligated' speech, then stopped. In her heart, she knew he didn't ask from a sense of obligation, he asked out of love.

With shaking hands, Mira traced the pendant that Bran wore, her eyes studying the lines of the carved raven, then a soft smile lit her face, "To be your bondmate and wife..." Her voice cracked with a flood of emotion, and Mira cleared her throat.

"How could I say no?" With the whisper of her reply, Mira's eyes met his again, the flood of emotion threatening to overwhelm her.

"You will?" Bran whispered hoarsely. Fingers that shook slightly with relief and happiness cupped her face as he kissed her. "You have made me so happy." He hugged her to him for a moment as he tried to regain his scattered wits. "I don't think I was so nervous in my life as when I asked you that."

He took one hand away from her for a moment and allowed his rarely used magic. Silver mist gathered around his fingers, coalescing in his palm into a delicate silver and jade ring. Silently he slipped it onto her finger.

Mira watched in wonder as the silver-mist appeared, then faded away, leaving the ring behind. So many thoughts and possible reactions were racing through her mind and absolutely none of them would slow down long enough for her to do anthing with any one of them. So, it was with a slightly dazed, joy filled expression that Mira looked at Bran as he slipped the ring on her finger, then looked at the ring and back at Bran. Words that had been spoken by Mira once at a Yule party breathlessly echoed in the room again, "It fits..."