Re: Aloysius, Hyperion, Quinn, and ZJ
He couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun, and there'd been a hell of a lot of fun this year. But Hype was obviously in his element, and the way the other three played along was perfect, even Zahara who'd had no clue about it before she'd been whisked away was playing her part beautifully.
Their best friends and closest family were all in the crowd, he knew, having made sure that they would be there and stay past the witching hour so they wouldn't miss this. Persephone, Dora, Coop and Gen, Phillip and Addi, Fitz, they were all here for this, and he was so close to his goal.
Hype jumped over a spray of ice from the Ice Dragon and then ducked and rolled underneath a wayward burst of fire, his sword tucked safely against his side. They were just illusions, and he hadn't forgotten that, but he wanted to play it up. And then the Ice Dragon blocked his path. It had been a possibility, but he was still surprised by Aly's sudden appearance in front of him. He parried and then, when he saw his opening, he rolled beneath the belly of the dragon and stabbed his sword up into it, knowing that Aly was perfectly safe with the charms on the sword but that the illusion would play out as if he really had stabbed the beast.
As Aly played out his dramatic reaction to being "stabbed," Hyperion rolled away again, darting around the "dying" dragon, sheathing his sword. Reaching Zahara, he swept her up in his arms and carried her up the spiral stairs leading to the balcony overlooking the Ice King's domain.
"Zahara, my love," he began, letting his voice carry off the stage and to the crowd, as he set her to her feet. "I would go to the ends of the Earth to protect you and make you happy." Shifting to kneel on one knee, he slipped a hand in his pocket, bringing out the ring he'd had hidden in his desk at work for weeks and holding it up for her to see. "Would you give me the greatest privilege of my life and allow me to become your husband?"