After breakfast, Luka took Chole into the library for a surprise. She looked around her and gasped. There was this banner that read "Chole and Luka!"  She saw another one that read, "Chole, will you be my wife?"   There were flower petals sprinkled on the floor and a few on the back part of the sofa.

         Luka let go of her hand as she looked around the room. He pulled a book off the shelf. The title read, " The Princess and the Treasure Chest." He smiled as he held it in one hand and a ring in the other.

        "Well, what will it be?" Luka asks.  "Wow, it is amazing!" Chole exclaims.

      She smiles at all the effort, he went into this special surprise for her. She figures it must have taken him all night to get it ready. No wonder, he looked so tired right now.

         Luka remains on one knee with the book and ring. He waits for her to turn around.  While he waits he smiles at her. She is the one who pulled him out of his despair when he thought it was never possible.

            Chole examines the roses that are on the top shelf in the room. She smells them. Yes, they are fresh like she thought. She is pleased. She turns around and looks at Luka. 

              "L-Luka, what are you?" She asks. "Well, will you marry me?" He asks.

              Chole smiles, "You did all this for us?" She asks. She steps closer to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Yes, I will marry you!  I would not want to marry anyone else," She answers.

                    Luka hands her the ring and she puts it on. He stands up. "What is with the book?" Chole asks. "It sounds like our story, don't you think?" He asks as he hands it to her.

                       "Whoa, it has the title, The Princess and the Treasure Chest," but I do not remember ever seeing it before Luka. "Where did it come from?" Chole wants to know.  "I suppose it was brought here by magic," Luka says. Chole laughs. She opens the book and gaps. Inside it shows her and Luka together.  How? She wonders.

                        Perhaps, it is a magical thing that appeared for us. She smiles as she closes the book. "I wonder how the rest of our story goes," Chole says. "Our story, well, I like the sound of that Chole," Luka says.

                    Chole kisses him and he kisses her. The library surprise was far better than she could have hoped, and Luka was glad it turned out as well as it did. The two held hands and suddenly a gust of wind blew open the window, picked up the petals off the ground, and reformed them into a lovely statue outside. The window slammed shut, and a click was heard as it locked.

                  Luka noticed but Chole didn't. He knew she had brought it back.  He was glad. The lights in the library flickered and Luka held her close. Chole lay her head on his chest, and he smiled.  Yes, it was more than he ever hoped for, all because of her, his Chole.

                    Chole's father the king, smiled. He was glad the kingdom was back in the proper hands. He knew his daughter was happy and for that he was grateful. He knew Nicolas Thomas would make a fine and adequate king should the need arise.

                      The Duke scowled in the dungeon. He hated it in here, it was dark and dreary.  He did not like the royals. His being locked away made him hate them even more. He desired to have his revenge. In due time, he would, he thought.  He had no idea about the happenings in a house a few miles away.  Had he known, he would have been even more furious.

                Somewhere outside Luka's place, she stood smiling her approval. You did well, Chole and Luka.  She drew her hands over the place restoring it to its formal glory. There that is much better. Then, she went to the castle, and frowned, that Duke was a rotten one. She feared what would happen should he escape. Well, she must not let that happen. She held her hands over the door and the locks rust went away. Then she lifted her hands over the rest of the space, it looked better. There, she thought my work was done for now.

                     No one knew, who she was, but some say she was the storyteller.

        Find out more in Chapter 10

       Until then,

bye-bye,

little owlets!

Summer out!