The Village of Haven, Arceria, Kaeleer, Tuesday Evening (Fandom time)

[wwiii]

So, Warren had been sitting on it now for a little while. It had only been a day, according to Fandom, since Karla had formed her Court, but in Kaeleer, it had been two. A very busy two. They were in Haven, now, making the last of their plans before the procession into Sidra and everything that that would entail. And, the entire time, there was something that Warren had been itching to scream from the rooftops, and finally, he'd found a moment edgewise in order to do it.

First, he'd left a message for Bobby. Before anyone else, Bobby.

But, after that, it was fair game. He pulled out his phone, tapped out a quick text, and sent it to everyone on his phone's contact list:

We're engaged!

Apologies to those in Kaeleer, who were getting that text at an obscene hour of the night. Warren had been a little too anxious to share it to bother weeding through his contacts. Plus he hadn't had much sleep lately. Eh, he'd apologize to anybody that had been inconvenienced by that text in the morning.

[OOC: NFB for distance, obviously! If you think you got Warren's text, you totally did! Open for return texts, phone calls, other people who have a reason to be in bed with him in Haven...]

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[wwiii]

"Well... it wasn't exactly a candlelit dinner or anything like that," Warren admitted, sounding a little sheepish. "She'd just finished forming her Court. Turns out she'd handed out one year contracts to pretty much everyone from Fandom, including me."

And that had just not gone over well.

"I've been carrying the ring around with me for a while... After the ceremony, I talked to her in private, and told her that I wanted a lot more time with her than just a year."

That was kind of paring it down to the bare bones of the conversation, but it was late at night in Haven, and Warren was pretty sure Karla didn't want the world to know the specifics of the insecurities that had led to the single-year contracts in the first place.

[life_inshadow]

"Oh." Tara was just as sheepish, now. They could form a flock. "But ... she said yes, and that's what matters, right?"

A pause. "So -- one year isn't, um, the normal length for a contract. I never asked about it."

She'd known she wouldn't be signing one. Mostly because she felt like her magic did more good in Sunnydale than it would in Kaeleer.

[wwiii]

"She said yes," Warren breathed, still a little awestruck by that fact. "And... yeah, a year is weird. All of the Blood from Glacia that she brought into her court were offered three years. Except Julian, who got five, and Morton, who signed a lifelong contract. But... I can kind of see why she kept it to such a short term, for people who aren't Glacian. I mean... we're stepping into war. A year gives people an easy out once their contract is up, since it's not actually home for so many of the people involved."

That said, Kaeleer was more home for Warren than... home had ever been. And he didn't want an out. He didn't figure he needed one.

[life_inshadow]

"But ... you want your life to be with her," Tara said. She understood both sides: Why Karla would offer such a short term, and also why Warren wouldn't feel like it was enough. "So you're home now, no matter what your contract says. And -- when's the wedding? Do you know yet?"

[wwiii]

"No clue," Warren admitted. "We have a war to fight and win, and a Territory to take control of before we can even pretend to have an idea about what date might work for us. She's wearing the engagement ring, and I'm her Consort... for the time being, that's going to have to be good enough. All of that other stuff kind of takes priority."

Damn it, war.

[life_inshadow]

"Of course it has to," Tara said slowly. "Is there anything I can do from here? Or -- I'd come there if you asked. If you think I can help."

There was some reluctance in her voice at the last offer. She'd just gotten a new kitten, and of course there was Initiative weirdness that she was trying to help Willow and Buffy with -- but war was more important than even Miss Kitty Fantastico.

"... oh, and do you have a picture of the ring?"

She was curious, okay?

[wwiii]

"I'll get Karla to text you one in the morning," Warren replied, smiling a little to himself as he forwarded a photo of the ring on its own along to Tara. Diamonds and iolite, set in platinum. Because Worthington. "It looks way better on her hand than it did in the box, trust me."

He was quiet for a moment, chewing on his lip.

"And I'm not sure offhand if there's anything we can use from Sunnydale. I'll check with people about that in the morning, too? We're still fine-tuning our plans for a procession into Sidra... and what happens after that is kind of anyone's best guess. I'll keep in mind that you made the offer, but I think Karla and I are both agreed that we're not going to uproot anybody unless they're really sure that they want to be here and involved."

A beat.

"Or unless we get desperate."

[life_inshadow]

"I'm ... going to hope you don't get desperate," Tara said. For them, for her, for everyone: That was best. "But if you need me, say the word. I f-figure I still owe you for Sunnydale stuff."

She paused there when her phone buzzed for the text, then came back on the line with a grin -- a subdued one, but a grin all the same -- in her voice. "Also, you have really nice taste in rings. I love the heart on the side."

[wwiii]

"Thanks," Warren replied, partly in response to Tara's offer for help, and partly for her compliment about his taste in rings. "I... really didn't want to go with the obvious feather... thing... I mean, all of Karla's Court rings already have feathers on them."

And feathers were great, don't get Warren wrong! They were a symbol of the two of them together, when combined with Karla's Jewel chips. But there was such a thing as overkill. So, hearts on the sides.

[life_inshadow]

"It's sweet that they're on the Court rings," Tara said, thinking about it. "But on the engagement ring, it'd be like -- branding, or something. Like you thought she was going to forget who she as engaged to."

[wwiii]

"Right. And for the Court, my wings and her Jewel are kind of like the obvious symbols to use. It's a callback for other people. It's... easy reference, mostly. She and I don't need that. She knows who the ring is from, and it's not like I'm incapable of doing things without a constant reminder that they're there."

Really, they were there. It was about as easy to forget that he had them as it would be to forget that he had arms or legs. He wasn't putting arms or legs on jewelry, either, was he?

[life_inshadow]

"Exactly," Tara agreed, then realized she was sort of out of things to say unless she wanted to start babbling at Warren about Willow and her cat. "So ... congratulations, again. I should probably let you go so other people can be all excited at you."

[wwiii]

"They're probably all making faces at the busy signal," Warren chuckled. "I'll call you back sometime so we can catch up more, though? It's pretty late here, actually, and if I keep talking Karla is going to try to smother me with a pillow."

... It was a distinct possibility, was all he was saying.

[life_inshadow]

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to kill your fiance in the first 12 hours," Tara said. "It's like a rule. But -- talk to you later. 'Bye."

[wwiii]

"Take care, Tara." Warren was grinning. She'd used the word fiance. It was a perfectly accurate word! "It was good to hear from you. Good night."

... Whether it was night or not in Sunnydale right then. Warren had no idea.