The wizard smiled at the woman as she stepped onto the thick sheet of ice he'd made.  As she passed, little ice prisms shot up from the water with her every step, catching and reflecting the fire at shoulder-height before falling down with plops once again, until she came to a rest before Casey.<br/><br/>When she took his hand, he found himself smiling back at her.  Slowly, he sank down to a knee.  Whether or not the onlookers could hear them, it was as sure a sign for a proposal as any.  "Even if it might not be what you want,  even if we have troubles down the line, I am willing to give you my oath.  To do right by you, and to help bridge the rift between our families.  To that end,"  He said, fishing a hand into his coat pocket.  He picked out a little velvet ring-box, and gently released the woman's hand to open it.<br/><br/>He held it in an upturned palm, baring a simple band of gold.  "I'm sorry it isn't a prettier ring.  On short notice, it's all I could afford.  But despite the shortcomings of the situation, and this proposal, my question is this:  Evelyn Frost, will you marry me?"