It had finally happened, after months of battle, it was over. He searched frantically for her in the city, running to the place he had always said he would meet her. He searched the bombed out buildings but the significant destruction didn't provide him the assurance that she would come. The final bombing and artillery barrages hadn't left much of the city standing. Each falling building had brought a crashing feeling to his heart as more people perished under the final gasps of a dying Russian empire.
In the early days of the invasion he had bought, bartered and stowed away to get into the small Baltic nation. Even if the world leaders had failed to come to their aid, he wouldn't be left on the sidelines. When he had initially found her he professed his love for her again, telling her he needed to take her away. She refused. She couldn't go with him. Over the next few months he constantly came to her aid in her moment of need, a quiet sentry ensuring she was safe, fighting off wave after wave of invaders. Just before the final assault he told her to find him at their spot when it was over.
When he arrived, the buildings gave a gloomy outlook, but hope was all he had had. So he waited and waited until through the lingering dust of destroyed century old buildings he saw her. He ran to her and grabbed her in his arms as she fell into his.
"My love..." he greeted her so tenderly. She was not terribly hurt but clearly injured, she sobbed as she cuddled into his body, "...you came." "I had no where else to go," she cried. The emotions from the entire relationship had come up in this one moment and she pulled slightly away. "My love?" his voice now questioning. "Do you...do you really love me?" she asked, eyes averted down, tears slowly dropping from her face.
He knew what she was asking and why, he dropped to his knee in front of her, not forcing her to look up. He looked up into her eyes, "I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you and have never loved anyone since. I came here willing to die, even without your love in return just so I can ensure I protect the greatest gift that God gave the world. That's you. For me, there is nothing more amazing or wonderful than who you are and I have always and will always love you."
"Forever...?" She looked up pleadingly. "Longer than forever. I couldn't imagine a life without you in it, which is why I came here; to protect you or give my life trying..." his voice trailed off as he closed his sentence, this time his voice asking for a response "...mu abikaasa?"
The last words, the translation for spouse begged for her response for her to recommit to their love permanently.
She looked him in the eyes and paused as her eyes welled up. How could she ever question him again, the blood stained uniform, the mental images of him throwing himself repeatedly into life or death situation, even recounting the secret journey and immense cost at which he made his way to her. There would never be someone more committed, she could finally see that for all his faults and every mistake, he was more just looking through great pain how to love her. This had proven once and for all that he did and she would never doubt that again. She nodded, "mu abikaasa" she replied through a small but growing smile.