The Harbor was an intricate political environment that tried to balance the influence of many powerful families. Keeping all those annoying parties happy and appeased required constant efforts and often caused countless headaches to the Headmistress.
Khan was a troublemaker, and his latest offense would take weeks to repair. Yet, Anastasia had stepped in, so the Headmistress could only agree to her terms to preserve the peace.
"If that's what Madam Solodrey desires," Headmistress Holwen announced, "I believe this matter is settled."
"You are understanding as always," Anastasia half-bowed, "Leticia."
"It's no problem," Headmistress Holwen replied. "We'll start the repairs if everything is okay with you."
"Definitely," Anastasia stated, reaching for Khan's side to take his elbow. "I shall steal Captain Khan now. We have a lot to prepare."
"Goodbye, Madam Solodrey, Captain Khan," Headmistress Holwen nodded, and Anastasia gently pulled Khan's elbow to signal him to move.
Khan couldn't stress enough how awkward it was to have Monica's mother on his elbow, but appearances were everything in that field, so he stuck with it. The two slowly and calmly left the training hall while soldiers continued to arrive and separated only when they entered a cab.
"You were reckless," Anastasia scolded as soon as the two remained alone.
"The dome is intact," Khan pointed out, seizing a drink from the cab's drawers. "I don't see the issue."
"Even my family can't suppress those rumors," Anastasia explained. "Soon, everyone will learn what you did."
"Good," Khan stated.
"Your actions will reflect on the Solodrey family from now on," Anastasia rebuked. "You'll attract more enemies, and they'll come prepared if they know what you are capable of."
"They can't know," Khan declared. "No one can."
"Don't let success go to your head," Anastasia exclaimed. "You are talented, but the Global Army and families have all kinds of experts. The more your fame grows, the more interest your abilities will attract, and someone will eventually figure them out."
"It doesn't matter," Khan responded. "I can protect Monica now."
Anastasia wanted to argue more but felt sympathetic to Khan's cause. She knew he wasn't dumb, and even his recklessness carried traces of reason. Moreover, many of his efforts had Monica at their core, leading to a helplessness Anastasia couldn't fight.
"Try to be more careful from now on," Anastasia gave up, "Or at least don't leave traces. Things will gain new weight after you put a real ring on my daughter's finger."
"I know," Khan nodded. "I know the stakes."
Anastasia and Khan ended up staring at each other. She checked him, and he did his best to convey his resolve. Now that they were alone, Anastasia could try to think like a simple mother, and the scene pleased her. Khan was a man worthy of her daughter.
The two spent the rest of the trip in silence before getting to work on the remaining preparations. Only a few days separated them from Monica's birthday, and everything had to be perfect. Still, by the look of it, things would work as planned.
The following days went by in a blink and proved Anastasia right. Khan didn't have a single free second, but people warned him about the network's updates. The news of his recent offense had gone public, and the reception wasn't as positive as he hoped.
Fame was a double-edged sword. Khan and Monica had many fans, but haters were bound to appear, especially as he grew more notorious. Everything was working too perfectly for him, leading to envy and jealousy from ordinary soldiers.
The latest offense added fuel to the fire. The rumor that Khan was a menace began to spread, and many began to wonder whether the Harbor was safe with him living in it. After all, a crack in one of the domes could cause a catastrophe, and Khan was the best candidate for that.
Of course, those rumors came from a stark minority of people, and the Solodrey family worked hard to suppress them. They couldn't stop them altogether, but flooding the network with better news sort of solved the issue.
Moreover, the Solodrey family kept the best news for last, and the time to reveal it eventually arrived. Representatives and a few guests gathered to celebrate Monica's birthday, and a series of annoying events unfolded.
The morning featured a massive and long breakfast that almost stretched until lunchtime. There were tens of representatives, and all wanted a piece of Khan and Monica, which led to endless superficial conversations.
The afternoon was no better. As the guests got drunk, the questions changed and became more invasive. Some were directly aimed at Khan and Monica's relationship, while others tried to involve them in businesses related to specific factions.
Khan and Monica were ready for that development, and Anastasia had also prepared them for the eventuality, so they didn't fall for any trap nor reveal relevant information. Khan's smile even disappeared whenever his irritation touched the breaking point, which usually stopped the barrage of questions for a while.
The dinner was more intimate but equally annoying. Anastasia was merely showing off Khan and Monica as if they were a circus attraction, and they had to play along to avoid insulting enemy factions.
Needless to say, Khan hated all of that. The booze and food were good, but the environment was terrible. He got to know many representatives and uncovered clues about the various internal conflicts, but Monica's happiness was the price. That was supposed to be her birthday, but it felt like work.
Still, a silver lining existed. Both Khan and Monica were aware of what would come next, inevitably leading to some restlessness and happiness. The two often found themselves looking at each other, lost in their respective eyes or attractive attires. They knew they would never forget that day, and the fated moment slowly approached.
Once all the feasting ended, the giant group headed for the second district. The Solodrey family had already handled that part with the Headmistress, so the many cabs had no problems landing before Khan's building.
That wasn't the end of it. As the group slowly gathered on the sidewalk, another cab arrived, and the figure that came out of it earned a great deal of attention. Luther, Monica's father, had finally joined the event, instantly changing the general atmosphere.
Khan only needed a look to understand the kind of respect Luther had among those lofty figures. Even members of enemy factions either lowered their heads or nodded at his cold face. That wasn't something people could buy or inherit. Luther had earned it in ways Khan couldn't imagine.
"Father," Monica announced, half-bowing when Luther reached her and Khan.
"Mister Solodrey," Khan added, but his back remained still. As much as the situation required it, he wouldn't show respect to a man who had tried to police his relationship.
"I'm sure you had an enjoyable day," Luther stated. "Monica, happy birthday."
Monica smiled and leaned forward to let her father kiss her cheek. The two also hugged, but Luther's coldness never wavered. It was impossible to see whether he felt affection toward her daughter, and the scene inevitably saddened Khan.
Nevertheless, the night didn't allow Khan to linger on those feelings. He hated that the next moves would be played according to Anastasia's directives, but his eyes were on the reward. Besides, he planned to make up for that hundredfold.
"Thank you for taking the time to gather here," Luther announced once he and Monica separated. "I know it has been a long trip, so I'll make it short."
Anastasia calmly reached Luther's side and took her elbow to show her support for that decision. Still, many eyes continued to fall on Khan and Monica. A few guests understood what was happening and couldn't wait for the main event.
"As you all know," Luther continued. "My daughter has dated Captain Khan for over a year now. Their relationship is solid, and their love is genuine. He wouldn't have been my first choice as a partner, but his latest achievements have shown enough promise."
Khan felt the need to snap. Luther's façade still put him in charge of those decisions. He was in that position, but Khan didn't want what was about to arrive to look like a concession.
The only reason Khan didn't make a mess was at his side. Monica shared his sour feelings, but something stronger overwhelmed them. She was too happy to care about how they got there.
"While the road is still long," Luther exclaimed, "I made up my mind. I shall formally allow Captain Khan to join our great family with the best gift I can think for my daughter."
At that point, Luther turned and nodded at Khan before adding a single word. "Captain."
Monica almost jumped on the spot as she turned to face Khan. Her hands clenched into fists to avoid fidgeting before that audience, and a bright smile invaded her expression. She could barely contain herself, and the serious eyes in her vision tried to shatter her frail resolve.
Khan experienced similar emotions, but his resolve held firm. He didn't like how he had gotten there. He hated the compromises he had to accept to obtain that opportunity. However, no doubt existed in his mind, and no hesitation arrived as he kneeled on the sidewalk.
"Monica Solodrey," Khan uttered, looking straight into Monica's eyes while retrieving a small case from his suit's inner pocket. "Will you marry me?"
Monica knew she had to keep her cool, but her entire education vanished when Khan opened the case. A silver ring with a big sapphire filled her vision, and an excited cry escaped her mouth while she lifted her hands to suppress it.
"Yes!" Monica muttered before recalling to lower her hands. "Yes, yes! A hundred times, yes!"
Khan couldn't help but smile at that honest reaction. He seized the ring and carefully put it on Monica's fourth finger, right above her other ring.
Monica barely waited for Khan to stand up before jumping forward. She didn't care about the ring. She didn't even think about the pricey gem on her hand. Monica only knew that the engagement was official now, and her heart overflowed with love.
"Oh Khan," Monica whimpered among her barrage of kisses. "I love you so much."
Khan couldn't reply since his mouth was busy taking care of Monica's lips, but the situation worked in his favor. His mind was blank with happiness. He could only think about the woman in her arms. As for the audience, he had already forgotten about them.
