There's a moment, while clunking up the stairs, his sister poised to catch him if he stumbles, when he doubts. With time to marshal his own thoughts, he finds his worries coming to the surface first: Vex will regret this as a hasty decision, or she'll grow weary of waiting for his health to catch up to their dreams, or he'll find the close companionship of marriage stifling. Some awful vision of their lives diverging within the too-empty estate, Percy holed up in his workshop and Vex escaping to the forest whenever possible. Tedium ahead, or endless bickering and misery.

None of it's true or real, and on some level, he knows it - why would a few words spoken between them change the life they've been living for weeks now? But it's only when he sees her that he can banish every unreasonable concern. She's already standing by the time he comes into view, but he knows her too well to miss the unspent energy running through her; she's as nervous as he, and they're both trying their best not to show it. That's more reassuring than anything else could be.

Cassandra remains at his side until Vex is within arm's length, and she doesn't leave without giving him a hug and murmuring, "Be good to her, brother," in his ear.

As she takes a step back, Percy turns to Vex, his smile earnest and irrepressible. With his free hand, he reaches for hers. "Ready?"