Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

By the Grace of the Almighty God, Eternal Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, Before Whom Kings Kneel and Kingdoms Rise and Fall;

Let it be known unto all souls who now dwell, who have dwelt before, and who shall come after, that this Decree is proclaimed with unwavering conviction, sealed not by wax alone, but by the faithful heart of the one who writes it.

Whereas the Almighty, in His infinite wisdom, did ordain that among the countless billions who tread this earth, there should exist one soul whose presence would forever alter the course of another's life;

And whereas it hath pleased Providence to place before me You — Her Most Radiant Grace, D. Angana — whose existence hath become the brightest blessing bestowed upon my mortal years;

Therefore, I do hereby proclaim, under the witness of Heaven itself, that no earthly title, no amassed fortune, no throne adorned with gold, nor any honour granted by kings could ever equal the privilege of being permitted a place within thy life.

Know ye this with certainty:

Thou art not merely beloved.

Thou art the quiet to my unrest, the courage to my uncertainty, the reason my prayers bear names instead of wishes, and the answer to questions my heart asked long before it knew thine.

If ever the stars were gathered into a single crown, they would still fail to rival the light thy presence hath bestowed upon my days.

Should every poet exhaust his ink, every musician his melody, and every sculptor his marble, still would they fall short of describing the measure of thy worth.

It is hereby declared that thy laughter hath become the sweetest melody known unto my ears; thy sorrow, a burden I would willingly bear beside thee; thy victories, triumphs in which my own heart rejoiceth; and thy dreams, causes for which I would labour without complaint.

Let no misunderstanding, no quarrel, no distance of road nor passing of seasons be mistaken for the absence of devotion.

For storms may darken the heavens, yet they cannot extinguish the sun.

So too may difficult days visit our lives, yet they possess no authority to diminish the care I hold for thee.

When fortune smileth upon thee, I shall rejoice.

When the world standeth against thee, I shall stand beside thee.

When silence filleth the spaces between us, my prayers shall continue to utter thy name.

When doubt assaileth thee, may this Decree remind thee that there hath always existed one heart that chose thee not for convenience, nor for perfection, but simply because it knew no truer home.

By this present instrument I further declare that thy happiness hath become one of the greatest ambitions entrusted unto my own life.

Not because I seek reward.

Not because love demandeth repayment.

But because seeing thee smile hath become a reward beyond measure.

Should the Almighty grant me many years yet to live, I pray they be years in which I may witness thy growth, thy victories, thy laughter, and the fulfilment of every worthy dream thou carriest within thy heart.

And should history forget my name, let it nevertheless remember this truth:

That there once lived a man whose greatest honour was not what he achieved, but whom he loved.

Finally, under the authority vested not by any earthly Crown but by a heart rendered forever loyal, I do solemnly affirm this everlasting decree:

That thou shalt forever possess my deepest respect before my admiration;

My trust before my expectations;

My prayers before my own desires;

And my love, steadfast and unwavering, so long as the Almighty permit my heart to beat.

Thus proclaimed.

Under the watchful gaze of the Almighty,

Before Heaven and Earth,

On this day,

With honour,

With gratitude,

And with a heart wholly devoted.