echoes of truth | ❝ tales of loss and fire and flame. ❞

[dragonssung]

song of hope

BOOK 3.5: EVER HEAVENSWARD

Tales of loss and fire and faith
Every word on our hearts engraved
In the dark you will not stray
Forge ahead, till the end, we prayCODE BY TESSISAMESS

Comments

[thewayforpeace]

[ Although he knows that he should attempt answering everything she has just told him, words are failing him in this moment. He wishes that he could reach for her, to dry the tears that are forming in her eyes, in spite of how much she tries to hold them back. He wishes he could tell her that he has held onto the promise of their marriage with everything that he has, and even now, he still longs to stand beside her on their wedding day. But as things are at this moment, he fears that either he will remain tempered for the rest of his days, or that they will make the decision to finally put him down if the cure does not work. Still, he does not wish for fear to be the last thing he feels, so he does his best to fill up his mind with thoughts of her and how much he loves her.

Although he cannot find it in him to speak, he can at least rest with his head on her shoulder, drawing comfort and a feeling of being loved from the gesture. It is not a terrible way to go, falling asleep on her shoulder. I only regret that she has been forced into this position at all, and because of how easily I fell prey to a primal's temptations. At least his thoughts have some small amount of clarity remaining even if the power of speech has failed him.

But even then, his only regret is the fact that he must leave her. Her desperate plea that he not leave her alone sinks into his heart, bringing with it no small amount of guilt that he does not have the strength to answer: to promise her that he will come back, that they will go home to Ishgard together, and that he will not abandon her to live out the rest of her days alone. It takes a monumental effort just to move his fingers one final time, and even then, all he manages to do is lightly brush them against hers. It is far from a comforting gesture, but it is meant to be an assurance (however weak it is) that this will not be the end for either of them.

But as he drifts further from her, his mind's eye grants him a vision of the day he hopes he lives to see. He sees them on their wedding day, with her looking happy and beautiful in her dress, and him standing beside her, only having eyes for her. With his head still resting on her shoulder, a peaceful smile crosses his face. He meant to give her a last goodbye, but perhaps the actual words are not needed anymore.

He told her he loves her, and he knows that she feels the same for him, and those words may well be more important than anything else he could have said. ]

[shepherdtostars]

[ A small spart of her had hoped that he would still answer her. Some last rallying set of words or declaration. It seems, however, he has already said all he can. She feels as if another jab has been given to her already wounded heart has been pressed in.

Alkaid moves her hand from his head to around his frame. Her face presses into his hair with her tail curling around her side, as if wrapping around him will help anchor him. Of course she knows better. So many have been put to the sword for mercy sake when they've become tempered. Holding onto someone cannot change the way aether works, no matter how kuch she wishes otherwise.

Her whole frame shakes as she forces herself to contain her emotions. A Warrior of Light need not show the world how broken they are--how much they hurt deep inside. She will not cry in front of him when he needs to understand the faith and hope she does have, despite the heartbreak threatening to pull her down. ]

[thewayforpeace]

[ Continued here! ]