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[I Will Always Love You]
The hour of twilight is always the most beautiful time of the day. This day was no different. As usual, the sun trudged his way down the aerial stairs, allowing fleeting golden rays to flit around lightly. A cool breeze wove its way around the hill, draping floral aromas across the land. Together, the elements of nature worked together, creating yet another masterpiece. The beautiful tapestry of sunset gave many hearts a reason to be glad.
Yet, the woman walking up the hill still sighed. The golden beauty around was lost on her as she moved gracefully up the grassy trail, long black skirt whipping the grass from side to side. She frowned, deep in thought, hands clenched by her side.
At the top of the hill, a be-whiskered man waited. Soon, the tall woman came into view. With a smile, he walked over to her and swept her into his embrace, ignoring her squeal of surprise. A few moments after, he released her from his loving arms and proceeded to draw her to sit on the grass.
"So, Mai, how did your parents react?" The guy asked the moody woman.
"They kicked up a huge fuss." Mai looked away and sighed again.
"Mai –"
"No, Haru. They won't give in. They don't approve of our love. They never will." Mai lifted her head to the sky, taking in the boundless sky that stretched far above their heads. "They never will."
"Mai, listen to me." Haru took Mai's pale, soft hands into his own tanned, calloused ones. "As long as we persevere on, they will agree some day."
"They won't. If we want to wed, we must think of a plan."
Silence fell as Mai leaned against Haru. Together, they sat and thought. Neither spoke again till the sun had nearly disappeared.
"Haru, we could ask Zuko for help…"
"To do what?"
"My parents won't listen to my pleas. But if we approach Zuko, and ask him to give royal consent to our marriage or order us to wed, then my parents won't be able to do anything."
"That sounds like a good idea. Will Zuko agree?"
"I think he will."
"…"
"Haru, I'll visit him tomorrow. Wait for my good news! And I must be off now." Mai stood up and smiled at Haru.
"Mai, wait. I have something to tell you." Haru pulled Mai down to the ground again.
"Yes?"
"Mai, I just want to tell you something. I really love you a lot. If Zuko doesn't help us, then we'll just have to find other ways to get your parents to consent. But I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you."
"Haru –"
"Mai, no matter what happens, don't give up on our love. There may be obstacles, but we'll get through them together. At the end we'll be together, darling, just wait and see. Between now and then, till I see you again, I'll love you. Don't give up." Haru kissed Mai lightly.
From the top of the hill, Haru looked down, watching Mai pick her way down. He smiled as she trailed away in the silvery moonlight before fading into the darkness.
Amid soft, dusty velvet curtains, a woman sobbed. Dressed in the black of mourning, Mai sat hunched up upon her bed, crying her eyes out. Her eyes were less bright now, and her hair whiter, but she was still the same old gaunt and emo Mai.
Weeping softly, she clutched Haru's painting to her chest. Why did you have to leave?
Slowly, the frail old woman stood up, swaying from side to side as she tried to control her sobs. She picked her way through the musty and dark room, before finally reaching the window. Looking out, she saw the moon, ablaze in all her luminescent glory.
Even as she stood staring out the window at the moonlit fields drenched in silver light, her hands reached out into the suffocating darkness of her room. Her hands soon found a marble statue, the very likeness of her husband as he was in life.
As she embraced the cold, lifeless statue, she seemed to hear echoes of a promise in the wind. The cold wind that streamed through the open window carried a mocking parody of her husband's last words.
"If I get there before you do, don't weep for me. I'll meet you when your chores are through, though I don't know how long you'll be. But I'm not going to let you go, darling, wait and see. At the end we'll be together, darling, just wait and see. Between now and then, till I see you again, I'll love you. Don't give up."
These loving words swirled around her, bringing back many fond, musty memories of a time long passed.
Slowly, Mai stood up straight. Once again she made her way to the open window, drinking in the fresh night air.
"Haru, I won't weep for you anymore. I'll wait for you. I'll meet you in the end, someday."
A/N: Ehh i know this isn't the best fic i can write. Somehow i just can't get this story to flow the way i want it to, but nevermind. Hahaha i was inspired to write this after listening to Collin Raye's Love Me. It's an awfully sad song D; I tried to reproduce the feelings from the song into this fic, but somehow i can't really manage it. Oh well. Yeah haha that's about it. Thanks for reading, anyway! ;D