A/N: Hey everyone, remember me? I know that it's been a long time since I've posted anything and I know that my updates are becoming shorter and farther between, but I'm working on it, albeit very slowly. Thank you everyone who is still reading my work and faithfully waiting for updates; I wish I could do more to return the favor, but real life has left me with little time to write and few ideas as of late. I want to say, though, that I truly miss writing fanfiction and sharing it with everyone. Maybe I will just have to make time to write.

Well, I've come with a short little oneshot, and I would like to dedicate it to an acquaintance of mine (I would call (she was a friends sister)) who passed away last month. I hope that, wherever you are, you are smiling as you always were. May you rest in peace.

Life Left to Live

A cool zephyr whipped through the autumn air, scattering the season's trademark multicolored leaves across the verdant, untrimmed lawn. Were it any other setting or under any other circumstance, the scene could almost be called endearing, the way the newly-crowned king stood by his queen, hand in hand, in an open field on the evening after their marriage ceremony. If only fate had been more merciful, the two would have found themselves celebrating in town with friends and comrades – if only life had been that simple…

Years had passed since that day, but he could still vividly picture (and he was nearly positive that she could as well) his sister standing upon the wooden scaffolding, beaten and bruised. But despite the pain she had suffered, despite the fear she may have felt, despite the urgency of the situation, despite it all, she held herself proudly with posture rigid, eyes focused and expression unfaltering until the platform fell from beneath her feet and the noose tightened around her neck.

She had died that day.

She had died protecting her country, at the hands of her own countrymen. Even just thinking about it now, years later, made him seethe. Why did the rebel soldiers have to execute her? Why didn't he take action and rescue her? Why was he so useless? Why couldn't it have been him? Why –

"Lucia…"

The sweet voice of the woman beside him broke Geoffrey from his reverie. The hard gaze of azure orbs turned soft as he looked toward his newly-wedded wife.

"I…Geoffrey and I were wedded today. It was wonderful. The ceremony was lively and beautiful, and all of our old friends were there…everyone was there…everyone…"

'…except you…'

Geoffrey's grip tightened around Elincia's hand. A single look into her amber eyes and he could read right through her; the wistful and pensive gaze that she held as her unmoving eyes stared at – no, at a point past – the grey stone slab reminded the blue-haired man of the very first time they had stood, side by side, in that dreary graveyard, years and years ago. He had hoped, expected, the pain to fade to a dull ache as time wore on, but the wound still felt as fresh and searing as it had been the day his sister's coffin was lowered into the ground. He knew he wasn't alone though. Elincia carried the very same burden and guilt that he bore on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the ceremony, Lucia." The queen's voice continued. "We were thinking of you through it all though…and everyone gives you their regards. Everyone…they have all grown so much since you've seen them. Sir Ike is off, exploring other lands and learning new things, I'm sure, and Mist and Boyd were married last year. You remember Haar and Jill, do you not? They were also wedded. And our Laguz friends, they…"

All of their friends and past allies – everyone else had moved along with their lives, even the couple standing before their dear friend's gravestone, but Lucia…how it hurt Geoffrey to know that his sister would never have all the experiences that he was going to see, for herself. She would never know the joy of getting married, or the feeling of having a family; she would never see the fate of the country that she sacrificed so much to protect, and she would never see the changes of the land that she spent so many years serving.

But most of all, she would never see all the life that she had life to live.

And he would never, ever, get over that fact.

"…and now she is the queen of Daein. I'm sure you would've like Queen Micaiah and King Sothe if you had ever gotten the chance to meet them; they were –"

"Elincia."

She instantly ceased her ramblings. "I'm sorry, I was –"

"Elincia, do you think she's happy where she is…?"

The Crimean Queen turned her gaze to her husband. The stone-cold, almost faraway, look in his eyes nearly frightened her; the way he stood, back rigid, the light breeze ruffling his azure locks, reminded her all too much of the day that they had stood there when the six feet of dirt was still fresh over her friend's coffin.

Neither of them had moved past Lucia's death – that fact was blatantly obvious. Just a mentioning of her by name and Elincia would falter (and she could almost swear that she would see Geoffrey tense up). But things were slowly getting better and easier to deal with, or so she liked to assure herself.

"I have no doubt of it."

Elincia willed her voice to stay steady as she spoke, but she could very much feel it shake in the throat. She released her grip on Geoffrey's hand, just for moment, as she encircled her arm around his. Thin fingers found calloused ones, intertwining in a search of support as she continued.

"Lucia…she has always been a duty-bounded soul, and I'm sure she still is, even now. But I…I am positive that wherever she is now, she is happy."

Geoffrey's gaze softened as he looked toward to the amber-eyed woman standing beside him. A small smile found its way onto his lips as he released her hand with his and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to himself.

"Yes," he mumbled, his voice obscured as he nuzzled his nose into her emerald hair, masking the tears that threatened to fall. "I am sure that she is smiling down at as, from wherever she may be.

"…I have no doubt of it."

A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are greatly appreciated!