Ice Blue

The first place we went was Deningrad. I'm not even sure if it was closest but I guess it made the most sense. I don't really know I was just following Dart and the others; someone had to know where we were going.

The trip back was pretty much silent. We were all exhausted and no one really knew what to say.

We had saved the world but at the expense of our friend Rose. I had conflicting feelings honestly.

I was happy and nearly disbelieving that all the rest of us made it out alive and for the most part unharmed, just exhausted. I felt horrible that Rose hadn't made it out, but at the same time, Rose has had a long and hard life. I almost feel that she would have welcomed a rest.

Her death was in the most romantic fashion, with her long lost love reunited by her side. Maybe she never intended to come out from that fight knowing that her obligations to the world would then be over. I'm not sure.

I decided not to talk about it. I didn't want to upset the others and I felt the best place for Rose to reside was in our memories. So I flew along in silence.

When we first approached Deningrad there was a large crowd waiting to welcome us. People were laughing and crying and many stretched their arms out just trying to touch one of the heroes. We flew to the edge of the palace steps before we landed and morphed back to humans.

I was amazed to find Guaraha standing at the top of the stairs to the palace next to Miranda's sisters and Queen Theresea.

I saw Dart tenderly set Shana on the ground before morphing back and then embracing her for the first time since our ordeal. I admit a bit of jealousy flared up. I wanted my own romantic moment too.

"Guaraha!" I cried out loudly, jumping into the air my wings freed to fly over to meet him.

"Meru, thank Soa!" he cried as I launched myself into his arms, "You are safe and unharmed—"

I cut him off with a passionate kiss. I knew how long winded he can sometimes get. After the kiss he stared at me open mouthed in awe. "M-meru?!" he questioned softly.

"Fly," I whispered only loud enough for him to hear. Without a word he released his wings and we were soaring above the enlarging crowd. "We have to tell my parents and the others in the forest that we are safe!" I called down to my friends. "I'll be back soon."

Dart nodded and Shana smiled. Before I could see the others Guaraha had whisked me off toward the forest.

However before we reached the forest of the winglies' he stopped in a clearing in the Evergreen forest. Setting me down gently he turned and walked a few paces from me keeping his back turned.

Oh boy here we go… "Uhhh Guaraha—"

"Meru," he interrupted spinning around to face me, and closing the gap that he had made in one rushed step. "Did you… did you mean that?" he asked hopefully. He was glowing.

I sighed ever so slightly hoping he wouldn't notice. "Whata ya mean?" I replied.

"Oh Meru you know… but you don't know do you?"

I tried to pretend that I didn't understand but he knew that I did.

"You kissed me Meru. What am I suppose to think? I want to believe that this means you agree to our engagement. That this feeling is mutual…" he trailed off looking dejected.

Come on give the guy a break. You wanted a love story, a deep romance. Here it is. I sighed again this time more audible. "Guaraha, there is a whole world out there waiting. There are places to go and people to meet… things to see. I've been many places and seen many things on this journey, but there is still more out there that I haven't experienced yet. I want to see the world. All of it, every last piece!"

"I… I understand," he replied turning away from me and summoning his wings once more, preparing to fly. "We should get back to the forest," he mumbled solemnly.

"Guaraha! Let me finish!" I demanded. "There is lots I wanna see but that doesn't mean I wanna see it all alone!" I too released my wings from their fleshy prison and hovered over to join him. I grabbed his hand. " Let's go back to the forest, they still don't know we are safe."

He didn't moved, so I got up the courage to look at him. He was beaming. "Oh Meru," he gushed sweeping me into a hug, "I am so happy."

I rolled my eyes, hugging him back. Then for the first time since we started our final fight and lost our dear Rose, I smiled.