Greatness From New Beginnings…
They were leaving Yemen.
This country, located in Arabian Peninsula, will be eternally marked and burned inside Nathan Drake's book of memories as a place of both pain and joy.
The pain goes for the relationship between him, the protégé and his mentor, Victor Sullivan. Nate went in highs and lows ,in seas and skies ,wrecked both a plane and a cruise ship to save the closest image of father figure Nathan ever had in his life. Fortunately, all the misadventures he went through, led to the expected result and now Sullivan was in driver's seat, leading back to the States with his brand new seaplane.
Of course, Nate still wondered how the hell that old son-of-a-bitch found the money to buy this plane, but his mind was too blur and occupied to think about it now…
The dim sunlight fell upon the silver ring Nate was wearing in his ring finger. The wedding band he naively thought he lost it, but no. It was retrieved by Sully and returned back to its rightful owner when the time got right.
Nate smiled a bit when the ring reflected the light back to his blueish eyes. Then, his gaze got stuck to the woman, who was lying her head on his shoulders and was breathing calmly and peacefully. Her fingers were slid through his and Nate could visibly see Elena's wedding band. It was exactly like the ring he was wearing himself…
"Nate…"Elena begun seriously.
"You are still wearing it…"Nate said lowly, pointing out her finger. Elena luft her hand up and saw the 'it' Nate was talking about. Her wedding band.
"Yeah,I am." she admitted…"It helps in this part of the world." Elena kept up .Nate laughed.
"Oh, really?" Nate commented sarcastically but Elena didn't bite the bait.
"Seriously, don't flatter yourself." Elena cut his off fast and laughed in order to hide her nervousness
"I see you are still wearing yours". Elena's observatory abilities were in a really good mood, as always, by the moment she saw the ring hanging from a strap in Nathan's neck. Unfortunately to her amusement, the ring was none other than Sir Francis Drake's ring. To prove that, Nate playfully pulled the ring out of his shirt. Elena seemed to understand.
"That's what this is all about, isn't it?" Elena asked him, her eyes still on the ring on his neck. Nate chuckled. He went to the explanation point.
"You don't understand .I finally proved." Nate recalled , full of pride. And he went on "Drake lied about his route to the East Indies. Four hundred years ago ,he came here!" he said, satisfaction attached to his voice .Elena was confused and she asked the only thing popping from her mind .Her hands on her waist, her voice was a compilation of seriousness, bitterness and sadness.
"Why, Nate?"
"That's why we're here to find out" Nate replied, but Elena's question was going on other things.
"No, I mean why this obsession!" Elena retyped her question to make it sound more clear. Her hands were shaking, making triangles with her fingers. She was unable to comprehend and bear all these things…
Elena called it an obsession. Without any guilt.
Nate's obsession with this ring and Sir Francis Drake's history and adventures became the core of lots of problems.
He risked lives. Specifically Charlie's and Chloe's or even Sully's and Elena's. Charlie broke his leg, only a miracle managed to save him from the claws of death. Chloe backed up realizing that this hunt for Iram of the Pillars didn't seem worth such a risk. Sully was taken hostage by Katherine Marlowe and her men. As for Elena ,if that evil witch seemed to have any interest on her ,even the slightest one (although Katherine reassured him when her fearfully saw a picture of her in that coffee table, during his interrogation that "She's of no interest to us"),Elena's life could be in a great stake.
He ruined his relationships. Especially with her. The woman he loved with all the power his weak and hurt heart could have. He could kill for her ,he could die for her.
Nate smiled once again as he remembered the proposal day. He had hid the ring inside her jewelry box and when she opened it up and discovered the ring, Nate made the question.
"Elena Fisher, will you be my wife?" he inquired her. Elena was looking glamorous and she was ready to cry due to overjoy. Her answer was affirmative.
A few weeks later, the wedding took place in a small chapel near the sea, with few guests. Both were looking happy and seemed to walk in the clouds, like nothing seem to over cast their happiness.
And the glass broke…
Nate was slowly getting obsessed with treasure hunting again. Elena was patient and prudent but she reached the point of no return. She was feeling neglected. She immediately accepted the job offer in Yemen, to get away from all these things…Of course Nate didn't understand. After a fierce quarrel, she left the house with all her belongings and Nate fully enraged threw the ring away…
This was the last time he saw her.
When Sully suggested calling her, in order to enter Yemen without hisses, Nate was very nervous. How he was about to face her?
He didn't. Elena's compassionate nature and her strong love for him gave him the motives to do the right thing…
"I'm sorry…" Nate said before sleep reigned over him. He was sadly looking at her ring, attached into her small finger. Elena understood…
"I know…"she replied before drifting to sleep too.
Eventually, Sully gave Nate his ring back. Nate didn't miss a chance and completed himself again by wearing it again. When he went to her and showed the ring, Elena threw her arms around him and in turn, Nate hugged her closely. She was his treasure, his wife…
Wife…Nate remembered the wedding vows…The vows he couldn't keep…But now he felt stronger than ever .So he leaned on her ear and started whispering, his hand clutching hers…
"I, Nathan , take thee, Elena , to my lawful wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." he finished his line.
He felt Elena shaking, her eyes wide awake looking him face to face…She begun speaking…
"I, Elena , take thee, Nathan , to my lawful wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth." she repeated her own vows in turn .Nate smiled ,took Elena's weeding ring and held it in his hands.
"With this Ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." And placed the ring back to her finger…It never left her finger because Elena never lost her faith in Nate.
He hugged her close. He never wanted to lose her again. He understood his mistakes and was determined to fix them back. She was the most important person in his life, along with Sully, and he wouldn't be able to bear the loss of her again
"I'm so sorry, Elena…"Nate said, his voice going into a breakdown. In turn, Elena cupped his face with her palms and smiled gracefully. He was really sorry, his eyes were about to start producing tears…
"Shhh…You know what, Nate? Sir Francis was wrong…"Elena told him. Nate looked in question.
"About what?" Nate inquired back
"It's not about 'greatness from small beginnings'…It's about greatness from new beginnings" Elena said, still her eyes stuck on Nate's…He smiled…
"Guess you are right…"Nate replied
"Of course, I am right!" Elena told him childishly…Nate started laughing…Sully's gruff voice interrupted…
"What's that all about ?I wanna laugh too!" Sully said.
"Nothing! Elena says she is always right!" Nate replied. Sully smirked a bit…Elena got annoyed.
"Hey, don't underestimate me, OK? Remember who found the well!"Elena playfully asked
"Oh, was that you?"Nate asked her. Sully's got laughing again
"Of course! And by the way, you said the vows right this time…In the wedding you made mistakes!" Elena told him back.
"Who? Me? No ,I didn't!"Nate said back…
"Yes, you did!"Elena shouted.
"I was nervous, OK?" Nate replied annoyed.
"Don't tell me!" Elena said sarcastically.
"As a matter of fact, it took him 3 hours to learn these goddamn vows…My head got dizzy that day!"Sully said…
"That sort of info was not necessary!"Nate shouted ,as Elena was giggling…
And this naïve dialogue, became the beginning of a new life for all three of them…Even if they don't know what their future will hold, they will cherish the present till the end..