His songs were so sad lately, and Ninian felt completely helpless.

Life had been one misfortune after another for them, it seemed. Mother's kidnapping, Father's disappearance, the loss of their home, the stifling loneliness. The moment they had a chance to return to Elibe, she'd jumped at it only for them to be captured by a mad sorcerer. Their Dragonstone gone, all they had to rely on were weaker human forms.

She didn't much care for her human body, but she could stand it as long as she had to. Nils, on the other hand, hated it. They were powerless, alone, stranded in a world they'd been banished from just for being them. We're different. Everyone knows we're different. Pale skin and red eyes, even in human form it was all too obvious they weren't fully human and if even one person found out...

They won't find out! We won't let them! Nils cried vehemently, and Ninian wished she could believe him. She tried to smile and keep up a brave front for his sake, but every day her feet ached from travel, she was hot and tired and lonely and depressed and Nils's songs grew sadder, more bitter with every note.

It's hopeless. She was tired of lying, tired of playing the optimist. His heart would only break more when he realized the truth. It's hopeless. We'll never find our way back, Nergal will hunt us until the day we die, we'll never be free. And it was all her fault, she realized, she'd been so eager to see Elibe one last time and never realized the danger she'd put herself and her brother in. She wished he'd blame her, too, but instead he kept playing those sad, sad songs.

One night, the moon rose full in the sky. It was bright, beautiful and full of hope. Ninian's gaze lingered on it for the longest time, drawing from its light and its strength. I must never give up. No matter how much my heart aches I need to believe...if not for me, for Nils.

She turned to him and smiled.

"We're going to be okay."

He smiled back gratefully, picked up his flute and began to play.

That night, his songs were the tiniest bit happier.