The Demon King was dead.

They had survived.

Lyon had not.

His sickening laughter ringing in her ears, Eirika fought back a sob that hitched in her throat. He had been her friend. Her best friend, and one of her only friends. He had been a good, kind, decent man, and Eirika had killed him.

It was night, and they were camping a short distance away, and her army was celebrating. Was cheering. Was drinking and laughing and dancing. The world had been saved, and in her heart, Eirika knew that. She knew what had been done was the only possible thing she could have done.

But it still hurt. It tore at her heart, and as her soldiers and friends and family celebrated, Eirika sat apart, alone on the edge of the forest of tents, as voices rose in warmth and song some distance behind her, and Eirika remembered Lyon's smile, his calm voice, and his gentle eyes.

"My lady?" The soft words were not entirely unexpected. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Eirika knew he would find her, like he always did, and she knew that his presence alone would dull the ache in her heart. She turned to him, her Seth, her Silver Knight, the tall and powerful and loyal man that had protected her, always.

His expression softened the moment he saw her stricken one, and he sat beside her on the log. "How are you?" He queried quietly.

"I'm… I'm…" How was she? "I don't know." Her voice cracked. With Seth beside her now, and his sympathy, Eirika was finding it harder to choke back the sobs. Tears slid down her cheeks in little moonlit paths. She covered her face with her hands, shutting her eyes and fighting to maintain a semblance of control.

Seth's arms went around her in silent comfort, and Eirika couldn't hold it back any longer. The tears flooded her eyes, and she buried her head in Seth's chest, clinging to him like a lifeline as he held her close, his hands stroking her hair.

She shook and sobbed, her face hot, her tears hotter as they burned their trails down her face and left dampness on Seth's shirt. After a few moments, he pulled her closer still, his strong arms holding her tightly. He murmured soothingly, his mouth against her head.

In the darkness of the night with the stars shining from above and the distant campfires silhouetting their figures from behind, Eirika clung to Seth, and Seth held her close. The voices of the others could hardly be heard now, just an indistinct murmuring that didn't matter at all because right then, all the universe held was Seth and Eirika.

When the minutes stretched on, and Eirika's mournful weeping slowly subsided, and she was only barely shivering as the tumult of her emotions began to calm, she still clung to Seth, needing his presence, his warmth, his support.

Eventually the pain in her heart began to fade away, just as she knew it would, as Seth soothed her, gently running his fingers through her hair. The murmurs had subsided, but the comfort had not, and Eirika began to feel something more in his embrace than comfort. Anyone else would have let her go by now, would have felt that she was strong enough to sit on her own.

But Seth didn't let her go, and Eirika began to hope.

Once upon a time, Seth had spoken to her of duty and responsibility and told her that she must not raise one soldier's value above another. He had told her that to keep her from protecting him in battle. She understood that.

But tossing and turning on one of her many sleepless nights after their conversation, Eirika had realized something. It had clicked in to place in her mind, and it suddenly all made so much sense.

She was in love with Seth. It was as simple as that. She had loved him for a long time without realizing it, and when she finally did, it was all so simple.

She loved Seth, and there was no duty or responsibility on this earth that would ever take that from her.

So she decided something. While they fought, while they battled, while they struggled onwards, she would do what she had to do. She would be the ruler the people needed, and she would command her troops in battle.

But if they won… when they won, she would let her heart rule her head.

She didn't know if Seth held for her the regard of which he had spoken when they had fled Renais, she in his arms…. She didn't know if that emotion had developed into love, or if it had died to be replaced with pure duty. She didn't know. But she loved Seth, and she had promised herself that once the war was over, once the end had come, and they could all face the future, she would do… something…

Now, wrapped in Seth's arms with the moonlight shining down on them, Eirika had the perfect chance.

With her smallest movement, Seth loosened his grip on her, although he did not let her go completely. In the circle of his arms, Eirika looked up at him. They were mere inches apart, a mere breath apart. They were so close, and as Seth searched her expression, she searched his. In his eyes, there was concern, anxiety, but behind that, there was something else…

Suddenly shaky once again, but this time for an entirely different reason, Eirika didn't let herself think or change her mind.

She pushed herself up and kissed him, her arms wrapping about his neck.

Seth tensed in surprise, and Eirika feared for an instant that he would pull from her. But his didn't. And in the next instant, his arms tightened about her, and his mouth moved against hers. Shockwaves of pleasure went through her, her senses exploding and pulsing in time with Seth's heartbeat as her own pounded in her ears. Seth moved closer, kissed harder, and it felt like the earth was unsteady beneath them.

In the next moment, and far too soon, Seth tore himself from her, suddenly rising to his feet and backing away a pace, leaving Eirika feeling cold and desperately lonely. "Forgive me," he murmured anxiously, his voice deep and thick. "Forgive me. You were in a sensitive state. Emotional," he stuttered. "And I took advantage of that. I—I don't know what came over me." His hands were wringing themselves in front of him. "Forgive me," he said again and went to leave.

Before she fully knew what she was doing, Eirika was on her feet and grabbing hold of Seth's hand before he could retreat. Reluctantly, he turned to her. "Seth, don't be ridiculous." Surprise flickered across his face, and Eirika realized he'd probably never before been accused of being ridiculous. "I—That is—What I mean is," her voice still rough from her crying, Eirika started again. She took a breath, stepping closer to Seth. "What I mean is… I'm the one who kissed you. You didn't take advantage of me. You would never take advantage of me. I know you better than that."

Seth shut his eyes for a moment as if in pain, and when he spoke the words were hesitant and difficult, "When it comes to you, Lady Eirika, I hardly know what I will do." Warmth spread through her and banished any thoughts of the cold, but when she tried to speak again, Seth cut her off. "Now if you will excuse me, My Lady, I must go, but I will find Ephraim and send him to you."

"No—" Eirika started, but Seth turned anyway and nearly ran from her. "Seth!"

He didn't look back.

A few days passed as the army prepared to split up and go their separate ways, and Seth did everything in his power to avoid Eirika.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see her. In fact, the opposite was true, and he couldn't stop reliving those moments, that kiss, in his mind, especially at night as he lay in his tent slowly drifting off to sleep... But that's all they could ever be. Beautiful memories of a night that didn't even seem real.

More than anything, he wanted to go to her, to talk to her…, but he couldn't. He was an unsteady force when he was around her, and he couldn't—wouldn't—put her in a dangerous situation.

As the days passed, and his agitation didn't grow any less, he realized what he had to do, and he went in search of Ephraim. His liege wasn't hard to find, for in the past days Ephraim had a large tent put up, and he was dealing with soldiers' salaries and sending them off with warm thanks. What Seth didn't expect to find when he entered the tent was Eirika standing beside Ephraim.

He stiffened as their eyes met, and for a moment, he almost turned around and fled, then Ephraim glanced up, and Seth fortified himself. "Ah, Seth, what are you doing here?" Ephraim's gaze flicked to Eirika, who had a strange expression on her face as she watched Seth.

Avoiding Eirika's gaze, Seth bowed. "My lord, I know you're quite busy, but might I have a few moments of your time to speak…" His own eyes turned to Eirika for a brief moment before flicking back to Ephraim, "privately?"

Ephraim blinked in surprise. "Well… of course…" he murmured, and Eirika, an indecipherable expression on her face left the tent without a word, as Seth's eyes followed her. "What can I do for you?"

Seth turned back to him. "My Lord, I believe that you intend to stay here, in Grado, to help rebuild it. Am I correct?"

Ephraim was hesitant, "Yes…"

"I have come to request that I might stay and help you here, rather than returning to Renais at the moment."

Ephraim didn't answer right away, and Seth was tempted to go on, to say that he could help and explain how, if Ephraim would just let him stay. With a force of will, however, he did not. He remained silent while Ephraim scrutinized him. After another moment passed, Ephraim shut his eyes and let out a sigh. "Seth, as much as I want to say yes, as I know your help here would make a vast difference, I simply cannot."

Surprised, Seth shifted his position. "Forgive me, but may I ask why?"

"You know the answer to that as well as I do, Seth." When Seth looked at him with nothing but confusion on his face, Ephraim went on, as if explaining something so obvious. "Eirika needs you." Seth felt himself warming, and he couldn't bring himself to meet Ephraim's gaze.

"I don't think you understand…" Seth's words fell away. "I need to stay here… exactly because of that." He tried.

"I think I do understand, Seth, and you need to go with Eirika."

"My Lord," Seth was flustered. Ephraim didn't understand what a position he was putting himself and Eirika into. He had to make him understand. He had to tell him. "My Lord, I'm in love with your sister!"

Seth didn't want to see Ephraim's reaction. He didn't want to see it, but he couldn't stop himself. When his gaze went to him, however, all he found in his expression was a small, knowing smile, "I'm glad to hear it put into words, Seth, although I've known it already for some time."

"You—You—" Seth stuttered, at a loss for words. Ephraim had known? And had wanted him to go with Eirika anyway?

"Yes, Seth, I knew. And you have not only my blessing but my approval as well."

"But—My Lord—I'm just a… just a knight. I have no titles. I'm not royalty…." Why in the world was he arguing against himself?

Ephraim laughed, "Yes, Seth, I'm perfectly aware of that fact. But above all else, I place my sister's happiness, and her happiness lies with you… Now, shouldn't you be saying these words to someone else?" Ephraim arched his eyebrows. "I believe I heard her say that she likes to take walks by the river."

A moment of pure shock, followed by disbelief, followed by doubt, and when he looked at Ephraim's expression, his earnestness, his honesty, the next moment was filled with desperate hope, and he turned from Ephraim and nearly ran from the tent.

Eirika was confused. She was so confused. Seth's words and kiss seemed to tell her that he did care for her. More than a knight for his princess. But then he fled from her, and in these days while they prepared to leave, he had avoided her. She had barely seen him at all, let alone spoken with him since that night. The most she had seen him at all was when he entered the tent just a few moments ago and requested to speak with her brother alone.

She sighed. Her feet moved beneath her, but her mind was elsewhere. Lately, she didn't understand Seth. Didn't he realize that she was in love with him? Didn't he realize that his station in life didn't matter to her? Or maybe he really didn't care for her, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. This thought made her steps falter, and she stopped walking as she looked down at the river rushing past her below. Was her love one-sided?

Over the sound of the water gurgling past, her ears picked up something else. Curious, she turned around, and her eyes widened in surprise. Seth was running towards her, racing towards her, and in a moment of fear, Eirika looked around her like she expected to see some villain in a tree waiting to pounce on her. But there was no one. No one there, and Eirika's heart raced as Seth raced to her and stopped, a few feet away, breathless.

He looked at her, and she looked at him. "S—Seth, what's going on?"

"I had to see you," he said, stepping closer to her.

"You were… You were talking with Ephraim. Did something happen?"

"No," Seth quickly reassured her. "No—well—that is… Nothing happened to your brother, but something happened to me."

"O..k.." Eirika tried to understand. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Eirika," Seth breathed, taking her hands in his. She looked down, then back up at Seth, sudden hope flaring in her chest. "Eirika, I spoke to your brother, asking him to allow me to stay with him here in Grado instead of returning to Renais with you." Pain and disbelief washed through her, and Eirika tried to take her hands from Seth's. He wouldn't let her. "Eirika, your brother refused to let me stay."

She looked away, "Well," what did he expect her say? "If that's what you want, I'll talk to him—"

"It's not what I want, Eirika." The fervor in his words drew her eyes back to his. He gaze searched her face, and he gave her a small smile, and her heart thudded in her chest. "Eirika…" He took a breath, then started again. "Eirika… I wanted to stay here because I was afraid of the power you hold over me." Her lips parted, her eyes wholly focused on Seth. Seth's gaze flickered down, and he swayed forward as if unconsciously before quickly raising his eyes to hers once more. "I was afraid what I might do if you again showed me affection…. I'm weak, Eirika, when it comes to you. You're my weakness because… Because," as if afraid to say the words, his voice sunk to a harsh whisper. "I'm in love with you."

Happiness warmed Eirika's every pore, and a disbelieving, joyful expression lit up her face. Was this true? Could it be true? Seth examined her expression, anxiety written in his eyes, and Eirika squeezed his hands. "Oh, Seth—" was all she managed before he crushed himself to her, his arms snaking about her waist and pulling her to him. Joy spread through her, and Eirika turned her face to Seth's as her hands inched higher up his chest and began to encircle his neck.

Seth's mouth touched against hers again and again, tasting, dancing, and Eirika couldn't fight down her laugh of delight. Her lips parted, and Seth pulled her closer until she was on her tiptoes, her hands buried in his hair, her body pressed to his, and she didn't know how she'd ever managed to breathe before without him.

Seth moved to her cheek, kissed along her jaw, and buried his face in her neck, with her hair draping over him, as they both tried to catch their breaths. "Eirika," Seth murmured against her ear after a few moments. "Tell me I wasn't wrong, and what I saw in your expression was real. Tell me I didn't make a terrible mistake. Tell me you don't hate me."

"Hate you?" Eirika shifted until Seth reluctantly released her, and she could put her palms against his cheeks. She looked deep into his dark eyes. "Surely you know nothing could be further from the truth. I love you, Seth." She searched his face, only a handbreadth from her own. "I love you," she earnestly repeated, and Seth enfolded her in his arms hugging her close.

"I'm not a prince. I'm not a king. I'm not even a duke. I have no titles." He pulled from her, looked at her. "But I will love you and support you for all of my days. Marry me, Eirika."

Once again, she touched her palms to his cheeks, as if trying to confirm that he was really there, and she breathed, "Nothing would make me happier."