Raina smiled softly as she walked through the woods. She was surrounded by wildlife. Birch trees towered over her. A chipmunk climbed up one, squeaking softly.
"Hello," Raina murmured in passing.
She scanned the ground as she grew close to a walnut tree. A grin lit up her face as she spotted fallen walnuts. The red and gold leaves littering the ground crunched as she knelt. She started filling a basket she had been carrying with walnuts and a couple sticks.
The basket was already half-filled with pinecones and acorns. Once it was full, Raina touched the walnut tree, her fingers running over the bark.
"Thank you. I'll be sure to put these to good use for the god and goddess."
She felt calm and serene. She offered a small prayer, thanking her goddess for her blessing and asking for the same thing she always did.
Since she was a child, she had a recurring dream every night. There was a tall woman with tan skin, dark hair, and hazel eyes. She had freckles and a beautiful smile. The woman would always ask her to marry her, but before Raina could form a response, she would wake up.
Raina knew that woman was her soul mate from a previous life. She ached for her. So, every day, she would offer a prayer to her goddess, asking to meet her once again.
A thunk in a nearby tree pulled her out of her prayer. Raina looked up startled. There was an arrow sticking out of the tree a few inches from her head. A deer took off running a few feet away.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" a woman's voice shouted in the distance.
Raina startled again, looking around. The sound of someone rushing through the forest echoed around her. A woman burst the trees, pointing her finger at the small blonde.
"Don't you know it's hunting season?! Why aren't you wearing any orange?! I could have shot you!" the woman fumed, pointing her finger at her.
Raina blinked rapidly, holding up her hands. "I'm sorry. I forgot hunting season started today. I was just collecting offerings for Mabon... My name is Raina... Wait..."
Raina stared up at the tan woman, slowly getting to her feet. The woman looked familiar.
"Anastasia..." the woman looked at her as she approached her, the anger draining from her body with every step Raina took.
When they were only a foot apart, Raina took a deep breath. She turned her face up and looked into Anastasia's eyes. The taller woman startled, seeing Raina's face up close. The delicate features of her face and bright blue eyes were so familiar to her.
Tears filled Raina's eyes. The woman, Anastasia, had longer hair than she had in her past life, and she had a little more weight on her, but it was her.
"Ymir. I finally found you," Raina breathed, smiling through her tears.
Anastasia stared down at her, her heart pounding in her chest. Memories of dreams flew through her mind. She couldn't be... But she was. "Historia?"
Raina nodded, pulling Anastasia into a hug. "I've been searching for you for so long," she half sobbed, half laughed.
Anastasia hugged her back, burying her face in Raina's soft hair. "I always meant to come back."
"Ymir..." she pulled back and smiled up at her. "Marry me?"
The brunette blinked tears out of her eyes. That had been her only regret in their past life. That she had died without marrying the love of her life. "I love you."
Raina smiled impossibly wider and pulled her down into a kiss. They would finally have the life they had always wanted. As they kissed, Raina sent a brief prayer of gratitude to her goddess.