.

"... will we always be together? I worry some tragedy is going to part us."

.


Tapping Ricken's shoulder, his fiance asked quietly, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Her normally cheerful face was eerily solemn.

The ginger swallowed before agreeing, and the two of them slipped away from camp to find a quiet, private place to sit. They shared a log, a fairly sturdy natural seat. The night was deep; both had brought tomes, just in case.

"W-what is it, Maygen?"

Sighing, the brunette visibly sagged as she muttered, "It's... something Valri said, that's been bothering me... for a while, now." She slowly met his gaze. "About the future."

A breath left him, almost in relief. With the mystery swept away, he could breathe a bit easier. But he was still careful as he asked, "What did she say?"

"It..." She brought her legs up onto the log to hug her knees, looking much smaller in doing so. "She said that... well, it was implied that... something happened, and we were separated."

"Was it..."

Already knowing what he was thinking, she shook her head. "No, not at first, anyway. You stayed with Valri, and Cydus had me. We were alive... but separate. For a long time."

It dawned on him then. Alive, but not together. Furrowing his brows, he muttered, "I don't think Valri could keep quiet about... well."

Now he was uncomfortable saying it. With a union as new as theirs - not even a year had passed since their courtship had begun, for crying out loud! - how could one possibly even think of the word "divorce"?

"B-but... what if..." The brunette's voice barely rose above a whisper, as if afraid that what she uttered would come to pass.

It certainly was a terrible thought.

What if we grow up and have kids and realize we aren't meant for each other? His knuckles paled as he gripped his knees. What if she thinks I'll never grow up, and she leaves me for an older man? It would explain his apparent tallness in Valri's stories, if he had been driven to desperation. I don't want to end up a single dad!

Soon after, though, he shook those ludicrous fears from his head. Now I'm just being ridiculous. And he told her, "Getting worked up over "what ifs" will just make things worse." He knew that being distracted while fighting the Grimleal couldn't be productive in preventing their childrens' future.

Maygen's fingers tightened around her knees. "I... I don't want to mess up." To his dismay, tears spilled down her cheeks. "I-I want to be a good mom... but if being separated meant... we..."

Hiding her face, her words were muffled.

"What?" Pausing to see if she'd repeat herself, Ricken crossed the few inches that separated them to wrap his arm around her. "Hey," he said more quietly, "don't worry. I'm not going to leave you."

Her sniffles made him awkward, as he didn't know how to get her to stop crying. Then she told him, "I don't want Valri to grow up without knowing her mother..."

"You won't."

Wiping her nose, the brunette sounded almost sullen. "I must look pathetic."

"Of course not!" Squeezing her in what he hoped to be a reassuring way, Ricken argued, "It's not wrong to want to be the best parent possible. Those sort of high standards are kind of involuntary, you know?"

"I-I guess." Maygen dried her face, expression soft, if still a bit anxious. "I'm glad one of us is still thinking logically."

"I wouldn't say that -" His heart stopped, then beat all at once, when she leaned against him, resting her head against his. "I-I don't know. I just hate seeing you cry."

A peck on his cheek made it flush as bright as his hair.

"You're too sweet," she murmured into his shoulder.

.


Ricken sort of stole the spotlight. Last and this chapter both came from his perspective, and the next one will as well. It wasn't planned, it just sort of happened that way while writing. Am I bothered? Not in the slightest. He's too adorbz to get angry with!

(hey don't YOU treat me like a kid)

Oh, stop it, you, that just makes you more adorable. Aw, look at that wittle pouty face! (ZAP) Okay, okay, thoron really isn't necessary... I meant that in a good way, I swear.


-Dragon