Saffiremoon21: Creepy, ka:) Hopefully this will make up for it.

Maxmagnus20019: Yeah, killing people was over the top, but I figured Eirika would need something pretty huge to take her away from Seth. I might change that chapter to having Tana kidnapped under death threats instead, so Eirika'd be blackmailed. Not sure though.

4/8/07 Hey everyone! I hope all of you poor school prisoners have a holiday tomorrow, or at least a week off! This is songfic to Hotarubi by Donna Burke, an insert song from the PS2 game Tales of Legendia. There's also a Japanese version by the same title by Mayumi Shindou. Personally, I'm fond of the Japanese version because it has that extra umph, but when I wrote this I only knew of the English version.

Edited 11/4/07

(FE8:SS) SethEirika. Songfic. But, now my dear, you're never here with me, just like a firefly, burns brightly soon to die eternally.

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How cold the frost seems without you. The heat in my apartment has just gone out, and now I'm standing by the window looking outside. I'm bundled up in a blanket, sweatshirt, hat, scarf, and gloves trying to keep warm. I blow on my hands, rubbing them together, and then rubbing them against my numb ears. I start shifting nervously from foot to foot. I should just leave and go to the library or somewhere where the heater works, but I don't want to leave yet.

Oh how the time has flown by
Has it been so long since our last goodbyes?

Has it really been a year? It can't be. . . I count the months by on my fingers: One, two, three. . . ten, eleven. . . twelve. It really has been a year. I never thought the time would go by so quickly without you. This ache that threatens to burst within my chest, has it been a year since it lodged itself there?

You know, I can still clearly see your face. I'm afraid that one day, I'll wake up, and I won't be able to remember it. And then everything about you would slip away: your voice, the way your lips quirk into a suppressed smile, your red hair. But it hasn't. I don't even need to concentrate to see your face and remember. Your image comes to mind effortlessly.

I can still remember the last time I saw you. It was in the park. I don't remember why we were there, but I remember standing there watching you wave as you walked away. You walked away and then suddenly turned around, waving your hand at me. You waved so vigorously that the green knit cap I made for you dislodged itself, revealing your thatch of red hair. You had to stop waving to readjust it, and once more you waved. I smiled whole-heartedly as I always did when I was with you, and waved back. Then you grinned and walked away.

You'd never guess the changes here
A subway station on our street

I enjoy looking out the window too much. From my window I can see our old street. Do you remember it? The endless buildings stacked upon one another, each one competing to see who could reach the sky first? On our street there was a bakery, a laundry, a toy store, a construction site, and on top of everything were the endless apartments. That construction site was well-known; it had been started at least three years before I moved to our street. Well, it was never completed; the city demolished the entire street; now there's a subway station. As you can imagine, it wreaked havoc for us, all the families were displaced and the businesses were forced to find more pricy locations. I was lucky and able to find this place.

Remember waking up with all that noise
Hammering and shouting from 9AM

The biggest difference in moving is the lack of noise. When we were on our street, at exactly nine am the entire street would come to life. The children would race down the street trying to make it to school on time, playing games all the way, screaming at one another to hurry. But they'd always stop and linger at the toy shop, pressing their faces and hands against the window much to the shop owner's chagrin. The owner would then open the door waving his broom at the children yelling at them to get their grubby hands off his clean windows. Meanwhile, the drivers would be honking their horns at one another, wondering why there was a sudden traffic jam, of course the one honking the loudest was the one who almost ran the children over.

There would be the smell of bread coming from down the street. You could hear the baker yelling at his workers to add more yeast because the bread wasn't rising properly, to pound the dough to properly prove it. Then you'd hear the sound of coins being plunked into the Laundromat and the familiar whirl beginning. Of course, you'd hear the familiar pounding beginning at the construction site. You'd hear them walking up the street with their lunch pails clanking and their laughter resounding. Then they'd get to the site, plunk their card in and complain at how they hadn't had their coffee yet. Then they'd get to work and the pounding and drilling would be even louder.

Calling us to begin
Calling us to our secret place
Where face to face we'd kiss

I never could wake up on time could I? Even with the constant noise, I wouldn't wake up until you'd walk in with a steaming cup of coffee that you'd made next door. Your coffee always tasted better; even when I tried to make it the same way you did, it just didn't work. So, you'd walk into my apartment, set the steaming coffee on my nightstand and drag me out of bed. You'd grab my arm and pull me out of the sheets, and everyday I'd moan in protest trying to stay in the warm bed. And everyday you'd laugh; I always loved how you looked when you laughed, how you'd tilt your hair to the side forcing your hair to flop over, so I'd open my eyes to watch you. Then, you'd catch my eyes and I couldn't resist getting out of bed.

As I let you pull me to my feet, you'd lead me to the balcony I had. Opening the latch with one hand while holding on tightly to my hand with the other, you'd quickly have me out in the cold air. That balcony. . . It protruded into the street and overlooked the edge of the city; on a clear day you could see the distant ocean. So, you'd take me out in the middle of the noise, and wake me up with a kiss.

And I'll never forget
The night when we first met
The freezing cold, the frozen air

I met you the day I moved into my apartment. When I first arrived, I was in such a hurry I dropped my stuff off inside and dashed out the door trying to get to work on time, leaving the landlord behind with my keys. I quickly regretted my haste once I returned home only to find myself locked out. I grabbed the doorknob with my gloved hand and twisted, pried, and yanked, all to no avail. The door wouldn't open. I had already checked to see if the landlord had my key, and moaned when I saw the "Be Back at 2pm" sign; it was already ten. I exhaled loudly, letting a puff of ice crystals form, and slid down the door to sit.

I quickly realized it would be a long night with my useless clothes. High heels, stockings, and knee-length skirts don't do much for the body. The rest of my body was slightly better off; I had in addition to the blue button up, a black coat, which didn't help much either. I blew on my hands and rubbed them across the back of my cold neck. I quickly grew tired of that and let loose my hair from the tight bun it had been in. Instantly, my neck warmed up. Much better. I started to think of what I could do. I could check into a hotel and wait for the landlord to return tomorrow, I could call that nice girl from work, or I could just sit the entire night through, which just seemed so wise.

You held on to both my hands
And asked me if I was cold

I tapped my heeled feet against the tiled floor trying to figure out what I should do. Then I sneezed and the next-door over opened. A bright ray of warm light spilled out and I turned to see who was coming.

Your head appeared first, but I couldn't see it right away because the light was blinding me. You looked around, first to the right, and then to the left where I was. You saw me and walked through the door towards me. I followed your movements with my eyes, slowly making out your features.

The first thing I noticed was that you weren't wearing any shoes. Your feet made no sound against the tiles and I wondered how you could stand the cold so well. You stopped in front of me and extended your hand towards me.

I looked up at you in utter bewilderment, but took your hand nevertheless. As you drew me to my feet I noticed you were wearing black sweat pants that you had to roll down at the waist. Part of it had become undone and revealed part of your hip bone. I adjusted my weight and pulled my hand away from you to brush off my skirt off once I stood. I heard the sound of a zipper and noticed you were taking off your sweatshirt. I blushed wondering why you were stripping. My answer quickly arrived when you set it over my shoulders, and took both my hands in yours.

My stunned look must have been apparent because you smiled and said, "Aren't you cold?"

But now my dear you're never here with me
Just like a firefly
Burns brightly soon to die eternally

Even though I'm in a different apartment, I can't help but hope you're here. I wake up every morning looking for your face, a cup of coffee nearby. But there isn't. I have to get up on my own, make my own coffee, which doesn't even compare to yours. There are no more walks in the parks. No more late night conversations. No more silences with you next to me. With you gone, I feel like I am denied Spring. Everything seems locked in Winter, and knowing what Spring is like makes it all the colder. But I wouldn't give up what you gave me. Your love, it was so bright, so blazing, but died just as quickly as a firefly.

Then all at once the stars disappeared

Everything was perfect, I thought nothing could, or would, go wrong. And it didn't, at least between us. One night, I was watching the news and I found out my brother had been arrested for my father's murder.

When I was screaming and fighting, you held me close, soothing the wounds I had. You understood that I would never believe my brother would do such a thing. Understood how devastated I was to find out from the news, to never be contacted by Ephraim. You were the only one who still believed in his innocence even when all the evidence pointed towards his guilt. It was you who was there when I cried as I wasn't allowed to see him during the trial.

And in the distance dawn's reprieve
Broke through the darkest powers of night
So once again the world was right

You were there when I finally cried tears of joy: new evidence had come in and the jury acquitted Ephraim. I was ecstatic, but I wasn't to see Ephraim for three more months. The new evidence was used to prosecute the head of the Grado Company for trying to hire an assassin to murder his business rival, my father. Ephraim was the leading witness in that case. I only saw Ephraim on television screens and newspaper headlines.

So it was an unexpected surprise when I opened my door to see Ephraim there. You was gone that week, you had a business trip that you couldn't get out of. Ephraim lived with me that week while he searched for an apartment. He told me about the murder and the trial. He told me he had been there as Father died and his last words. I gave him a watery smile and laughed as I usually do when I try not to cry. Other than that, we spent a lot of time just catching up. And I talked incessantly about you.

The moment I knew you had returned, I grabbed Ephraim and rushed over and banged excitedly on your door. You opened the door, bleary eyed from jet lag. You quickly smartened up as you recognized the face he'd seen plastered all over the media.

You looked at each other, sizing one another up. Your backs straightened and you had one of those manly testosterone moments. You broke the silence.

"You're Ephraim."

"Yes, and you're Seth."

And it seems so strange that I was once so scared
By dawn's cool light I was unprepared

Everything in my world had been put to right. I had Ephraim and you. Everything was too good to be true. It felt like that perfection would disappear at any moment; I was sure you'd leave me. I had this feeling deep down that you'd realize you were too good for me and find someone else.

Somehow, I told you that. You looked at me like I had grown an extra head. You didn't grow angry, you didn't scream about how I didn't trust you. You simply held me and told me that you couldn't see the future: you didn't know if we would always be together, but right now, there was no where else you'd rather be. And that's all the reassurance I needed.

I promised myself that I'd tell you the same thing. In a way, it's ironic that the day I told you, you left me.

But even though I'm feeling strong
And I've learned how to get along
I'll never stop feeling so wrong

When I met you, I was insecure, unsure, and hesitant. I was a young woman new to the world, trying to find her place in it. I was a blade fresh from the fire awaiting its final tempering. You took away all the fear, the doubts, the insecurities I had about myself and the world. You tempered the blade to its fine point and smoothed away the rough edges.

I was shy. Even though I pretended to feel confident, I had no confidence. I couldn't walk into a room without feeling like everyone was watching me. You taught me that who I was was enough for you and the world. You gave me courage. You gave me everything. But even though I have the strength to take on the world, nothing feels right. Nothing will ever feel quite right because you're not here.

Nothing is quite right.

This is wrong: the cold you saved me from is what killed you.

When I placed that lonely flower
upon your pale cold cheek
I felt so lost I couldn't speak

I stood alone at your funeral. Standing before you with everyone else behind me, I felt so alone. It was hard to hold onto the white rose in my left hand. I was trembling as I touched your face with my right hand; you were so cold, it felt as if you had been out in the snow too long. I laid the final flower, white against the vivid colors, on your peaceful face.

Everyone murmured the required apologies, but it meant nothing to me. Their gentle touches meant nothing to me. They didn't know how I felt, they couldn't begin to imagine. . . I couldn't speak no matter how hard I tried. I wanted you to wake me up and tell me this was all just a terrible dream.

I went through the funeral like a ghost, and didn't utter a word. Nothing in the world made sense to me. The world couldn't be right if you were dead.

I stood alone in mute shock and acceptance that you were gone.

When friends they began to cry
Calling their last goodbyes
Silence was your solemn reply

Behind me, I could hear people crying. People whispering how much they loved you in a final goodbye. I stood alone in the crowd of people and cried. I wanted to know why you had gone, where you had gone. I expected you to answer because you'd always answer my questions with the truth. But now, there was only silence. A silence that became the truth.

As everyone said their goodbyes, your ghost didn't appear. You soul didn't appear to tell us you loved us and that you'd be waiting. But I swear. . . That night I set a candle afloat on the river. As I watched it float away I couldn't help but think that the flame. . . For a candle, it was the brightest I had ever seen, and its flames reached so high. . . I stared into the distant fire until it faded out of sight. Just as it winked out, I saw. . . us. How we had met, our first date, first kiss, hands held, knitting caps, waving goodbye, I saw it all.

I remembered how we talked about what our dreams were. You sheepishly said that you wanted to be the knight who saved the princess. I blushed and said I was no princess. I might not have been a princess, but you certainly saved me.

You're not a knight, that's for sure. If anything you should've been a fairy tale prince who gets his happy ending. But as it is, you remind me of that small flame burning brightly in the night. Burning on the calming ocean, lighting the way for everyone else; something unnatural that could never be. And unnatural things never last long. The ring clutched tightly in my left hand is testament to that.

The ring was your only reply. An elegant engagement ring that told me everything you never said. It was the ultimate reply without words. It was your soul itself telling me that you would never completely leave me.

It burns as brightly as you did.

A sacred flame burnt
upon the ocean of your soul

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Okay, so the imagery part at the end was kinda weird. Anyway next chapter will be Ring: It is the social norm that a man ask for a woman's hand in marriage. Eirika's about to change things.