I stood silently at the edge of the pier watching the white sails of the brig grow further and further away by the minute. With each passing beat, my heart ached and my eyes stung with unshed tears. Taking in a deep breath, I turned around and nearly bumped into someone.

Matthew stood looking up at me, worry written clearly in his violet eyes, "Miss Astera? Are you ok?"

I smiled weakly at the boy as I patted the top of his head lightly, "I'll be ok."

He looked at me broodingly before he grabbed my hand, and started to pull me away from the pier's edge, "Let's go back and see Doctor, ok?"

I let myself be pulled along as I glanced back at the brig that was starting to disappear before I turned away.


Ten years had come to pass since I had parted ways with Arthur on the pier. Matthew had quite literally drug me back to Yao and the others. I soon got to work with Yao in fixing the damage done by the pirate raid. A few days later, a navy ship had come along and taken the pirates away with an exception of Toris who was saved by Yao from certain imprisonment. Torris had become a sort of book keeper for Yao and they became friends rather quickly.

As for me, I had fallen into a sort of depression and retreated back to my castle. The villagers came up frequently to thank me for what I had down for them, and I would politely turn them away. This went on for a year until Matthew had scaled the wall around my castle again. I had gone to scold him, when he presented me with a small white flower and locked his arms around my legs, demanding that I cheer up or that he wouldn't let go.

From that day on, Matthew came up every day to visit me and to pass the time with him, I took him as my apprentice in magic. He had a nature knack for it, and I was pleased almost as much as his mother and Yao. He had only had one accident, so to say, and it involved him blowing up the front section of the wall around my castle. To tell the truth, I suspected that the little bugger had done it on purpose.

Matthew had grown up into a fine young man and though he was older, he still acted the same way since I met him. I had soon put him to work and the both of us ran a shop in the castle.

As then ten year rolled around, i had long forgotten the heartache I felt when I thought of Arthur and heard the bell that signaled that a ship had docked in port. Today was no different; except for the fact that Matthew had asked to leave his duties early so that he could help Alfred and his mother fix up his house. I had waved him off and told him to take the day off, and smiled lightly as he bounded down the hill. A few customers had shown up, and about themselves they carried a sort of excited buzz.

As the sun began to set, I began to close up shop and began to sweep the entry way. I waved the last couple of customers off as I closed the door of the shop and laid my broom against the doorway. As I turned I froze as you saw a lone figure standing at the entry way, their figure blacked out by the sun behind them. My heart skipped a beat before the figure called out.

"Miss Astera!" Matthew began to walk closer and I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"I thought I told you to take the day off! The shop's closed," I growled as I placed my hands on my hips.

He laughed quietly as he came over and began to drag me from the doorway, "I know! But Yao and Toris are throwing a big party down on the beach!"

I frowned, "I don't want to go!"

Matthew laughed, "Yao said you had to or else."

I grimaced but let Matthew drag me forcefully from the castle.


As I passed through town, Matthew claimed that he had forgotten something that Yao had told him to get from his hut and told me to go ahead without him. I grumbled at him but went along my way.

As I got to closer to the port and beach I could hear the laughter and music from the party. Looking down, I flicked my hand and altered my work dress to a shorter version of the red one that I used to wear. Sighing in annoyance, I stepped into the warm sand on the beach and saw the giant bonne fire and the villagers scattered around it. A cheer rose up from some of the villagers as I got closer and I couldn't help but smile at them.

Yao emerged out of the crowd followed by Torris, "Astera! You finally made it!"

"No thanks to you, old man!"

Yao laughed and patted my shoulder, "Well go enjoy yourself! There's plenty of food to go around!"

I stuck my tongue out at him before I wandered through the crowd. I bumped into Francis and Michelle, who have been happily married for the past nine and a half years. I exchanged a few words with them before I walked on and passed the food into the empty beach beyond.

The sounds of the party faded as I walked further and I found yourself walking along the shore, and the surf rushed over my toes and foot prints. I stopped looked out at the sea in the dimming twilight. I sighed and soon after I heard the whisper of someone walking in the sand.

"Matthew, what did I tell you about following me?" I said angrily without turning around.

"Well, that's not the best way to greet someone after ten years, love."

I froze and my heart skipped and danced within my chest. I stared out at the sea with wide eyes not wanting to turn around and suffer a major disappointment. Gathering my courage, I turned around and gasped. There stood Arthur, in an outfit that was almost the same as the day when he left.

"Astera? What's wrong?" asked Arthur as he started to walk closer to me.

I held up a hand for him to stop, which he did, and I gazed at him as I slowly stepped out of the surf to walk up to him. When we were a foot apart I stopped and gazed up at him, inspecting him. His emerald greens eyes seemed to glow from within, and they still had their loving feel about them.

"Astera?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I have to be dreaming." I whispered.

"Why?"

"You can't be here."

Arthur laughed, "But I am here."

I shook my head, "I bet you aren't, and if I touch you, you'll vanish like you always do."

Arthur reached out and I gasped as his warm hands wrapped around mine, I looked up at him in amazement, "I'm back Astera, for you."

I pulled my hands from his grasp held them to my chest, and he pulled me into an embrace, "Sorry for making you wait."

I felt Arthur shake, and his embrace tightened and I realized that I was the one that was shaking. I looked up at him, "You came back."

He nodded and lightly kissed my forehead, "I came back."

With a hard shove, I forced him off of me, causing him to fall backward into the sand, "You think you can waltz back in here and think I'll forgive you for leaving me with just a kiss on the head and a hug? Like hell I won't!"

"As-Astera-!"

I stormed over to him, "Do you think I'm some plaything to be messed with?

He started to back up, "N-Never!"

I followed him, "Really now?" I bent over and lifted him up by his collar, "Prove it to me."

His mouth moved but no words came out and I couldn't help but smile, I set him back down on his feet. He stood stunned for a second before he knelt down, and I paled.

"H-Hey now, what's wrong? Are you sick?" I asked as I gazed down at him as he started to rummage around in his pocket for something.

"You said- ah, there it is- for me to prove I don't think you are a plaything," he looked up at me and grabbed my left hand. "Astera, ever since I left you ten years ago, my thoughts have never been of anything except for you and nor did I want to think of anything else. I've missed your outbursts, yelling, and smiles. and I never want to miss a single one again."

I said nothing as my breath caught in my throat and Arthur looked into my eyes and showed me a simple gold band, "Astera, will you do me the honor of becoming my Mrs. Kirkland?"

Silence fell between us before I smirked, "Took you long enough!"

Arthur's features lit up as he placed the ring upon my ring finger and kissed my hand, and you giggled, "You missed my mouth by a yard Arthur."

With a smooth motion Arthur was standing up and his lips were upon mine, wasting no time in trying to make up for lost time. We parted with light panting and gazed at each other, before I spoke.

"So what took you so long?"

Arthur smiled and released me from his embrace to hold my left hand, "Care to go for a walk while I tell you?"

I grinned cheekily up at him, "I'd rather you went for a run, and I a walk. But I suppose we can take a walk."

Arthur began his story as the both of us walked back down the beach, holding hands with my ring flashing dimly in the twilight.

Fin.


Ah~ All done~ I picked my favorite ending out of two that I had written, so I'm happy with how this all turned out!

Thanks so much for reading!