~ Epilogue ~

„Frauen sind merkwürdig: Sie wollen alle einen Don Juan zum Mann – aber einen für sich allein."

("Women are strange: They all want a Don Juan as a husband – but one for them alone.")

Heinrich Spoerl (1887 – 1955)

:::

Two weeks later …

Sheena was playing with the cocktail umbrellas in her drink without really realizing it. With her thoughts she was still at the burial that had taken place some days ago. It would probably still take quite some time until she had gotten over the loss.

"You're brave, Sheena," a voice remarked.

When she looked around she saw Yuan who was walking towards her. "I just think that he wouldn't have wanted me to mope all the time … They both wouldn't have wanted it."

"You're probably right." Yuan sighed. "I lost so many of my men … And the question I'm asking myself lately is 'For what?'. Just because some people wanted to seize power and had a bomb fetish …"

Sheena nodded. "It's the same with me … Infidelitas leveled Mizuho to the ground just like that, and that only because they wanted to kill me …"

"You're not still blaming yourself, are you? It's not your fault. Maybe they would've attacked Mizuho anyway because you protected all the clerics and pilgrims and thus were a thorn in their flesh."

Sheena nodded slowly, but she couldn't help thinking again and again that it was her fault. It was almost like in the past when she hadn't been able to make a pact with Volt … Somehow she had always only done harm to her village.

"Well, enough with the gloomy thoughts. After all, we're here to celebrate that the last persons of Infidelitas are finally behind bars," Yuan said grinningly, clicking glasses with her.

"Yeah." Sheena smiled. Yuan was right, they should really celebrate. They had defeated Infidelitas, Princess Hilda – or rather Queen Hilda – was now reigning over Tethe'alla, and the Magy Corp in Sylvarant as well as the Bases of the Renegades were being rebuild.

Fortunately the building of the branch of the Lezareno Company in Sylvarant had been finished in the meantime, so that the Magy Corp was able to produce some things there and thus the economic state of Sylvarant didn't worsen even more.

Raine came towards them, shaking her head. "Can somebody make this gentleman clear that he needs a great deal of rest and has to take care of himself?" She pointed with a sigh at Zelos who had apparently wanted to celebrate with them in spite of his wound which still hadn't healed completely.

"You could've guessed that much. He would never miss a party," Regal remarked laughingly, consorting with them.

"But he should still rest. He escaped death only scarcely; he shouldn't scramble around the area in his state," Raine said.

"Ah, let him be. If he collapses it's not your fault," Yuan replied. "How about you just forget Zelos and dance with me?"

"Alright," Raine said smilingly, and so the two disappeared on the dance floor where Lloyd, Colette, Genis and Presea were already having fun.

In the meantime, Sheena was looking around for Zelos and clenched her fists when she finally saw him talking grinningly to a woman, taking something from her and eventually hugging her.

"Yes, that's Zelos as we know him," Regal laughed, now looking in that direction as well. "What will you now do, Sheena?"

"I'll kill him!" Sheena hissed, already walking towards the red-haired Chosen.

The woman he had hugged had gone away in the meantime, and Zelos was glancing smilingly at the object the woman had given to him, until he realized that a pretty upset Sheena was advancing.

"Who the hell was this woman?" she snapped at him.

Zelos blinked confusedly until he seemed to know why it upset her that much. "Ah, Sheena, it's not as you think …"

She socked him on the jar by what the sunglasses, which he still had to wear for protection against light, shifted slightly. "Tell it to the marines! And I thought you changed, at least a little bit! But instead your flirting again with some woman who …"

"She's a jeweler!" Zelos objected.

"Oh, well, then everything's of course alright! Do you think that would change anything?" Sheena clamored furiously.

"You don't understand … I didn't flirt with her!"

Sheena huffed. "But it looked pretty much that way when you hugged her!"

"That? That was only to show my gratitude and because I was so happy that she …"

"Argh, you know what? I don't feel like discussing this any longer!" Angry, Sheena turned away from him.

Zelos clutched her wrist. "You know what she gave to me? Did you see it?"

"No, and it doesn't interest me either what it was!"

Zelos put something into her hand. "She made it for me. I was so grateful that she had it already with her today; I thought that I would have to wait longer."

Sheena was now looking confusedly at the object Zelos had put in her hand. It was a small black box. "What … is this?"

"Open it," Zelos demanded.

She slowly opened the box, and a silver ring with an opal shining in all sorts of colors surfaced.

Sheena looked at Zelos with big eyes.

"When I was trapped I always asked myself what I would do if I were free again. To marry you was at the top of the list." He put the ring on her finger while she was still speechless. "I hope you don't have anything against marrying such an idiot like me."

Sheena finally found her voice again – she had already forgotten how annoying that could be. "No … No …"

Zelos looked at her for a moment in shock.

"No, I don't have anything against it," she said when she realized that he thought she would've said 'no' to his proposal. Smiling and totally happy, she flung her arms around his neck. "I would even be very happy."

Zelos enfolded her in his arms. "I love you, Sheena."

"I love you, too."

Zelos looked at her smilingly. "You know what helped me to not lose my mind?"

Sheena shook her head.

"To know that you and the others are somewhere out there, that you would someday find out the truth and rescue me. To know that I'm not alone."

Waaah, it's over (apart from the special chapter). =( I hope you enjoyed reading this story. It's one of my stories I really love because I think I really did a great job here. ^^

So, those of you who are interested in the special chapter (which contains only Yuan x Raine scenes) will have to wait until Saturday.

The End (more or less)

EDIT: I proofread the epilogue now as well. Sorry if there are still some mistakes.