The next day, I sit beside Henry's bed as he sleeps, reading and watching over him as Jasper roosts cozily on my shoulder. Olivia is fast asleep in an armchair next to me and I make sure to keep an eye on her too.
But after a while, I set my book to the side, distracted by my thoughts.
It is slowly sinking in that everything from now on is new. I have broken through the cycle of time and failure. The thought gives me hope, but it also strikes me with a pervading sadness. It is unfair that I will now have the life the man Gray fought so hard for, and yet never got a chance to have. He gave up this future and never saw peace in his lifetime.
I feel closer to him now, with the darkness of the dragon magic gone. The difference between us had been that power, the magic he never sought but I had embraced all too freely. Maybe now I will find within myself his soul and mind again.
I certainly hope that I can and that we have not diverged so completely in our lifetimes.
"What the- what the hell?" Olivia murmurs, waking from her sleep. Her bleary voice startles me from my thoughts.
"Henry gave you a sleeping potion," I explain.
"Son of a bitch!" she shouts, shaking the sleepiness from her head and sitting up. She sees him unconscious beside her and gasps.
"He's alive," I tell her. "He's alright."
She touches his face and says, "He's so cold!" Placing her hands on either side of his head, she reaches out to feel his energy. "Gray, he's freezing. His magic, I can't feel it. There's nothing!"
"He lost it, like me. He'll be alright, I promise. It will just take him time to recover."
She looks at me fiercely. "Explain."
"First of all, I didn't tell Henry to give you a sleeping potion. I was actually going to ask you to be part of my plan."
"What plan?"
I tell Olivia everything and she listens silently, a stunned expression on her face. "Good gods," she whispers when I've finished. "How did you know that would work?"
"I never know if any of my plans will work. I just had to try something."
She nods. "Thank you. I can't believe… Are you sure it's gone for good?"
"Time will tell, I guess. But I haven't felt even the slightest bit of magic in me since that night Henry cast the spell on me."
"Damn. He's going to be furious when he wakes up and can't hex anyone," she says.
"I imagine he will be afraid of being so defenseless. You'll have to look out for him, that is, if you choose to forgive him and stay by his side. After all the grief Henry and I have put you and Chrom through no one would blame you if you wanted to go your own way."
"I'm not a forgiving person, Gray," Olivia says. She reaches out and takes Henry's hand in both of hers. "But for him, I'll learn to be."
Olivia settles down beside Henry, singing softly in his ear. Jasper and I leave them to be alone and return to Chrom.
Lissa is in his room with him when I enter and she smiles brightly at me. "Hi there!" She hugs me and pets Jasper.
"How's my tiny Morgan doing?"
"Why don't you tell me," I say.
Lissa puts her hand on my stomach and concentrates her magic. "Heart's still beating! They're one hell of a fighter, having gone through all this."
She talks with us for a while then says, "Well, I will leave you two to rest."
"Please take this poor bird with you and feed him some breakfast," I tell her.
She laughs and holds out her arm for Jasper to perch on. "Alright. I'll see you two later."
She leaves and I look at Chrom. He still seems worn out from the spells he cast yesterday. I sit next to him on the bed and he pulls me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. "How are you, my love?"
"Happy, calm. It's a good feeling," I answer. "I think I could get used to it. And you?"
"I leave for Chon'sin at the end of the week to join Flavia," he says. "But I doubt I will be gone more than a month. I have received hopeful news from our troops."
I nod. "I will have to stay here, and not just for my own safety. Until we figure out what to do with the Fire Emblem, I'd like to stay here to guard it. I know we are all sworn to secrecy about its new magic, but the thought of its presence here in Ylisse makes me uneasy. I fear we have created new danger for ourselves."
"I imagine we have. But I also think that will be the case for the rest of our lifetime. It will never be over and it will never be easy."
"I wish I could come with you, though."
"I wish so too," he sighs. "But I was also thinking that you must stay here this time."
Chrom looks so melancholy that I know I must do something to raise his spirits. Pulling off my tunic, I straddle him and take his face in my hands, kissing him passionately.
"What are you doing?" he says, pulling back to look at me.
"Making sure you miss me desperately while you're gone," I smile.
Chrom laughs and puts his hands on my hips. "Damn you, Gray. I love you."
"I love you too."