He was standing, isolated in a dark graveyard in the middle of the night.
He walked through the night, glancing at each grave, getting progressively scared as he walked through.
Then he saw the names.
RIP JILL FIZZART
RIP ZIHARK ARMONY
"N...No... Please stop..."
He stopped at a particularly large gravestone, atop it rested a stone model of a bird. The gravestone was covered in dust. As he removed the dust with his hands, his horror was only confirmed...
RIP MICAIAH: HERO OF THE LIBERATION OF DAEIN.
"No... No..." He said covering his head in pure horror.
Suddenly the ground shook, and standing around the gravestone, hundreds... no thousands of corpses, some dressed in armor, and others dressed in the clothes of his former friends...
He turned around to see what was going on, turning back to look at Micaiah's grave, he noticed it was gone... Instead all that was there was a corpse, no not just any corpse.
Micaiah's mutilated corpse stood at his feet, blood covering her entire body. Suddenly the body jolted and it stood. Standing in front of him was Micaiah... only it wasn't.
Micaiah's normally Golden eyes were crimson red, and her perfectly toned face was now tattered and grim. That wasn't what scared him though.
All she said was three words.
"You did this."
The corpses followed suit repeating the same things Micaiah said
"You did this. You did this. You did this."
This pressure brought him to his knees.
"NO! PLEASE STOP! PLEASE!"
The corpses walked towards him at a quick pace, he looked around but he was completely surrounded, no way out...
Tears began falling as the corpse's judgement was passed and the young man was slowly swarmed by them...
"Ah!"
Pelleas awoke with a start and in a cold sweat. It took him a few moments to realize that he was not only alive, but he was back in his room in the castle... He sighed, half in relief and half in complete joy that he had returned to reality.
"Another nightmare..."
Pelleas sighed as he got up out of bed. It'd be nigh impossible for him to even attempt to get some sleep after... that. Dressed in only an undershirt and a pair of white pants and completely unconcerned with the rest of his appearance, he walked out of his room and began roaming the castle, aiming for a specific space in general.
Simply put, Micaiah got very little sleep.
It wasn't as if she never got any sleep, far from it, but it was surprisingly common to find the queen of Daein asleep on one of the sofas in the library.
She couldn't really help herself, with all her time in the daytime usually preoccupied with Daein's reconstruction or at court, Micaiah only had time for herself in the late hours of her night. She typically liked to spend that time perusing the great library of the castle, either reading information about the previous sovereigns of Daein, maps and treaties, or even stories of the early days of Tellius.
This was another of those nights.
Micaiah has just picked up a book from the shelves, the History of the Heron Clan. It was something that piqued her interest after learning about the causation for her Brand. She expected another lonely night, but she heard the door open to the library.
"W...Who's there?" She said caught slightly off guard that somebody was wondering the castle other than herself.
"Oh! I'm sorry Your Majesty! It's only me!"
Micaiah's expression softened. "Oh hello there Prime Minister! Whatever are you doing at this hour?"
Pelleas walked into the library, getting a look at Micaiah illuminated by candlelight.
"You don't have to call me Prime Minister Your Majesty, just Pelleas is more than sufficient."
Micaiah slyly grinned. "And you don't have to call me your Majesty, you've known me for so long, just Micaiah is perfectly fine."
"Oh! Um, I'm sorry M...Micaiah..." Yup, it still felt weird. If he was in a better mood, he'd probably laugh at the irony of the fact they've had nearly the exact opposite issue when Pelleas was still king, but.
Micaiah patted the sofa she was sitting on. "Would you like to have a seat Pelleas? I have a few books over here, that way you wouldn't have to struggle over the hell of searching this library in the pitch black."
Pelleas walked over and sat down. Looking at the pile of the books, he frowned.
"I appreciate the concern, but I doubt my reading level is nearly sufficient enough to understand any of these..." He said in a rather solemn tone.
"I wouldn't say that." Micaiah said patting his back "I've seen you able to digest the bloated bills and other treatises the nobles churn out, I'm sure you'd be able to easily digest these. Your reading has vastly improved since the war..."
Micaiah didn't even finish her sentence, she was too concerned with something else, namely the man sitting next to her. He hadn't looked at her since he had walked into the library and he was shuffling around in his seat, looking nervous about something. This isn't even the first time she's seen him so anxious, he's been like that ever since after the war, perhaps even longer than that. She didn't need any special powers to realize he wasn't feeling too well.
"Pelleas..." Micaiah said tenderly, staring into his eyes. "Could you please look into my eyes..."
Reluctantly, he looked into her eyes. He half expected to see her eyes crimson colored like he saw in his horrible nightmare... But no, they were the same bright golden that he was used to. The beautiful golden light that reminded him of the sweetest honey, one that filled him with the most positive emotions.
"Pelleas, are you alright? Is there something troubling you?" She asked as she placed her right hand onto his lap.
Her touch was even brighter and warmer than any light imaginable. Her touch was ever so gentle and comforting. While not completely at ease, he felt like he was starting to feel comfortable. Seeing Micaiah not only alive, but so close to him made him feel better, but the nightmare was still close to his mind
"No, I'm not Micaiah." He admitted. He knew that he couldn't lie to her, he wouldn't want to do so anyways. "I'm just... Ever since..." He sighed.
Micaiah wrapped her arm around him. She closed her eyes and lightly chanted. This caused a bright glow to appear, a warm bright glow similar to her light magic.
"This should help you calm down a little bit more... Take your time, you don't have to force yourself to explain everything at once..." She said warmly and gently.
"Thank you Micaiah, I really needed that." He smiled, feeling much more relaxed, a result of Micaiah's presence and her magic. "I've just... I've been completely on edge for the past few weeks, every single night I've had the same nightmare... Memories of the Blood Pact... What could have happened to you and everyone else I hold dear... I have nightmares about being the last one alive, the blood pact killing every Daein citizen save for myself. Seeing you dead in front of me, being told that was all my fault..."
Micaiah frowned. "I understand. Oh Pelleas, you've been through so much..."
Micaiah removed her right arm from his shoulders and changed her position, wrapping Pelleas in a warm embrace.
"H...Huh?" Pelleas's face adorned a blush, curious as to what she was even doing.
"You've gone through so much my friend, the burden placed on you by someone you thought you could trust, the pain you were forced to bear... Pelleas..." She said calmly.
He placed his head on her shoulder, having difficulty holding back his tears.
"I'm sorry Micaiah. I know I shouldn't dwell on it, it's all over now. I know that, you know that... And yet my mind can't stop dwelling on it..." He couldn't hold his tears back anymore and began crying into Micaiah's shoulder.
"Vent all you need to Pelleas, cry all you need to as well. Holding all these emotions behind a brave face can't be easy for any of us..." She says in a comforting tone.
He spent a few moments just crying into Micaiah's shoulder, her patting his back gently attempting to keep him calm and reassured.
After a few moments, his tears stopped flowing and he felt more and more relaxed.
"Do you feel any better Pelleas?" She asked inquisitively.
He nodded. "Yes... You really are a miracle worker Micaiah... I feel more at ease and relaxed than I have in months..." He finally smiled for the first time all night, feeling much more at ease.
Micaiah smiles herself, seeing her efforts finally bearing fruit. "I don't need to be the maiden of miracles to help you. You needed someone to talk to, someone to help comfort you. Heck, Sothe probably could have helped you if he knew your situation!" She joked.
He shook his head. "Doubtful..." He said with a blush appearing on his face. "Your gentle presence, your kind heart, everything about you that I'm not... I needed that more than anything... Micaiah, I just want to thank you for everything... You're so... amazing..."
Micaiah let go of him as she patted him on the back. "I'm not nearly as amazing as you give me credit for Pelleas, I just happened to be a shoulder you could cry on. Still though, you are always welcome to come find me when you're feeling upset or if you need a shoulder to cry on."
Pelleas smiles as he stifles out a yawn. Now that he was in much more of a relaxed mood and much calmer than he was a few moments ago. Unfortunately this presented another problem, he realized how close the two of them were. The queen and the prime minister alone in the library in the dead of night?! Surely this was to elicit rumors around the maids and the servants of the castle!
He looked at her to speak something, but then he was overtaken by something.
Seeing Micaiah, dipping in her natural beauty, dressed not in any of the fancy robes befitting for her station, just seeing her dressed in a light nightgown, it just hit Pelleas.
The queen was outstandingly beautiful. So beautiful that he didn't even notice he was staring at her.
Micaiah grinned. "I think this was the first time you've actually looked at me all night."
"I...I..." He blushed half from embarrassment and half from how overcome he was with her beauty.
"Relax. I'm only teasing you." Micaiah smiles as she picks up her book from the table.
"O...Oh…" He said sheepishly as he looked down at the floor, averting her gaze. "I'm really sorry…"
Micaiah moved up his head, to the point there they were looking into each other's eyes again. "You don't have to apologize Pelleas… If anything I should be thanking you!"
"Thanking me? For what?" He asked inquisitively.
"There aren't many people who look at me like I'm their equal, staring at me and genuinely enjoying my beauty for who I am, rather than putting me on a pedestal and seeing me as an overly important queen… It's nice being looked at like I'm anybody else…" A faintest bit of a blush adorned Micaiah's face.
This however was completely different for Pelleas, Micaiah called him out for staring at her and enjoying her beauty… That was of course a completely true statement, but her knowing that?! Completely inconceivable!
"N...No! Please don't take it in that way! I…!"
Pelleas was interrupted by Micaiah giving him a hug.
"Stop taking it in such the wrong way Pelleas! I like you staring at me and finding me beautiful, and I want you to do it more!" She said as she lightly tapped him on the head.
"Y...Yes… You're right… And you are beautiful Micaiah, absolutely radiant even…" He blurted out, his inhibitions completely gone at this point. "A...And… Ihaveamassivecrushonyou…" He immediately covered his mouth at the utterance of that sentence. "Oh gods…"
Micaiah had a bright blush on her face. "D...Did I hear you correctly?" She said half out of embarrassment and half out of genuine curiosity.
Pelleas sighed, he already hit the point of no return, there was absolutely going back now. He didn't know that her helping him overcome his nightmares would lead to him confessing his love for her, but here he was.
"I like you… A lot Your Majesty… No, Micaiah. You're my inspiration, my will to keep going, my… Light. You're a brilliant radiant light that when I look into the beautiful golden pools that are your eyes inspires me to go on…"
Micaiah grew redder and redder with every compliment. Was this all really happening?!
"And um… I've loved you since the moment I've first seen you in the desert… You in many ways are the reason I still breathe to this day and one of these days I hope to repay even a slither of the kindness you've given me… So… There, I love you Micaiah…" Pelleas was a blushing mess at this time. He had a hard time looking at Micaiah's eyes as he professed his love to her, but he practically forced himself. He owed it to her.
"I...I don't know what to say…" Micaiah said after what seemed like hours of gathering her thoughts. "I've always had my ideas, but in all honesty I thought it was more admiration, never would I have guessed it was love…"
He was starting to get worried, what if this was all a mistake?! What if his sudden proclamation of love was all completely premature?! No! He had to go back, this was all moving way too fast!
"Oh gods!" He said in a panicked tone. "Um… Forget what I just said Micaiah, I was just moving too fast haha! Dammit Pelleas you should have known she wasn't into you like that… If you'll excuse me Micaiah, I really must be…"
Pelleas's rambling was interrupted by a sudden movement from Micaiah, a kiss?!
The kiss lasted only a few seconds at most, but for the two of them, it felt like hours turned to days. The surprise of Micaiah's kiss caught Pelleas completely off guard and surprised. His eyes widened at first at complete shock, but the surprise turned to passion as he reciprocated Micaiah's kiss, closing his eyes and hugging her tightly. The initial kiss turned into a second one, more passionate and genuine than the first and lasted much longer.
After a while, they mutually separated from the kiss. Following that, Micaiah lightly patted his head.
"You need to stop having so many doubts Pelleas. Dear Goddess. I had to kiss you just to keep you from leaving!" She teased. "I'm glad you feel this way, truth be told, I've always liked you too!" She said happily.
His heart skipped a beat, was this really what it felt like to experience a miracle? He knew of how the people of Daein saw Micaiah as a miracle worker, and he's seen it firsthand, but this? This was on a completely different level.
"Oh, and another thing Pelleas? I just wanted you to know that your hair is really fluffy!" She smiled going back to her teasing nature.
"O...Oh! Thank you Micaiah...:" He said, a genuine smile upon his face.
"Of course!" She said happily. "Now, would you like to read a book with me? It's a quite fascinating book about the Heron Laguz!" She said, her eyes glowing filled with happiness.
"Oh yes! I'd love to! Though I don't know if I'll be able to stay awake that long, I'm starting to get tired…" He said drowsily.
"That's more than fine." Micaiah said. "Stay awake as long as you need to, if you fall asleep then we'll cross that bridge and act accordingly." She said as she opened up the book again and turned it to a position so Pelleas could read alongside her,
Pelleas's intrigue was of course piqued, especially with Micaiah passionately talking about the fascinating nature of the Heron Laguz, but the fatigue was starting to get to him. His eyes kept opening and closing as he was finally succumbing to sleep. He hoped Micaiah wouldn't mind if he took a quick little nap… Maybe he would…
"Oh look at this Pelleas, here's a section detailing the Heron's galdr…."
She noticed a weight being applied to her shoulder, turning her head, she noticed Pelleas was already asleep.
"Awww, he's so adorable… Maybe I should start getting some sleep…"
Micaiah smiled as she gently stroked his head with one of her hands. With her other, she placed the book onto the stack she had collected and picked up her candle.
"Goodnight my sweet Pelleas…" Micaiah said happily as she blew out the candle. As the light disappeared from the room, she gently kissed his head as she closed her eyes...