Epilogue - Whit[E] Chrysanthemum


"Why are you crying? Do you hate that name?"

"No… I… really love it…."

"Really?"

"Yes… Really…"

"But you…"

"Ignis…"

"Yes?"

"Call my name… again…"

"..."

"..."

"... Eira."


Her obsidian beads reflected the shimmering gold hue from the sun that smiled above, the vivid blue of the vast sky, and the soft billowing white that was slowly travelling the world with the wind. The laughter from the two children who were sitting under the canopy tent with wooden frames attracted her to avert her gaze from the sky to them. The blonde man in front of them had just finished his story which made the two of them laugh and asked him to give them another story.

A smile passed over the woman's face who was looking at the beautiful scenery before her eyes. This world was indeed a frail one, not entirely healed after one decade shrouded in darkness. However, if the laughter of those children always filled the atmosphere, it meant that there's a hope for the future, right?

Afterwards, they started to draw, seriously, even one of them almost touched the tip of his nose to the paper on the desk. He looked at his drawing closely, too close even though there was only one inch space between his nose and the paper. Then, the blonde man approached the boy, tapping his shoulder, lecturing him in tender manner so that he wouldn't bring his eyes too close because his eyes would need glasses if he kept doing so, just like the dirty blonde man who was standing not too far from the place where they were.

The raven haired woman giggled softly, eyes glancing to the mentioned man who then glaring slightly to his best friend.

He moved his beautiful emeralds back to the man he was talking to. They had talked for more than fifteen minutes, perhaps, it was a serious matter. However, she couldn't hear what they were talking about, for it was obstructed by the chatter of the children, who, even though they were busy with their activity, still moving their lips, talking cheerfully about the drawing they made.

When the wind blew, her long and dark hair was swaying softly, dancing slightly before falling again when the wind had gone. Now she stared blankly to her front, not actually looking at anything, letting the emptiness filled her mind, even though the pair of her obsidian orbs were gazing at the figure who walked toward her.

"Eira, sorry for waiting." When the voice of that man reached her ears, calling her name, she lifted up her chin, raising her gaze to the face of the dirty blonde man who was smiling at her.

He was Ignis Scientia, the new chancellor who was being appointed personally by the sovereign of king of Lucis, that was not opposed by anyone since all of them had known about Ignis's capability.

This one day was supposed to be his holiday, but sometimes one or few things were too urgent, thus Ignis should make a brief stop in one of the refugee camps that was not too far from the citadel. Fortunately, both of them already had their lunch at the new restaurant owned by Takka—which had just opened recently since that man decided to live in Insomnia. Therefore, that sudden call from the marshal didn't really disturb both of them.

"Ignis…" the whisper from Eira's hoarse voice was so unclear it almost unheard. After two years of slumber, talking was a hard thing to do for her, therefore what she could produce was only a whisper—which was brittle and weak, "... I'm tired."


"One day… Would you please tell me everything, all about you, yourself?"


When she opened her eyelids, the only thing she wanted was death. Even though all of her wishes had been granted. Even though her days had been adorned by the lustrous green from her beloved one.

There was something that disturbed her mind, gnawed her soul, tortured her heart, thus the days that were supposed to be painted in vivid color had become the monochrome and grey one. And the thing she did was only crying, sobbing in fear and dread.

She wanted to run, taking a knife, slicing her arm, and drowning herself in the dark ocean. She wanted to choke herself, stopping her lungs from breathing and stopping her heart from beating. However, both of her legs were crippled, it couldn't bring her body to do what she wanted. Even if she could raise her hands, they would tremble and quiver, and with those weak hands, she would never grip anything.

Thus, she decided to cry, letting the beads of sadness cascading from her eyelids and stained the pale cheeks of her. She screamed on her bed, without understand what haunted her mind. She was broken, wrecked and wretched.

"Eira?!" the sound of hurried footsteps filled the room as the dirty blonde man dashed toward the raven haired woman who was now sitting on her bed and screaming in dread.

"Eira?! Eira… It's okay… It's okay…" Ignis pulled her inside his embrace, wrapping her trembling body with his sturdy hands. It was not the first time Eira cried abruptly in the middle of night. She often awoke in tears, wailing in her whisper and screaming in pain.

The man didn't know that her souls had been shattered, destroyed as the payment to restore the light of his green emeralds. The man didn't know that she sacrificed herself to let him see the sun and saved him from the lightless journey. All of it was for him, and for the consequences, her legs couldn't be moved as she wished, her hands never stopped quivering, and her voice almost being snatched from her lips. That woman had destroyed the time, changing the fate where the light had been snatched from the green orbs of that man, so this time he didn't need to suffer inside the darkness of eternity. That man also didn't know, perhaps, hadn't known yet, that the woman's existence had been erased from the world, as the payment and the curse for her sin. Everything was only for the beauty of the green that had been snatched from his life.

Now, her soul was getting weaker, shattered little by little, destroying her consciousness and her mind. What she wanted at this time was only her death. Her death.

"Eira…" the only thing that remained for her was only her own name, as it was being called and given by the man who was her lover. Her lover, who had forgotten all of the memories about her, who then returned that name back for her, even though there was no trace of her in his memory.


"Hei Eira…

"Turned out that… I'm still bothered… by the three words you told me on that day…

"If you love me, why won't you tell me those words again?"


Eira gazed at the white empty card in her hands silently. Today she had decided to tell everything to the Scientia. Her consciousness had been depleted day by day, her emotions had become hard to be controlled. At one moment, she would cry, wail, pleading to find her death. At another moment, she would give a blank stare to the dim ceiling, to the dusty window, or to the empty dining table in the place where she lived now with the Scientia. But this time, she could take a breath at a steady pace, and she could think clearly without the murky fog that clouded her mind.

No one knew her, no one remembered her, she was alone and had no one who was willing to take care of her—a woman who was paralysed and couldn't move freely. It was only the Scientia who finally decided to bring her to his home, insisted to stay by her side, while sometimes stated his wish so that one day Eira would tell him about herself, and the story between the two of them.

The Astral had given her compassion. Therefore, Eira who was supposed to die, could fill her lungs with the air, could feel her heart beating beneath her chest, having it to pump the heat that was brought by her blood to travel inside the vein all inside her body. However, no one could guarantee that her soul would withstand the curse. Perhaps, in a few days she would lose everything. Perhaps, in a few seconds she would return to her slumber in eternity.

Fortunately the voice had returned to her life, and her head never been this clear tonight. She decided, when that wooden door was opened, she would utter her story which was always been yearned by the owner of her beloved lustrous green.

Not long after, someone turned open the knob, and beyond the door, a figure of a tall man with his neatly combed dirty blonde entered the room. The emeralds behind those glasses gazed at her, as the man smiled at her, with all of his warmth, his charm, and his love.

It calmed his mind when those obsidian reflected his figure, without tears, without emitting the sadness at him. Moreover, she lifted up the corner of her thin lips to form a sweet smile that adorned her face.

These last few nights were nightmare for him. Eira kept crying without reason and always like that until he should hug her, caressing her head gently, and let her sleep on his chest. Sometimes, Eira only opened her eyes with an empty gaze, without expression, and without giving any response to whatever he said at her.

"Welcome back…" Eira moved her wheelchair slowly, advancing toward Ignis who also walked toward her. Ignis bowed down a bit, stretching his right hand until his slender fingers reached the soft cheek of her.

"What do you want for dinner?" his green met her obsidian. It emitted love even though his memories had disappeared. That man had fallen in love with her, trapped by the unseen spell from the witch in front of him.

That witch appeared two years ago in the throne room, on the magic circle that emitted a bright glaring red. Her body was stained by wounds and blood, and she dragged her feet in stagger, bringing her body closer to Ignis who was cautious by her sudden appearance, ready to withdraw his daggers, positioned himself to protect the King who was sitting behind him. At that time, he didn't know her, didn't understand why she called his name, "Ignis…" softly, for many times, with the tone that was intermingled with sorrow.

He didn't understand why she told him those three words which stabbed his heart, choked him, and disturbed his mind. "I love you…"

And then, Ignis was tormented by the pain in his head, and always like that whenever he tried to find her figure in his mind, between the shattering pieces in his memories that never revealed the truth.

But she then was slumbering, for two years, so that even though he wanted it, Ignis couldn't find the answers from hundreds of questions that always haunted him. The question that was created by an empty white paper, two photographs of him, a silver necklace with the clover pendant that was embellished by emeralds, and a pair of wedding rings.

"Ignis… there is… something… that I want… to tell…" her tongue was too stiff, too weak to be moved,—to reveal what was inside her heart. However, Eira refused to give up, because, perhaps, this was her last chance.

Ignis almost forgot to fill his lungs with the air when those stuttering words escaped from her lips. One of his heartbeat was louder and harder than the other, the next time he knew, his heart started beating in thunderous thudding, creating the clamour that couldn't be stopped by him. He forgot how hungry he was, and how he was ready to make dinner for them. All of his thoughts had been changed to one of curiosity and hope. He wondered whether all of the questions that haunted his days would be answered today. He wondered whether this unbearable, strange and peculiar feeling could be explained. He wondered whether the love he had for her would get stronger after knowing her past—their past?

Ignis didn't even understand the way he thought when he decided to lift the slender body of the raven haired woman, moving her from the wheelchair to the sofa not far from them. He wanted to sit next to her, wanted to get closer to her lips, so that there were no words that were unheard and not reaching his ears.

Eira was startled when both of his sturdy arms lifted her body and brought her to sit on the sofa. Ignis sat next to her and held her right hand. The memory was—indeed—not there in his mind. However for two years he gazed at her, being by her side, the peculiar feeling had rammed into his heart, unknown for him that actually those feelings had never disappeared. He was enchanted by her alluring obsidian orbs from the first time the emeralds of him looked into her eyes. He was trapped by the melodious voice of her when she called his name and when she stated her love at him while he brought her to the infirmary in the brink of her death.

Eira. It was the only name that entered his mind, emerged from nothingness whenever he tried to find her figure in his memories. Eira. It was the only name that was so familiar in his lips, as if he always called that name even though he never remembered it. Eira. It was the name that was given by him when she told him that she didn't have a name, when she told him that she wanted him to give her a name.

"Eira…" it was her real name, which she wanted to discard from her life, but then had been given back to her from the Scientia who was sitting next to her. She, who pretended not having a name, asked the man to give her a name.

"Your name is… Eira." and at that time, Eira cried, letting the welled up tears behind her eyelids to fall and make a trace on her cheeks. Eira was too happy, when Ignis gave her name back.

"So, would you tell me at last, about your story? Everything about you and… me?

Eira nodded slowly then gave a piece of white card in her hands to Ignis. "When I… woke up… for the first time… Why did you… bring… the red roses… and baby's breath?"

Ignis tilted his head, puzzled by the question thrown at him. Didn't she want to tell him her story? Then, why would she ask about something that he thought insignificant?

However, he fulfilled her demand by answering her, while taking that white card with his right hand, "I think that both of them were familiar. Why?"

"This card…" Eira threw her gaze to the card which was being pinched between the thumb and the forefinger of the Scientia, for a glance, but then placed her eyes on the shimmering green she loved, observing the scars on his right temple, around his left eyes, on the bridge of his nose, and on the right side of his lower lips. The scars that became the proof of his sacrifice to save his king. The scars that telling her that she had saved the light in Ignis's life.

Eira closed both of her eyes for a second, mustering her courage to reveal the truth to the man she loved, until finally she opened her lips, and started to tell the continuation of her sentence,"... you gave… it to me… between… those flowers…"

Ignis looked at her closely as he waited for her to finish the sentence. Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked for those memories in his head, and for a hundred times in his life the pain tortured him, menacingly pierced him, trampled on him, prevented him from finding the shattered memories in the dark. He averted his emeralds to the white paper in his clutch. However, this time that pain was far worse, much heavier and painful, even he couldn't hold a slight groan not to escape his lips.

The dread was drawn all over Eira's face, for she could feel how Ignis was gripping her right hand. The warm beads started to well up on both of her eyes, as it was ready to free themselves from her eyelids and fell to her cheeks. That man was trying to remember it, but the curse was still there, thus, he was being tormented by the scorching pain.

"Ignis…" Eira cursed herself, who could only call that name in her frail whisper. She hated seeing how the pain smeared Ignis's face, she couldn't bear to see how that man suffered only because he wanted to remember the buried memories of her. Now, the determination that she tried to build had been crumbled, destroyed in pieces, and for once again, she thought that it was better not to tell him about the past after all. The memories between the two of them, the blooming affection between them, which was supposed to be snatched by the curse, without any spell that was capable to melt the curse and restore his memories. "Please… do not try… to find me… in your memories…"

Her sobbing voice now filled the room. Her heart was broken, as she tried to accept the bitter truth that she would never be remembered. It was better for her to be forgotten than to see how the man she loved should suffer because he tried to find her in his memories, which would never be restored. "No matter what… you will not… find me…"

"Eira…" Ignis's voice had become the hoarse one. His breath was short and shallow as he panted, and his heart was beating too harsh and rough, as if it struggled to free itself and leapt out from his chest. The ache in his head now had disappeared, as it was shifted into the pain in his heart when he saw the line of tears had slipped out from her eyes and cascading to her cheeks.

No… Please… Don't cry...

Eira had been wailing in her whisper, curling up her trembling body until her face almost kissing her knees. Ignis was shrouded in regret. The regret because he had been defeated by the pain that trampled on his head. If only he didn't let the ache created the groan from his lips, perhaps, Eira would tell him the continuation of her story.

He pulled her tiny and frail body inside his arms, bringing her face to his chest, as he caressed the woman's head softly while telling her with the trace of sadness in his voice, "Eira… It's okay… There's nothing to be afraid of… It's okay… I'm here… I'm here…"


"Eira…

"I love you…

"Even if those memories would not return… Those feelings had never disappeared...

"I love you…"


He lifted her body inside his sturdy arms, helping her left her wheelchair and bringing her to her bed. Ignis sat on the edge of the bed, slowly caressing her head in gentle manner. He was supposed to go back to his own room after helping her, but this time, he was reluctant to do so, for his heart was still being disturbed by the continuation of her story which was being cut off without any conclusion few days ago. Therefore, he tried to plea, in careful manner, "Eira… I… still want to know everything…"

"Why?"

"Because… I love you…" Ignis was stunned when he, himself, uttered those words. He loved that woman, even without knowing the reasons. Every woman he met in his life never left a mark in his heart. But this woman charmed his heart, the woman who suddenly appeared before his eyes, the woman who suddenly appeared in his life. Moreover, he had known that apparently his memories had been wiped out by something that he didn't understand, which was only known by her. He was sure that she was the one he loved, the one who had a special place in his heart, who then returned back to his heart.

Eira didn't know how to react as she was paralyzed by the words he presented to her. Was it her imagination? Was it her illusion? Or, was she trapped by the madness that had been disturbing her mind these recent days?

"Eira… Was I your lover? You said that you didn't know me. But, all of that was only your lie, wasn't it? Those pictures, the paired ring of the one you're wearing now, the silver necklace around your neck… All of them are related to me, aren't they?"

Eira didn't say anything, her gaze was the one of the sorrow, her chest was heavy as if being pressed by ton of weight, it felt like there was a chain that circling her body, tying her, suffocating her. Trying to recollect all the shard of the determination she built few days ago, she mustered her courage to utter, "I… will answer… but… promise me… do not try... to remember it…"

"Understood. I won't try to remember it." there was no smile that embellished his face, only the sorrow because she forbid him to find her in his own memories. Even breathing now tried to suffocate him, as he was being burdened by the endless thought. Shutting his eyelids to hide his lustrous emeralds for a mere second, Ignis tried to find the calmness inside the darkness, until eventually the question escaped his lips, "So, am I your lover?"

Hesitate, she didn't want to answer that question. Perhaps, because she was too shy or worried if he didn't believe her answer, Eira gave a pause between the question from him and the answer that she prepared. She placed her eyes to the grey t-shirt he was wearing, to the strong and sturdy hands of him, going down to his slender fingers which were fiddling since he tried to be patient. And finally, she answered softly, so soft even her usual whisper was seemingly too loud, "Yes…"

Ignis had guessed it, therefore he was not too surprised by her simple answer. Finally, the woman admitted it, even though she was hesitate.

Ignis sensed the honesty from her tone, from the expression she made, and from the dim light that was reflected on her dark obsidian orbs. The woman had opened her heart, letting him know about her, little by little, again, allowing him to know and understand.

Ignis was diving in his mind, beginning to arrange the other questions, which he wished to be answered by Eira, "That card? Did I give it to you? Why is it empty?"

For many times today, Eira gave a slight pause. Taking a deep breath into her lungs, holding it in her chest for a while, then exhaling it softly. She answered, "There is a sin… that I commited… and that is why… I was… erased…"

"Erased from everyone's memories? Even your existence? Your pictures? Your identity? I knew you're a crownsguard medic, the medic staff who treated you told me from the coat you wore at that time. But your data is not there, not even once, not everywhere." Ignis almost lost his patience and his composure, so that he cut the words that were being stated by Eira with all of her effort.

On the other hand, Eira was slightly relieved that Ignis had understood about what happened, more than her expectation. Of course, in these two years, Ignis certainly never stopped to think, digging hundred of information that he could get while she was slumbering. Eira nodded weakly, without words telling him that what he guessed was correct.

Ignis was moved by her honesty. If only the Astral granted more of His kindness to help the woman to having her voice back, far better than this, perhaps she had told him all of her story soon after she opened her eyes.

"What did I write on that card?

Eira pulled her blanket with her trembling fingers, covering the lower half of her face until her lips. She was blushing, with the face that was smearing in crimson hue, as the heat crept to her cheeks. She was too embarrassed to tell, she was too shy, wanting to tell him, but the doubt enveloped her mind.

Ignis waited for her answer, observing the hesitation that was drawn clearly by her gesture. Mind bringing him to the memory of the past few days, when the raven haired woman asked her why he chose the red rose and baby's breath. Questioning himself, he searched for the particular reason why he would give that flower bouquet, it should be…, "Did I… ask you to spend the rest of your life with me?"

She wide opened her eyes, her lips―which were hiding beneath the blanket―was agape, as she was astounded and amazed by the guess which was thrown by the man. Eira knew that Ignis was the smartest man he knew in her life. However, this time he was too smart, beyond her expectation, and it even defeated the memories he had lost.

Ignis was astonished by the nodding she gave as the response. She was not a liar, because Ignis acknowledged his own action—that would never be remembered by him.

This time, his eyes were moving to her neck, which was still covered by the blanket. Beneath, there was a silver necklace with the pendant that was highlighted by the stone with the same color as his eyes, circling beautifully around her long and slender neck. Perhaps, Ignis who was living at that time knew that his emeralds was her favorite color, "I gave that necklace to you, because… perhaps I said it before I departed to Altissia… I think it's a bit improbable, if that necklace was given to you on your birthday."

"How… did you… know?"

"However, because Insomnia has fallen… You went to Lestallum, and we met there… and afterwards, Prompto took the picture of us?"

Ignis was too smart. Terrifying. There were no memories remaining in his head, it should be. Was all of that only the result of his analysis? Eira couldn't apprehend it, and at last, she could only nodded, telling him that once again, his guess was not wrong.

A thin smile passed over Ignis's face, as he was holding the beads of sadness not to slipping out from his eyelids. He threw his gaze to the wooden floor under his feet. He was struggling not to find the woman in his memories. Even though his heart was broken, crushed. He loved her long before this time, so long before he saw her alluring obsidian in the throne room. However, all of it had been wiped off entirely, snatched away, because of the sin she commited. Sin, that he didn't, or, that he hadn't known, yet.

Ignis went silent, letting the quietness fill the atmosphere for a few seconds, until he started to move his hand, to the little wooden drawer next to her bed. Taking a blue velvet box from the inside, he brought it to her front, before opening it and taking a ring without any name that was engraved on in, "Is it mine?"

Eira pulled her blanket more, it was almost covered both of her black obsidian, which started to get damp because of her tears. She nodded weakly before hiding all of her face behind the sheet that made her warm in her sleep. Her small body started to quiver because she was crying in her silent lament.

"Eira…" he called for her name. The worry gnawed his heart, as he was afraid that the woman she loved was crying in deepest sorrow just like the previous nights. But this time he knew that her lament was different, not being tainted by the grief, without the painful wail in her whisper. It was the same as the one when he gave Eira her name, just a silent cry.

Stretching his hands forward, he reached for Eira's hands that were holding the light brown blanket which covered her face. His right hand stroked the emeralds which circled around her ring finger, while his left hand pulled her right hand softly, made her unclasped her fingers and slipped the ring inside her clutch.

He lifted the blanket gently so that it wouldn't prevent him from seeing her face, and when he saw how the tears had fallen to her cheeks, he brought his hand to wipe it. Bowing a bit, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead without her permission before uttering, "Put it on me…"

"Why…? You… do not… remember me… do yo…?" the quivering in her voice worsened since she was crying.

"Why? Of course, because that ring is mine, isn't it?"

Eira didn't know what she should do. The white gold in her grip was heavier than usual. But, the man didn't lift his eyes from her. Those emeralds emitted the hope, the wish so Eira would put the ring on his ring finger, which had been moved closer to her, so it was not far from her reach.

The heart in their chest was starting to beat thunderously, like a clamor that tried to make each of them listen to its sound. Eira's left hand began to move slowly, to the left hand of him that was bigger than hers. She clasped it gently, and at the same time, the warmth of his body sipped into her skin. The tumultuous thudding in her chest was getting louder, but at the end, she did put that ring on the finger of the man she loved, even though with a great endeavor since it was still hard to move her hands.

Soon after that white gold circling around on his ring finger, Ignis intertwined his fingers to the small fingers of her. He brought his face closer to the woman's, looking closely at her beautiful black obsidian before he pressed his lips to the soft one of his lover. His lover, because she was his, and now, for once more, she belonged to him.

Eira missed his warmth, the one that was always being provided by her lover. Her lover, because he was hers, and now, for once more, he had become her lover. The touch was filled by the passion, tempestuousness, and desire; which never failed to make her hover, leaving the world for a fleeting moment, crippling her minds in every movement he gave in her.

He twirled his tongue, trying to find hers, nibbling it in lascivious dampness. The man conveyed his affection through the heat, through the warmth that enticed her and engulfed her in yearning. They moved in harmony, as he brought his body closer, as she gave him the muffled moan that escaped her throat.

His mind was melting in desire, trapped in concupiscence. In a slight pause between their kisses, Ignis whispered, "Eira… You know? Even though the memories had disappeared… the feeling would always still here…"

Even though the memories had been snatched from his life, his body remembered it, what should he do to make her pleased, what should he do to satisfy her. The desire had taken control, and what he could think was her, only her.

Her obsidian beads met his fiery gaze, as the man started to undress her, and take off his own clothing. He didn't care about the scars all over her skin, for Ignis, the figure who was lying before him was the most enchanting one, alluring, and beautiful. Every curve of her body had been owned by him, him, only him. And seeing it made the man couldn't hold himself anymore.

Those black diamonds stared at his dazzling visage. His face was marred by scars, one on his right eyebrows, one of the bigger one around his left eyes, another one on the bridge of his pointy nose, and the other one on his lower lips. Those scars never damaging his beauty, nor lessening his charm. She moved her gaze downward, to his attractive jawline, to his sturdy neck, to his enticing collarbone, moving down to his broad chest, admiring the breathtaking scene in front of her. However, she should stop gazing at him as a lustful pain stung her neck.

The raven-haired woman was wriggling at the moment, beneath the man who was crawling on top of her. The Scientia ghosting along her skin with his lips, sometimes made a stop to plant dark purple marks along the way, from her neck, her shoulders, going south to her chest. Eira closed her eyes, letting the weak moan escape from her lips. Ignis didn't change at all, even though he didn't remember anything, the way he nibbling her skin, the way he inflicting the pain on her, was exactly the same as what she remembered. Those marks were the way he told her that she belonged to him.

His finger then crushed the fortress she made, in one thrust, that kept moving inside her in intoxicating way. He filled the void inside her that remained empty these years. It was an overwhelming delight when he saw her looked at him as he gave her the pleasure, when she called his name with her soft whisper, and when her lips part opened as she craved for the air between the relentless touch from him that brought her to drowsiness.

Biting her lower lips, she tried to hold her voice since she was actually shy when the emerald smirked at her. Ignis locked her lips with his for once more, invading her mouth with the tongue that was swirling and twirling in unbearable desire. Her mind was fully occupied by him, the pleasure that coursing through her body, and the soft moan he gave as he devoured her.

The both of them were drowning between the crumpled sheet, under the faint moan, on the crackling wooden that was produced whenever he moved. They were covered in sweet perspiration, as they called each other's name, until he poured all of his love into her.

Eira snuggled her head on Ignis Scientia's chest, the dirty blonde man whose hair that usually being swept up on his front now having its strands fell gently on his forehead, the man whose emeralds were shimmering in affection.

Ignis wrapped his arms around Eira's body, the woman whose long hair as dark as raven's feather, the woman whose obsidian orbs were glistening in love.


"What kind of sin that you commited?"

"I… destroyed the time… to restore… the light… into… your sight…"

"Eira… Is everything my fault?"

"No… It is… because I… was blinded… by my love… for you…"

"Eira… I love you…"

"Ignis…"


Ignis Scientia was holding a bouquet of flowers, the red roses, and the white baby's breath. The two kinds of flowers which were full of memories, even though at first they were forgotten and buried in the dark. The two colors that adorned the most important moments between the Scientia and his lover. However, between those fragrant flowers, there was another kind of flower. The beauty and purity of white chrysanthemum, which symbolized love and devotion, and also represented death and mourn.

The grey stone in front of him was engraved with a name, which was owned by the woman he loved the most in his life, the woman who gave the light in his world, who painted the smiles in his days. Placing the flowers in front of it, the emerald lifted the corner of his lips, as he smiled sincerely at the name written on it.

"Dad! Look! There's a weird book!" the small body he was hugging in his arms was swaying. Her tiny hand was pointing at the back of the stone eagerly, until she almost fell from the hands of her father.

"Book?" Ignis frowned, looking at the direction that was pointed by his adorable little daughter. He walked forward, bowing down to reach a book that was leaning against the side of the tomb where his lover was sleeping in her eternal repose. He looked at the thick book's cover, which was being decorated by bronze tendril, with a statue of a peculiar sleeping face on it.

"Want! Want the book!" the little girl's hands were moving impatiently as she tried to snatch the book that was being clutched by her father.

Ignis was puzzled, didn't understand why she was that eager to reach the book in his hand. And then, when her tiny hands almost touched the book, Ignis quickly moved it away from her reach, "Erina… Perhaps, someone dropped their book here. We should find its owner."

"It's Mom's!"

"How do you know?"

"..." the pair of her black orbs glaring at the emeralds of her father, she curled her lips, angry because her father didn't believe her, however at the exact same moment, she was confused, didn't know what to say to her father, because she herself didn't know why she said that the book was her mother's, "No know! That's Mom's! Give me! Want touch!"

A soft chuckle escaped Ignis's lips, "All right, all right. You'll have it after Dad cleaned it up. But first, you should say hi to Mom."

"Hi to Mom! Put me down! Put me down!" her shoulders length dirty blonde hair was swaying when she waved both of her hands and legs, trying to free herself from her father's hand that was holding her.

Ignis chuckled again when that little girl was running soon as he put her down to the ground. She then squatted in front of her mother's grave while patting the tombstone, "Mom, how are you? You know? Yesterday, Uncle Prompto give me chocobo plushie! It's big!"

She then kept telling her stories, which made the smile blooming on Ignis's face. He was grateful, and his heart kept stating his gratitude for the greatest present given by his beloved woman. Even though she had been sleeping in eternal repose, he wasn't tortured by the excruciating sadness nor the everlasting grief.

Even though sometimes, he was being trampled by loneliness, the little girl she brought to his world would pull him to the hilarity, as she brightened his life, and erased his sorrow.

For many times, he told her how grateful he was, together with the words of love in his heart. He had been—and would always be—happy, enveloped by the bliss, until one day he would stop breathing, and meet her in the everlasting realm.


"Ignis… I… really… love… you…"


the [E]nd