It had been about fiifteen years, and they were at a place that they found comfort, and were smiling often. They were happy. They even had a daughter now.
She was five years old, and while her build and facial structure was inherited from Elain, all colour though, came from Lucien. From her skin tone, to her hair, to her eye colour. She was a perfect mix of her parents.
It had been many years since Elain had last lost Luciens heartbeat in her head, but she could hear it constantly now. He was always with her, even if he had to go away for a few days. He was always with her, because his heartbeat was always in her head. His heartbeat, his music, had been her favourite sound for fifteen years now.
They were just waking up for the morning, and it was one of those rare mornings that they had woken up and it was quite. They loved being parents, but they both missed quite mornings, so when the rare one came, they took advantage of it. They never rushed anything, never made to move. They enjoyed the calm quiet mornings while they came.
Elain was the first one awake, and she took the time to look out the open window, seeing as the sky was changing from black, to purple, to pink, as the sun was slowly rising.
Very carefully, not wanting to wake her mate up, she moved to stand up so she could go stand by the window. She felt his arm tighten around her though as her mate spoke, voice still full of sleep, "No, stay. 'S to early."
Elain looked up to Lucien to see him smiling down at her, and saw in his russet eye that he had been awake for a few minutes now.
Smiling herself, Elain shook her head as she pushed off of Lucien, sitting up. "I only wanted to watch the sunrise. If you're jealous that I would rather watch the sun wake up instead of you, that's your own fault." She teased as she stood and walked over to their balcony door, and pushed them open.
"Elain, my Lady, it is far too early in the morning to deal with your teasing. The sun-" Lucien had stopped speaking, as Elain turned back to look at her mate. Elain watched as his eyes widened.
"You will need to work on flattery, because if you think complaining about my teasing you will flatter me back into bed, it won't work." Elain exclaimed with a laugh. Then, with one more smile directed to her mate, she turned back to look outside.
"Oh no, I don't think I want you to come back to bed, in fact, I think we should wake up before sunrise more often. Because sitting here, seeing you, framed by the colours of the rising sun reminds me, what an awe strikingly, beautiful mate I have. Not that I ever forget how beautiful you are, lady."
Elain shook her head, as she dipped her head down to hide her smile. "You are unbelievable. Just come outside watch the sunrise with me, before small feet come running in and we have to start the day."
Lucien didn't need to be told twice, and followed his mate.
As the two of them sat together on their balcony, the sun now above the horizon, Lucien couldn't help but look over at his mate. The smile that always managed to find its way out when he looked at her, confidently on his face.
It had been years since he's had the nightmare that had plagued him, regarding the night Jesminda was murdered. That nightmare, where his father, whereBeron, gave him the choice of saving Jesminda or the unknown female behind him. The female had always been Elain.
It had been years since Lucien had had that nightmare, yet he had it again the night before. The only difference was that this time, his dream self, could feel the soul connection between himself and the unknown female behind his fa- behindBeron, that he had chosen to save the unknown female. He ended up waking up before having to watch Jesminda get murdered again.
Now, looking at Elain, hearing the song of her breathing, the song that meant she was alive, her song. It brought to memory one of the variations of the nightmare he had years ago, where Jesminda had actually come through and spoke to him.
"Live your life with her. I am at peace. I found peace the moment the two of you looked into each other's eyes that first time, and the mating bond snapped. I want you to be happy. I know that Elain can bring you happiness. There is nothing to feel guilty of. I've been dead for hundreds of years. I'm not coming back."Jesminda had said.
Lucien had always missed the female. He had always loved her, but he had found love with Elain. He didn't think he would ever stop loving Jesminda, but he was finally no longer feeling guilt for his love of Elain.
"Elain lost her first love, just as you lost me. Yes, the circumstances are drastically different, but it was still heartbreaking for her. Take this time given, and heal together. Take this opportunity given to the two of you, and be happy. I desperately want you to be happy Lucien. Promise me that you will try to be happy? It's all I want."
Lucien was happy now. He had been happy for years. Every waking moment with his mate at his side made him happy. The addition of their daughter only made him happier. They've healed together. They've grown closer. She had moved past the human love she once had, he had no longer seen the sad longing for that human life she lost on her face any more.
"Do me one more favour? When the two of you, you and Elain, have found happiness together, tell her I truly appreciate her so much, for being able to give you the happiness you so deserve, that I can no longer give you, and thank her for me. Tell her I say Thank You."
"Thank you." Lucien found himself speaking, and only seeing Elains face, did he realize she had been speaking and he had interrupted her. "I apologize for interrupting you lady, please, continue."
"We have been together for fifteen years now Lucien. When will you learn that you don't have to call meLadyany longer?" Her objections to the name were half hearted and weak at best, as she had learned that Lucien would never stop calling herlady, his smile always told her as much.
"Fine. It was nothing important anyway, just my plans for the day. Why were you thanking me?" Elain had asked, and looked towards him curiosity spiking in her brown eyes.
"Of course your plans are important. Please, continue. I'm sorry for interrupting." Lucien said, looking towards his mate.
"Lucien, you weren't here. You were lost in thought, and then abruptly thanked me. Thanked me for something, I still don't know what it was I did to earn this thank you. If you must know my boring plans for today, I will go over them again. But not until you tell me what it is I am being thanked for." Elain had said, giving him a look full of confusion, sterness, and pleading.
It was the sterness in her gaze that had Lucien answering, not wanting her to grow frustrated or angry. While his mate wasn't as quick to anger as her sisters, he found that the rarity of her anger led for her to be more frightening than her sisters.
"This may not make any sense, but many years ago, I had a nightmare. Or, rather, it started off as a night mare, but it had changed to a dream that is not quite a dream." Lucien explained, looking towards his mate.
At her look of silent encouragement, Lucien continued on. "Someone I had loved dearly, came to me, and spoke to me. She wanted me to actually pass on a message to you." Lucien explained, continuing to look towards Elain.
"Jesminda?" She asked, looking to him, her expression changing to one of sorrowful warmth. Lucien only nodded.
He should have realized, that out of anyone, his mate would make the most sense out of this, as she was a seer, and probably saw many things that made much less sense.
"But Lucien, if she spoke with you requesting you pass on a message to me years ago, why wait until now? Why not tell me then?" Elain asked, looking more confused.
Lucien reached across the space between their chairs, and took her hands in his. "Because, my lady, she specifically requested I wait until we have both found true happiness together."
A teasing glint filled his mates eyes at that as she smiled. "Andtodaywas the day we have finally found true happiness together? Not even the day our daughter was born? But today?" Elain teased him.
Lucien smiled, as he gently squeezed Elains hands in his. "Well, to be completely honest lady, I had actually forgotten the conversation happened at all, until this morning. I had a nightmare last night similar to the one she interrupted. That's when I remembered." Lucien explained, but upon seeing his ladies eyes fill with worry, he hurried to continue. "Nothing to worry yourself over. I woke up before the worst part." One day he would explain the nightmares to her, but that day was not today.
Lucien could still see the worry in Elains eyes, but was greatful she didn't push, and instead had asked him, "So what is this message you are supposed to pass on?"
Lucien smiled a little bit, lifting her hands up, to where he could place a quick kiss on her knuckles before looking at his mate. "She specifically told me to wait until we were truly happy together and had healed from our past heartbreaks. She told me to tell you, and this is a direct quote,'When the two of you, you and Elain, have found happiness together, tell her I truly appreciate her so much, for being able to give you the happiness you so deserve, that I can no longer give you, and thank her for me. Tell her I say Thank You.'She wanted you to know you are appreciated by her as well." Lucien told her.
Elain smiled, and pulled one of her hands free of his, to lift it up to his cheek. He hadn't realized he had teared up while speaking, let alone started to cry. "I'm sorry you lost her. She sounds like she was a wonderful female. I would have loved to meet her." Elain stood and moved to sit in Luciens chair right next to him and pulled him down into a hug, as he finally felt a wave of emotion crash over him.
The two of them sat like that, silent, and in each other's arms for about a half an hour, just enjoying each others company, and the silence. Until something occurred to her.
"Does it seem quiet to you?" Elain asked, before sitting back, and looked to Lucien.
"Yes, it does. Shouldn't it be quiet?" Her mate answered before looking down at her.
Elain gave him a look, questioning his intelligence, before answering his question. "The sun has been up for over an hour. We have been sitting here, uninterrupted, for over an hour of daylight. You tell me." Elain answered, before standing up, looking back down to Lucien.
"Oh.Oh." Elain watched as the recognition appeared on her mates face and had him standing up quickly. "How worried do we need to be?" Lucien asked, as they went back off the balcony, back into their bedroom to change from their night clothes to their outfits for the day.
"She's five years old, who has also been seeking for more independence with each passing day. So probably pretty worried." Elain answered.
After they were dressed for the day, Elain was just about to open the bedroom door, before Lucien stopped her and bent down before giving her a quick morning kiss. Just like their first kiss had been a crescendo, so had each and every kiss they shared since. It didn't matter if it had been a quick sweet chaste kiss, or a long, deep, heavy kiss. Each kiss was a new crescendo. This one was no different.
"I almost forgot to wish you a good morning, my beautiful lady." Lucien said, before they stepped out of the bedroom on their way to find out why their daughter hadn't come to find them yet.
They found her easily enough. They followed bangs and clinks, and giggles. When they found their daughter, they could only describe it as an attempt at making herself breakfast. There was water, juice and milk all over the kitchen, as well as flour, berries, and eggs.
Elain and Lucien did start waking up every morning before dawn, so they could sit and watch the sunrise together on their balcony, but from that day on, the moment the sun had fully come over the horizon, they got dressed and then went started their day to avoid a large mess again.
Their relationship had always felt like an orchestra was following them around, every day. An orchestra in each part of their relationship, and they often talked about it. This was the precise reason behind the name they gave their daughter. Their daughter would always be their Melody.