It had been a long battle. For the soldiers of the Crimean Liberation Army, for the soldiers from Crimea, Begnion, Gallia and Phoenicis, this was the battle that would end all of the strife that had been orchestrated by the mad whims of the Mad King of Daein. It was hoped the death of King Ashnard would herald the end of his malevolent influence over Crimea as well as Daein. And for the laguz, their brothers that had been warped by the feral drug and turned into Feral Ones could rest in peace knowing that the man who orchestrated such an act of cruelty would die a painful death.

And indeed, that was what came to pass. Although the Mad King had been a brutally tough opponent, more so when he dipped into the power of Lehran's Medallion which enhanced his strength further, the combined power of General Ike, King Tibarn as well as Ena and Nasir had been too much for him, and he had died not long after the killing blow had been landed.

That had been Ike's, but it could not have been done without the help of Ena. The pink-scaled dragon had seen an opening to strike during an exchange of strikes between Ike and Ashnard. When the latter reared back for another slash at the mercenary, Ena took her chance, and unleashed her fiery breath upon the Daein king for all it was worth. This time, it had an impact; Ashnard had been weakened heavily by the battle, and the dragon laguz's breath had been forceful enough to blow him off his mount. In this instance, the medallion was knocked out of his grasp, and the power that had made him stronger dissipated. The king was on death's door when he landed forcefully on the grass, and yet he still laughed and grinned maniacally.

"Heh heh...excellent...Excellent!" he cackled weakly. "So good! More...more, I say! At this time of ascension, it's not enough...not enough…"

Ike took this opportunity to walk over to him. With Ragnell held strongly in his hand, he swung the golden blade at the Mad King, slicing through his armour and cutting a deep wound across his chest. More blood spewed forth from his body, and yet still Ashnard laughed. He laughed...and laughed...and laughed...until at last, his body fell silent.

The resulting silence was stupefying. Everyone who had witnessed the fight, from the four that had fought Ashnard to groups of Crimean and Daein soldiers observing the battle, all watched as the Mad King breathed his last breath.

As they looked on, a mixture of emotions gradually fell upon the observing soldiers.

For many of the Crimean Liberation Army, they felt triumphant that King Ashnard, the maniacal king that had wreaked havoc upon thousands of innocent people, both beorc and laguz, was now dead.

For many of the Daein soldiers, they felt horrified that King Ashnard, the insurmountable king that preached strength and encouraged many commoners to seize high-up positions in the social hierarchy, was now dead.

Many Crimeans had joined the army and various resistance militias with the hope of one day felling the man who had brutally occupied their country and killed their king.

Many Daeins had joined the army with the hope of expanding their poor podzolic land into Crimea's more fertile pastures and beyond, and also to get revenge on Crimea for sticking by those foul sub-humans.

With this moment, then, dreams had both withered and been realised.

"Now...it is truly over," Ike said after checking the Mad King really was dead. These words had been picked up by his comrades within earshot, and they all couldn't help but agree. Ashnard was an idol in Daein and the pillar of the nation. With his death, hopefully the rest of the soldiers would see the futility of the conflict and lay down their arms.

But before the blue-haired general could order such a thing, his attention was drawn to another sight.

It was Ena. She had untransformed, and was running over towards Ashnard's mount, which he noticed was still breathing.

"Ena, stay back!" called Ike, alarmed. "The king's mount is still alive!"

If the pink dragon heard him, she did not listen. Instead, she continued running, over to where the black dragon that was the Mad King's steed lay. It snarled and growled, in pain from the wounds dealt to it during the battle. The dragon tried to rear its head up, but it was too weak to do so, and fell to the ground with a crash.

"Stay back!" Ike yelled again.

But once again, Ena did not listen. The mount reared its head up, and found the strength to roar at her.

"Ena!" the Crimean general cried, even more worried. It wouldn't take much for the obsidian dragon to take its claws and rake it across the pink-haired laguz's chest. Or worse, for it to open its huge maw and make a meal of her.

But none of these things happened.

Instead, something unbelievable and completely unexpected did.

Ena, undeterred by the ferocity of the creature before her, lay down by the dragon's head and began to stroke the dragon's scales.

And more astonishing to observers was the sight of Ashnard's mount ceasing its insane movements and beginning to calm down as the pink dragon did this. Gone was the roaring, crazed monster; now it seemed almost serene, as if at peace.

"Wh-What's going on?" Ike asked, unable to believe what he was seeing. "His mount is so calm…"

"Ike…" Nasir spoke, and to the beorc, it was odd that he didn't seem surprised at all. "Let them be."

"Nasir...what's this all about?" questioned the general. What does he know about what's going on here?

"That...is her mate," the white dragon revealed, making Ike's eyes go wide. "As death nears, he has regained his sanity."

"King Daein's mount...is Ena's mate?" the mercenary said, astounded at this revelation. But as he looked upon the two of them, it all suddenly began to make sense.

When he first entered battle with Ashnard, Ike hadn't really taken too much notice of the mount, only focused on the megalomaniac perched on its back. He just thought of it as an ordinary wyvern, albeit quite an abnormally large one. And he had also assumed it had been influenced by its master's deranged mannerisms, for it had snarled and roared all battle, snapping at the Mad King's opponents and swiping its huge claws, sometimes landing hits. Even now, he could feel a wound at his right hip where the dragon had struck.

But as he looked upon the scene before him, the Crimean general was able to piece together the truth of the matter. King Daein's mount was no wyvern, and was in fact a dragon laguz, which explained his immense size. And his unhinged, berserk demeanour must have been caused by the feral drug, which had warped him and bended him to the king's will. Then, he must have been trained to move in a quadrupedal stance like that of a common wyvern rather than the grand, titanic bipedal forms of dragon laguz.

Perhaps, then, Ashnard could have held him hostage and forced Ena to cooperate with Daein. And by extension, that would've brought Nasir into the conflict, in order to help out his granddaughter in her time of need. They were goodhearted people, the beorc realised, but they had to do evil to protect the one Ena loved. Yet more lives in tatters by the Mad King, Ike thought disgustedly, and was only more glad Ashnard lay dead now and couldn't ruin the lives of any more people.

Looking over at the scene once more, Ike saw that the feral eyes of the black dragon were beginning to close now, and it seemed like he would be breathing his last few breaths. Beside him, Ena couldn't hold in her tears.

"Rajaion…" she wept, as she began to sob for her beloved. Her beloved whom she was supposed to marry. Her beloved who had acted as a source of comfort for her whenever she was distressed. Her beloved for whom she had defected to a side that was an enemy of all laguz, all for the purpose of hopefully one day restoring his sanity and bringing him back to Goldoa.

But that wouldn't happen now. He would die here, and they would never live out their days as mates. All those hours they had spent fantasising about their future lives as husband and wife, and dreaming about the possibilities of children and even grandchildren...they would all come to naught.

His pulse was weakening, and his breaths were becoming less common. It was only a matter of time now.

As Ena shed more tears, she could hear voices. She was too wallowed in grief to register what they were saying properly, but she could make out some words of the ancient language, followed by the modern tongue. It seemed like...Reyson and Leanne, the heron prince and princess? The pink-scaled dragon didn't focus too much on what was being said, and only continued to lament her dying fiancé.

What happened next took her by surprise.

Reyson and Leanne began to sing the Galdr of Rebirth. The song felt heavenly, as if it relieved the stressor all who listened to it. Even Ena stopped moping to listen to it. A song of divinity and healing bestowed upon to the herons by the goddess herself, or so the tale had been told. A thought came into the dragon's head as the heron laguz sung the hymn. ...Could they possibly be trying to…?

As the galdr was sung, a white light began to come over the ailing black dragon. Then, what Ena had sought all of these years while serving Daein was achieved. Gradually, the dragon's form began to shrink in size, until eventually, the white light dissipated...

...leaving a long-haired man where the feral dragon once lay.

Ena could only stare, gobsmacked. It...it was him. It was Rajaion! He may have been dishevelled and bloody and covered in wounds...but it was Rajaion, in his beorc form. It was infinitely better than seeing him driven insane and heeling to Ashnard's every command.

"Leanne told me that dragon's true form had been warped," she heard Reyson explaining to a bewildered Ike. "So we sang the galdr of rebirth…"

She would thank the herons a thousand times over for this. But for now...her attention was turned to her love, who was regaining consciousness.

"Err...aah…" Rajaion groaned, as his eyes flickered open. His gaze rested on Ena, before his red eyes, without a touch of ferality in them, widened in recognition.

"...Rajaion?" Ena asked, making sure this wasn't a dream. "D-do you know who I am?"

"...E...Ena…?" the black dragon wheezed.

"Yes...Yes!" Ena cried out joyfully. "You recognise me!"

"You were made...to suffer...because of me…" Rajaion rasped, a look of sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"...*sniff*...Rajaion! Rajaion! Oh, Rajaion…" Once again for Ena, tears were being shed. Only this time, they were of happiness rather than melancholy.

"...Ena... " Rajaion found the strength to smile. "Let's return to Goldoa. The two of us...together."

"I will go anywhere, my love, as long as it is with you," Ena replied, her eyes glistening and voice full of emotion.

"Ena...from this day forward...Forever..." Rajaion breathed, his breaths becoming painfully shallow by this stage. It was at this point that he summoned the last of his strength to bring himself to his betrothed's face...and kiss her.

Although neither of them admitted it out loud, they both were thinking the same thing.

This will be our final kiss.

And with that, Rajaion lay down for his eternal slumber. His body grew colder, and Ena felt his pulse become more infrequent.

Ena sniffed. "Ah, Rajaion..." she mourned, as she watched the body of the one she loved grow numb with death. Behind her, she could hear her grandfather mumble mournfully for the prince of Goldoa. He may have left Goldoa decades ago, but he knew of the strong bond the two dragons had with one another.

"He...was one of the dragon tribe?" Ike asked Nasir, making sure he got the full picture.

"That's right," Nasir said. "He and Ena were engaged to be married...and then, he was driven mad by King Daein, and his form warped."

"...I see," the general remarked sympathetically. He looked upon the pink dragon, cradling her deceased husband's form. He could only empathise, as he too had a loved one, his father, die in his hands. That pain between lovers, especially between two so close to being married, had to be similar.

She must have really loved him, Ike thought to himself. And...it had to have been hard to side with the maniac that warped him. A younger him would've insensitively questioned the seeming stupidity of such a move, but a more experienced, wiser him knew better. If it meant she could get him back somehow...then she would've chosen the path she did. ...At least she was able to see him sane one last time.

Ena lay there, with Rajaion in her arms, as she silently mourned her beloved's loss. Onlookers to the scene looked at her with pitying gazes. If they spoke words of condolence, the pink dragon did not hear them, for she was too focused on grieving her fiancé's death. She somewhat registered Mist looking around the area where Ashnard had been to find Lehran's Medallion, once a precious keepsake to her, but again, she kept her focus on Rajaion. She noticed a faint smile on his face, the same one he wore just before he had breathed his last breath. Seeing him like this made her break a small, tearful smile.

Your happiness was always contagious, she thought. When I was saddened, you never failed to cheer me up, no matter what state I was in. And even as you lay dying, you still wore your signature smile despite your injuries. You have true strength, my love...more than I could ever muster. ...May you rest in peace, until the end of time. Someday, I'll join you once again. But...I know you would rather it be later than sooner. Such a generous person...I can't hope to match your selflessness.

The pink dragon found herself crying at this thought. A man peerless in his altruism, now lost to death like so many others in this heartless war. His standard would be hard to top, and it was then that Ena knew that she would never find someone like him again.

Rajaion was lost forever.

And so the dragon prince's fiancée renewed her sobbing.

Ena didn't know how long she'd remained in that same position, cradling Rajaion's corpse. All she knew was that night was quickly descending by the time Nasir came up to her. The battle was over, and the remaining Daein soldiers had laid down their arms and surrendered. With the help of General Tanith and many of the Begnion soldiers, they were rounded up and would be sent home as prisoners of war.

"Ena," the white dragon greeted.

"Grandfather," the younger dragon returned. "Am I...needed for anything?"

"...No, not in particular," Nasir replied. "...Merely that...Princess Elincia says she will look after Prince Rajaion." He looked over at the stairs near the fountain, where two Crimean soldiers carrying a stretcher were making their way over to where she was.

"Look after him?" Ena said. "...How so?" She held the dead prince closer, somewhat wary of what the soldiers would do with him.

"I believe she means take him to a more appropriate place," her grandfather explained. "That way, he can be stored before we bring him back to Goldoa." He looked again at the way Ena held Rajaion closely, reluctant to give him up. "...I understand your feelings, Ena. But this is hardly a suitable place to leave our crown prince. He will have security now, at the very least."

"...I suppose," Ena muttered, and released her beloved's grasp, before laying him on the grass of the garden. She then got up, and looked at the two soldiers in the eyes. "Please…take care of him. He was my one true love…"

"That we will do," obliged one of them. "I will obey Her Highness's orders to the bitter end. Your loved one will be safe. I swear my oath of allegiance on it!"

"...Very well. I will entrust Rajaion's safety to you," Ena replied, having a bit more confidence in the two men. She walked away from them to her grandfather, and watched as they carefully loaded Rajaion's body onto the stretcher. They are careful, she noted. Please, let nothing happen to him...

But the men were as good as their word. They brought the dragon prince's body safely to the temporary mortuary without incident, where countless other bodies, beorc and laguz, Crimean and Daein, lay. Each had been organised by their country of origin. The assigned diener looked over at the arrivals from where he was cleaning the blood off a dead Crimean soldier's armour.

"Oh, joy. Another one," he said dryly. "Where's this one from?"

"Goldoa," answered one of the men.

"Goldoa? Pull the other one," scoffed the diener, which put Ena somewhat on edge. "Why would there be a dragon in this battle? ...Unless this is one of the ferals that Daein brainwashed."

"I...guess so?" shrugged the other beorc. "But you have to treat this one specially, Florian. Princess Elincia specifically ordered it."

"And why would she do that?" Florian's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"...Because he's the crown prince of Goldoa," Ena replied from behind the men. "And he is a man well loved by his people. It wouldn't do to anger the Goldoan people and their king if they heard of mistreatment, would it?" She spoke tensely and with gritted teeth.

"...Yeah, what she said," seconded the first soldier. "I mean, I don't know much about dragons, but...if their power in that battle was anything to go by, they're not someone you wanna anger."

"...I see," Florian muttered, seeing the point made. "...Who are you, anyway?"

"...Ena. The fiancée of Prince Rajaion. In other words...the very man you disparaged," the dragon declared, looking directly into the eyes of the diener.

"..." Florian was shocked at what he'd heard, and to Ena's surprise, his expression seemed to...form a look of sympathy? "...Well then. Forgive me, Ena. I...am not myself right now. Few like to be surrounded by so much death. I will take your loved one to one of the special coffins that you then may bring home to Goldoa. I...presume Her Highness has arranged that already."

"I'm not aware of it," Ena replied. "But probably so." From what she saw of her, the Crimean princess did appear a sympathetic type.

"Good. Now, Arendse. I need your help carrying him," Florian requested. And so, the first soldier and the diener carried Rajaion's stretcher between them. Ena then watched as the two lifted his body carefully into the waiting coffin. While most of the regular soldiers were laid out on the floor, several well-made oak coffins on tables laden with silk stood. Ena guessed they were reserved for any fallen nobles in the battle. Several of them had bodies in them, and Rajaion's body joined theirs.

"He'll be fine. It'll be a few days before he'll begin to rot," Florian said. "Leave him to me. I'll keep him safe here. You have nothing to worry about, Miss Ena."

"...Mmm," Ena mumbled unsurely. "Well, if you say so…" She began to head back to the door.

Outside the temporary morgue, she met with Nasir, who looked slightly worried.

"I heard you in there," he commented. "...I can see in the time I've been gone, you've become a lot closer to Prince Rajaion."

"I have…" Ena said sadly. "When he heard of Lady Almedha's situation, we were only a few months away from marriage. We were so close…!" she said, full of emotion, but dry of tears.

"It's alright, Ena," reassured the white dragon. "That feeling of loss to those so dear to you...I know that feeling all too well. My own mate was one such person. She passed away at too young an age...as has our dear prince." He pulled her into a comforting hug.

"But listen to me, Ena. Whatever happens, you mustn't let yourself give in to despair," Nasir continued. "His Highness would not want you saddened and grieving for the rest of your life. Although he may not be with you in person, he is with you in spirit. Use what he has taught you and take those lessons with you as you go forward. That is what we must all do when we lose our loved ones to death."

"..." Ena didn't say anything for some time. She merely remained in her grandfather's embrace, as she lay her head against his chest. Eventually, she pulled away from him.

"That's...the first time we've embraced in so long," she finally spoke.

"...Indeed," murmured Nasir, his tone sounding guilty. "...I can only apologise for not being there for you in your darkest hour. That I only realised your plight within the last few years...I cannot be more sorry, Ena."

"...No. I should be apologising to you," Ena replied. "It's my fault that you had to betray Sir Ike and his group. It was because of me that you got entangled on the wrong side of this conflict. Grandfather...I'm the one who should be saying sorry to you."

"...All the same, I could not just leave you to suffer alone," Nasir rebutted. "You are the only family I have left. I promised your father on his deathbed that I would keep you safe. That is not a promise I can abandon easily."

"Even so...to have followed me onto Daein's side…" Ena mused sadly. "...Was it worth it? All of what I've done, just to see Rajaion sane one last time? This whole war and all the people that died because of it…"

"...You make it sound as though you were the cause of the war," Nasir noted. "That's not true in the slightest. Ashnard would've had his war whether you had been brought to his heel or not. You and Rajaion were merely tools to him. Tools to dispose of when your usefulness had run out. To him, you were not a vital asset. ...That is the truth of the matter."

"...I suppose you have a point," Ena murmured, knowing that her grandfather was right. Her presence would not have mattered, and Ashnard did not value her hugely, as seen when he sent her to be executed after she was defeated in Nevassa. But even so… "What would Rajaion have thought of all I've done?" she suddenly said.

"...That I cannot truly answer," the white dragon replied. "For I am not our crown prince. But...I know he would not blame you in the slightest. Do you not recall what he said in his dying words?"

"His dying words?" Ena said, recalling a few hours earlier when her beloved was still alive. Then, she realised what her grandfather was referring to.

"You were made...to suffer...because of me…I'm sorry…"

"He...blamed himself?"

"Indeed he did. You and he were a very close couple. It's only natural he would feel remorse for making you side with Daein," elaborated Nasir. "And I know he wouldn't want you blaming yourself for your part in the war. So please, Ena. Put those thoughts to rest."

"...I will, Grandfather," Ena decided, knowing that would be what the Goldoan prince would want her to do. "For Rajaion's sake, I will not lose myself to despair." Then, to her grandfather's surprise, she hugged him once more.

"Ena?" the white dragon uttered, not quite expecting the move.

"...Thank you for making me realise this, Grandfather," the pink dragon said to him gratefully. "Hopefully...with such encouragement, I may well be able to move on from his death in future."

"Maybe so," Nasir replied. "But do not move on too quickly. You did love him deeply. You should be allowed time to mourn, especially when we return to Goldoa."

"...Of course I will mourn my love's death, Grandfather. But...I'll see to it I don't become a burden in the process," said Ena, and strengthened the embrace between her and Nasir.

They could have stayed in that position all evening. But the elder dragon was brought to attention by the odd look the soldiers gave them as they exited the makeshift morgue.

"Ena…" Nasir said, aware of the scene. "You can...let go now."

"...I don't want to," Ena replied defiantly. "You're never too old for hugs. That's what Rajaion always said."

"...Our prince has certainly had his influence on you," the older dragon remarked. "You certainly became a lot more assertive after you and he got close with one another. And a lot less shy, for that matter."

"He helped me overcome my social anxieties, and aided me in forging new friendships," elaborated the pink-haired dragon. "I will be forever indebted to him."

"Indeed…" murmured Nasir. "We will indeed miss our dear prince. He looked after his people and was quick to question all that was wrong with our society. Perhaps he would've taken initiative to solve those problems if he did ascend to the throne..."

"...I guess we can only wonder at this point," Ena wistfully responded. "He had such ambitions...A shame they will go to waste now."

"Mmm," muttered Nasir in agreement. "But...maybe they won't die out completely. Not while you're still alive. Try your best to keep those ideals of his prominent, as a way of keeping his legacy alive."

"...I'll do my best to do so, Grandfather."

They spent another while in each other's embrace, with Nasir occasionally patting his granddaughter in empathy for her loss. Ena kept her embrace as strong as it had been, appreciative of the shoulder her grandfather was giving her to lean on.

"...Grandfather?" she said eventually.

"Yes, Ena?"

"...I've missed you," the pink dragon confessed. "These tender familial gestures...We haven't really had moments like that since we've reunited."

"...You're correct. We haven't," Nasir realised. "Your mind was elsewhere at the time. But you are at least now free of those burdens."

"...May we catch up on those moments some time in the future?" Ena proposed. "I've missed those days, when I was still a child and your visits were rare, but always something to look forward to."

A memory came back to her of that time.

"Grandfather!" a much littler, younger and carefree Ena cried out, running up to her approaching azure-haired grandparent.

"Hello, Ena," greeted Nasir, with a smile on his face. "It's good to see you again." Taking his granddaughter in his hands, he lifted her up into the air with the hug. "Goodness, you're getting taller by the day. I won't be able to lift you up like this anymore if you keep growing at this rate."

"Well...Father did call me a big girl the other day," replied the little dragon peppily. "And he also said that I'd be fully grown by the time I become two hundred years old. But that's still so far away…" she lightly complained.

"Do not worry," assured the white dragon. "Patience is a virtue, Ena, and growth is something you will have to be patient with. But I have no doubt that you will blossom into a beautiful young woman when the time comes."

"Aw, thank you, Grandfather," Ena said somewhat shyly. "You're always so encouraging…"

"I only want to see my granddaughter happy," Nasir replied. "But I have something else to say. While growing up is an alluring prospect...remember your childhood. When you become older, you will look back on these days as your golden years. So...how about we do something together? In order to make some memories?"

"Yes, please, Grandfather!" Ena joyfully requested. "I want to ride to the plains on your back!"

"Is that so? ...That was quick. But of course. Anything for my darling granddaughter," accepted the older dragon. "Now stand back. I wouldn't wish for you to be crushed." Knowing what would happen, Ena stood back and watched, as a white light washed over her grandfather and he transformed into his titanic form of a white dragon.

It was always awe-inspiring for the young dragon to watch the transformation of either her father or her grandfather, especially the latter. To her, his pristine white scales looked angelic, like something from the heavens, and his sheer size was only too enviable to a child like her. Her own dragon form would barely go a third as high as Nasir's form. (Though she was now able to look down on her father and mother when they were in human form. That, to her, was an achievement.)

Once transformed, Nasir lowered a scaled hand down to where Ena was, and she eagerly leapt onto it. Then, he bent over, and levered his hand to the back of his neck. With his granddaughter mounted, his huge wings lifted him into the air, and he flew away to the Elpis Basin.

"Maybe we could," Nasir said. "I suppose I wouldn't have any immediate obligations upon returning. Not unless His Majesty makes a demand of me. But maybe we could spend a while together, reliving old memories and making new ones."

"I'll look forward to it," Ena said, managing to break a small smile. She was about to continue the conversation, but then a growl emanated from her stomach. This did not go unnoticed by her grandfather.

"...It appears you're hungry," he commented. Then, something else occurred to him. "When was the last time you ate?"

"...I think it was…this morning," Ena recollected. "...It has been a while."

"...Is that so?" The pink dragon thought she could hear slight disapproval in her grandfather's voice. "...It's fortunate there's a banquet tonight, to celebrate Crimea's victory. There should still be plenty of food left. By the sounds of it, it's a party that will probably go on into the night."

"In that case, I will head there," Ena decided, and began to head in the direction of the castle's dining hall, which she remembered from the occupation of the Crimean capital. When they arrived, it was as Nasir suspected: there was still plenty of food of all sorts to choose from. Once both dragons had chosen their meals, they looked around at the various tables. Many were occupied with chatting soldiers and some noblemen, many of whom were unfamiliar. But one of the tables was the group of merchants that aided the Crimeans over the course of the war. Aimee, Muston, Jorge, Daniel and Ilyana were there, with the latter guzzling food by the plateful. Then Ena spotted Ike and Mist at one table. The latter locked eyes with her, and waved over at the pair. Taking the cue, the pink dragon walked over to their table and sat down with them, Nasir following suit.

"Hello, Nasir. And Ena," Ike greeted, taking his attention away from his meal, which the pink dragon noticed was mostly meat-based. "Glad you could join us. I was getting worried there for a bit when I didn't see you two with the rest of us."

"You needn't have worried," reassured Nasir. "There was merely some...personal business we had to attend to."

"...Oh…" Mist said in realisation, which was noted by Ena. "I know what you mean…"

"You...do?"

"Indeed," her grandfather told her. "You said your father was slain by the Black Knight, didn't you, Ike?"

"...I did," the general confirmed. "...I suppose the pain of losing your mate must've been just as painful...I'm sorry for your loss, Ena. Maybe if we'd realised sooner that Ashnard's mount was your loved one…"

"It's fine, Sir Ike," the red dragon responded. "Whether I want to admit it or not, Rajaion was firmly under Ashnard's control at the time. I...don't blame you for opposing him. It may well have been what Rajaion wanted, to have him cut down in his maddened state so he couldn't harm anyone else. He was always one to be selfless…"

"He sounds like such a nice person," observed Mist. "It's sad that he's not here anymore…"

"Mmm...But let us not get bogged down in sadness," Ena then said. "This is meant to be a happy occasion, after all. I do not wish to quench this feeling of victory with my woes. I must focus on the joy now that Ashnard is dead and Crimea is free. That's what my love would've wanted as well…for me to focus on the brighter side of life."

"He's right. We all should do that," the young girl said. "If we only see the bad things in life, then it's easier to lose ourselves to despair. Father would only want us to be happy. So we'll remember that much going forward, rather than mope about his loss all the time. Won't we, Ike?"

"Yes. Hopefully," the mercenary said. With his response uttered, he dug into his portions of meat. Both Ena and Nasir decided to follow suit with Ike and eat their dinner.

"Actually…" Ike began again, after a mouthful of ham. "I want to tell you two something. Before we all leave tomorrow, I'd like to wish you all a farewell, between each individual that joined up with us over the course of this war."

"...Of course. I've no problem with that," Nasir replied.

"Nor do I," Ena seconded. "It would give us a chance to properly thank you for all you've done for the two of us."

"Good. I am grateful to you both," Ike continued. "It would be nice to have a send-off to all those that fought alongside us during this war."

"Indeed," Nasir concurred.

Ena couldn't think of anything else to add, so she returned to her meal, as did the other three diners at the table. After a while, the blue-haired general finished his meal, got up and left the room(to find Soren, Mist had insinuated). Meanwhile, the pink dragon had finished her fifth serving, and went up for a sixth. As she returned, she overheard Nasir talking to Mist.

"All the power that is possessed by the dragon tribe demands a lot of energy to use it," the white dragon was explaining. "Hence why Ena and I have eaten much tonight. Although...the amount that I've eaten so far would probably be considered a regular meal for most dragons."

"Wow, really?" Mist said incredulously. "Even Ike would struggle to eat that much…"

"Us dragons have a metabolism far quicker than any laguz or beorc," Ena continued, knowing what the two were talking about as she sat down once more. "One dragon laguz could eat a meal that would feed a beorc family with ease, and sometimes even more than that. Rajaion, especially, could eat many plates' worth of food. Even the amount of what I've eaten tonight would be surpassed by his own portions, were he here with us tonight."

The mention of her deceased mate compelled her to stop the conversation there and dig in to her next portion. That was finished not long after, and Ena felt fullness encroaching on her.

"...I think that's me finished," she announced to her two fellow diners. "I'll be in the ballroom if you need me, Grandfather." With that, she got up and headed to the aforementioned room.

It was a fairly extensive place, decked out with elegant chandeliers and marble pillars. Victory bunting and other decorations had been hung up, and many people were dancing in tandem with the music emanating from the musicians playing their respective instruments. The light was a slight surprise to Ena as she stepped into the room. When Ashnard occupied the castle, the light around the place seemed to fade once he took over. Now that he was vanquished, though, it appeared to return. It may have been a figment of the pink dragon's imagination, but she thought this to be true. Perhaps it was a sign that Crimea was in good hands with Princess Elincia. She is a woman of peace, Ena thought to herself, thinking back to her interactions with the verdant-haired royal. She will guide her kingdom down the right path. I'm sure of it.

Now that she looked again, Ena realised that said princess, in her striking orange dress, was among those doing the waltz in time with the playing of the violins. She was with Geoffrey, who followed every move of the dance with her. Nearby was Lucia, on the lookout for any potential drunkards who got too close to her liege. Elsewhere, the dragon noticed a few more faces from the Crimean liberators. Largo and Calill were also on the dance floor, as were Ranulf and Lethe(though the orange-furred cat didn't look to be too happy in her current position). Off to the side, she noticed Bastian monologuing eloquently to a fellow count, as well as Makalov taking a swig of some wine and then being berated by Marcia for indulging in drink too much for one evening.

There was, however, one detail about some of the people in the room that Ena took note of, with a note of envy.

A number of the interactions were men chatting with women. Many were men offering the lady a dance, and often they would be accepted, with that pair holding hands as they went out to the dance floor. And then there was Gatrie, who was turned down by most of the available women in the room. Ena also spotted a few of those couples make their way out of the ballroom, with their hands interlocked. Some men, she'd noticed, were flushed in the face, like they had drank too much wine. The dragon laguz couldn't resist her lips pursing together.

Letting alcohol fuel their desires, she thought with slight disgust. Rajaion and I never needed such a catalyst to fuel our relationship. She never really liked alcohol, and neither did her fiancé, both only drinking the beverage when they had to during special occasions and banquets not unlike this one. But she was certain that no movement of love between the two of them in the past had been influenced by alcohol. It was only the compassion for each other that did.

"There are few events as wonderful as a dance. Wouldn't you say, Ena?"

"Hm?" Ena was slightly startled by her name being called out, and turned to see who it was. "Oh...it's just you, Grandfather."

"The dance hall…" said Nasir, as he looked out at the couples dancing. "...What memories this brings back. I met your grandmother at a dance just like this one. Looking back, it seemed to be a blur between us meeting and us marrying; it was only around a year. It might have seemed a hasty choice to anyone else, but...I knew I loved her the moment I set my eyes on her."

"...Mmhm," murmured Ena, not entirely listening to her grandfather's recollection. Truth be told, she didn't want to listen to it. Not at a time when she felt the way she did right now.

"And if I know dances...I know that at least one of the couples here in this room are going to end up smitten with one another," Nasir observed. "I wonder who? Maybe Princess Elincia and General Geoffrey...perhaps. We will find out in time if that is who she chooses to be her king."

"..." Ena didn't say anything. She merely looked out at the couples dancing.

"...You wish you were with them, don't you?"

"...Yes," she admitted sadly. "I only wish I could feel the joy that these people feel...but I cannot bring myself to do it. Rajaion was the only partner I could envisage myself with. I said time and again to him that he was a one of a kind man, and how lucky I was to be marrying him. But...what now, now that he is gone from us? Will I...ever feel that happiness again?"

"...It's a hard thing to say, Ena," Nasir replied, with a hint of him trying to be delicate around this matter. "One's mate passing away is a hard thing to get over. But...do not act like it is the end of the world. You are still young, Ena. There are many more years for you to find your purpose in life. As I said earlier, now is not the time to give into despair.

"And...you know what the blossoming of love is like. The couples on the dance floor...they may well experience those same feelings you once did. We should feel happiness for them, should their feelings prevail. Envy...is not a good emotion to harbour."

"...Of course, Grandfather. I had no intention of harbouring ill towards them. Even so…" Ena still felt despondent. "I don't wish to be here any longer. This sight...only reminds me of what I've lost."

"...I understand," the white dragon empathised. "Away we head, then."

From there, the two dragons walked towards a more quiet area of the castle where the partying wasn't so loud. Specifically, they headed to the sleeping quarters that had been set aside for the army to sleep for this night. Ena and Nasir had been allocated their own room, as had other members of the Crimean Liberation Army that had close interaction with Ike and Princess Elincia over the course of the war. Only a few others had decided to call it a night as early as this.

When she reached the room, Ena realised how tired she was when she let out a yawn. It has been a long and arduous day, both emotionally and physically, the dragoness thought to herself. Some sleep would be all too welcome. Feeling her energy drain with sleepiness, she tiredly dressed into her nightgown. From there, she lay down in the bed and felt her eyelids droop more and more as she pulled the covers over her.

"You must be tired," commented Nasir. "I've rarely seen you falling asleep so easily."

"Mmm...today was tiring," mumbled Ena sleepily. "A bed is a godsend to a tired one..." She then closed her eyes.

"...Of course," the older dragon said. "Goodnight, Ena. Sleep well."

"...You too, Grandfather."

Ena had hoped that would be the last of today, and she could wake up tomorrow refreshed with her love's passing behind her.

But...one more event happened that night.

She was awoken by movement in her belly.

Ena was drowsy, and wasn't in the mood to be awoken right now. But as she felt her hands down to her stomach and caressed it, her mood changed as she remembered Nasir's words from earlier.

Of course...How could I have forgotten about you? she thought, silently kicking herself for forgetting what most people would consider to be the most important thing in a relationship. Rajaion has left me with the best gift he could have given me. In these circumstances...I should be glad to have you with me, still alive even after all of our near death experiences. Ena couldn't suppress a small smile. I shall create a happy future, if only for you...

...My child.

Notes

So this will be my first multiple chapter story, rather than the oneshots I have been doing in the past. And it dips into most of what I would see as a vast font of fanfiction ideas: alternate universes. What if a certain character was an ally instead of an enemy? What if another character was thrown into the mix? And what if a certain character fated to die in the original story never actually did?

This is a fanfiction canonically different to what happens in-game. Which is alright. That's done all the time on here. As for what that change is...I don't want to reveal what the change is right away. But I reckon it'll be figured out easily enough. The next chapter I have planned reveals what it is anyway. I don't exactly intend for it to be a well-guarded secret anyway.

As for an upload schedule...I'll be honest, don't expect one. I can't say for sure when the next chapter will be out, or the next one after that. All I will say is that I will try to upload stories when I can. Or when I feel like it. But that's not to say that I won't veer off to do another fanfic. I do have other ideas in the works that I hope to publish in future.

Part of the fear of uploading this is the idea that I might lose interest, or personal life will occupy my time, and therefore leave a long period between chapter write-ups, like what has been done with other pieces of fanfiction in general. I can't say I blame those that feel they are too busy to devote time to their fanfic, or feel they have hit a brick wall with ideas, or just don't have the will or interest to write another chapter. All the same, I hope I can at least finish this fanfic.

But that's enough negativity. I can say for definite that I have begun work on the next chapter. And while I don't have every chapter planned out, I have a good amount of ideas for this story.

Anyway, that's all I can think of to say here. See you all in the next chapter.

Edit(5/9/2020): Corrected one or two slight errors, and also added the mention of Ena's mother to the flashback.