in the distance Elaina could hear the musical trickling of a stream, a welcoming sound which was the midpoint between a deep silence and the throes of thunder, yet she could not place how she knew the two latter sounds had imprisoned her before, to make her welcome this peace.

Strangely, she felt heavy with exhaustion similar to when she instigated visions that drained her of all the energy she harboured and was apprehensive to take a step unless she collapsed. Worried, she couldn't recall using her power to entail a reason why she would be like this. And for another matter, how did she even get to the meadow?

Her feet were bare and tickled by the grass and she lifted her pale gown to let the green blades climb up her calves, which made it easier for her to move within its sea. The air was perfumed by the flowers encased by the willow, aspen and oak trees which rustled in the breeze. They were a great shield for the secret garden here, because she had often wanted to capture its sight whilst standing in one of Camelot's towers, but it was as if it were an island, isolated and a deep secrete kept between herself and Edwin.

At the centre as always, he was waiting for her as he had done a thousand times before and will a thousand times more.

Only, before she could break into a sprint, there was a slight waver in her stability and she had to catch herself. Elaina thought it more appropriate to instead adopt a careful walk towards him, since it was almost like her body was trying to warn her to listen at its protests and wariness and that she would benefit more to lay herself down to sleep. However, she was too stubborn and refused to give in to the weakness pulsing in her limbs that made her ache and tire from the slightest gesture.

To her, the company of a fond friend would be the best remedy and she found a desperateness to be close with Edwin suddenly, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

As she approached, she could feel his stare swallowing her whole with nothing else to preoccupy him, as was his usual habit as Edwin rarely liked to be still needing to fill every minute with usefulness.

Having travelled through the wide-open space, Elaina grabbed the branch of their meeting tree. The Bramley apples were in season and it was a wonder he was not picking them for his mother, who would boil them down into a fine filling for pies.

Never having released her from his gaze, there was a mysterious sparkle in his eye like he knew something she didn't, which was a sure way to annoy her as she wasn't good at being kept in the dark. With Edwin she was so often clueless on matters as he was always the quickest of wit and knowledge, making her feel forever a child, when young ladies were meant to be the first to mature compared to the opposite sex her governess used to say.

"finally, your here," he remarked, playing with the draping of her periwinkle skirt where he sat. his lashes sat on the high curve of his cheekbone, reflecting the light to make their pale colouring glow gold.

Wondering what she should do, if Elaina sat down with him she didn't think there would be strength enough for her to get back up again and if she rested her head in his lap, she may doze into an endless slumber that his stories would drift her off into, but today there were no ancient papers bound in leather.

"no books?"

His eyes when he opened them had deepened, aging him and suddenly Elaina's own fatigue meant nothing in comparison, as there was a lifetime worth hidden in his iris, brewing their blue into a steel grey.

"why", he muttered, "when we are telling our own story."

she was baffled at the heaviness in his words which hung in the air like a lasting memory. It was a strange tone that reminded Elaina of her father when he had said his last goodbyes to her and morgana when they were children, which ended up being his final farewell and when she looked back on that memory, it was as if he knew and that was why he stood so sombre and yet accepting of a fate he wanted to keep her safe from knowing, as an innocent girl.

But now, she was no girl. She was a woman grown and at that, the question of why she was in the meadow returned because she shouldn't be here. She had already parted with Edwin, leaving the children they had been behind since so much more had transpired to shape their relationship.

Nothing was making sense to her and she frantically gazed around catching flaws as the season was winter, not the time for wildflowers while she had been with her friends in Camelot, reeling from the break down between herself and her sisters…

She shook her head as if the puzzles she was trying to piece together would do so naturally and when Edwin raised to stand with her, she clutched desperately at his chest and saw comfort in burying her face into the crook of his neck.

It was an instinct that was telling her to keep him this close, "something is wrong!" she cried, "Edwin, tell me!"

He moved to cup the back of her head, swearing to himself first before her, that there would be no more lies and no more taking advantage of her fragile state like he had with Laney. She was a smart woman with an incredible gift, so when she touched his bare skin in this search for answers, he could tell that visions were flashing before her by the way her body stiffened.

"the story," Edwin said, validating all she saw to the present, "of a young boy and girl who used to play in the meadow, it has come to an end."

Her legs finally gave way without want or will in order to keep them straight and Edwin flung his other arm tightly around her waist, sealing her against him like a babe, while she wailed, "oh no, no, no!"

"Shhh... It's alright."

Edwin wanted to take the pain, wanted her to harden her heart for the first time in his life against him if this was the result of the prospect that he would no longer be with her. It took him to their last farewell, when she admitted to a love different to his own and though it had saddened him then, he could see now that it was still just as powerful.

"what am I going to do without you watching over me," she sobbed, with Edwin pulling her back to wipe her eyes and the moisture under her nose, certainly an unflattering sight and not the version she wanted him to take away. Fragile and undeserving of what he was doing for her, whether she wanted it or not.

"Knowing you were out there, our connection, it was the only thing that didn't make me feel so alone."

His presence was as reliable as her own reflection in the mirror. To not have that in light of everything that was going on, it terrified Elaina because there would be no where left to run and she had taken that for granted, now that Edwin was going to be lost to her.

A part of her wished she had never met him here in the place it had all started. At least then he would have a chance at remaining alive… selfishly even with all the rage and vengeance that would still have been within him, he still would hopefully be alive and he would not take her place in death.

Or sweeter still, if her visions have been kinder, they would have shown her the deceit laying dormant within morgana and maybe she would have gone with him the last time they met, warning merlin beforehand of what her sister had in store.

Her own stupidity had cost so much and Elaina could not stop the shaking as she felt her soul be tarnished by her actions.

"I'll still be watching over you, because your story will continue and I look forward to every chapter."

Moved by her tenderness, he knew he shouldn't but it inspired in him such devotion for his beloved and he ran her lips over his, so they would feel his words like he could breathe them into action, "you're going to have adventures, meet the love of your life, become a mother and when it is your time, it will be with a full heart that you meet your end."

They trembled where they so nearly touched and tears streamed down her cheeks, waiting and not knowing when this moment would come to a stop and Elaina would wake without him.

Unexpectedly, a glow illuminated in the break of the trees enveloping them as it called out his name.

"Edwin…"

Astounded, Elaina sniffed and peeked over Edwin's shoulder on her tip toes, "wait was that?"

it was a woman's voice familiar, warm, welcoming and one they both had not heard in years; it was Jayden, Edwin's mother.

It was the sole thing that could make him turn from Elaina, with his heart leaping out from its solemn state with the confirmation of his dreams, that he would be reunited with his parents after trying to convince himself that is where his afterlife would lead him.

"you see, this is where I want to be."

Elaina could see the happiness in Edwin bursting at the seams and it took her breath away to see the boy behind the man, who could now be with his family.

His scars melted away, making him anew before he walked into eternity cleansed of any grievance his mortal shell had experienced. It was an expression she had not worn when she awaited death, even with her father on the other side. As she stared at him, he was like an angel earning their wings while she would have remained a helpless ghost wandering the earth with unfinished business.

She could not take this from him and if this is what he wanted…

"Edwin."

She grabbed the man and gave the only thanks and lasting gift she could to carry with him. This was nothing like before, as a heat flowed through Elaina with a salty taste of their tears mingled together. It would be a bruise on her lips that wouldn't heal, where the touch of him would mark her and she him, binding Edwin to the promise he would be with her always…