Longevity

Eliwood descended down the long labyrinth of stairs that led to the castle main floor. The magnificient drapes that hung from the large windows, greeted Eliwood as he strode past the halls. Through the passageway, Eliwood was welcomed by the cool air of the gardens.

The gardens were always a place of delight. The children decorated it with their laughter, whilst their parents conversed about upcoming preparations, and recent news, especially regarding the coronation, and the upcoming wedding. The maidens of the court loitered about, all of whom were giddy about the celebration.

As Eliwood passed he overheard their ramblings.

"Oh, the king!" they squealed "I hear he's getting married, I wonder who the lucky girl is."

They bowed before him as he passed by, and he nodded to them. This only sparked more giggling. Eliwood could not suppress a smirk as he passed by.

Eliwood could not help but wonder whether they intended to be overheard. Word was getting out pretty quickly, among the nobles, about the wedding. So far the bride was not yet revealed, much to Eliwood's relief.

The wind whistled its familiar tune, sifting through the fallen red leaves, even as the sunset decorated the landscape. Eliwood inhaled the cool autumn air, and felt completely refreshed. He walked past the central fountain which was peacefully trickling clear blue water. He followed the white path that lead to a great oak tree, which was planted by his ancestors, even as Pharae was founded. The familiar sight of the oak with its ancient bark, and enormous trunk immediately caught Eliwood's attention; the leaves blew in sync with the surrounding grass, creating an eerie music.

However, it was not the tree that was of primary interest to Eliwood, but rather what was underneath. Beneath its great branches, Ninian sat with her turquoise hair billowing under the soft wind. Eliwood noticed she had her eyes closed. He quickly went to her, curious as to what was the matter. When he neared, Ninian opened her eyes and gazed lovingly at him. Her mouth shifted into a brilliant smile.

Eliwood outstretched his handed, and she warmly grasped it. They walked past the garden and up a gentle hill, but were still surrounded by the castle walls. For a long time, they said nothing to each other; words would have spoiled the moment.

Finally Ninian broke the silence, and said in her melodious voice "You know, with the harvest coming, I hope invitations have been sent to our friends."

"They sure have; in fact, I think that this will be the biggest harvest for over the past 100 years. What's good though is that the kingdom seems to be prospering, after several years of depression," Eliwood responded.

He added, "I hear Lyn, and Florina can make it; they're definitely going to be excited,"

Eliwood felt this would make her feel betters, especially the news that Florina was coming. Although Ninian and Lyn were good friends, she shared a natural empathy with Florina. They were both similar, a shy exterior but a courageous heart.

"Ehm..," she merely replied.

"Is something wrong?" he wondered. Unfortunately, he already knew the answer to this, and was beginning to make guesses.

The couple stopped and Eliwood brushed Ninian's cheeks with his hands, wondering what was wrong. Ninian just looked away, and he could see sadness in her crimson eyes

"Ninian, what seems to be bothering you, you've avoided me for the past few days," Eliwood inquired worriedly.

"Nothing my Lord Eliwood I am just...," she replied with a pause.

"Sad about Nils," he finished her sentence.

"Yes," she sighed and said "It's just that I've left him alone, and I worry for him; he is after all very young by my standards"

Eliwood did not know what to say to this. That he separated the two siblings, he knew and felt guilty for, but he could not imagine a life without Ninian. Only when he was tricked into killing her, did he realize how desolate he felt without her. It was Ninian's choice to give up her longevity and to live with him, but the decision weighed down heavily on both of them.

However the hard truth dawned on Eliwood, that Ninian's life was much more limited than his own. The air of this world would not be enough to sustain her. It rendered him with a feeling of guilt that he never felt before. Eliwood closed his eyes to suppress the tears that were forming.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered.

They both sat down on the grass and the half dragon gently pulled the young king's face to her neck. She was always gifted with sensing what other's felt, and in Eliwood she sensed guilt.

She knew why.

"Eliwood...," she whispered to him and him alone "I gave up my longevity because I knew that I would never be happy living that long life. I know I made the right choice. My only chance of happiness is here with you, and please don't forget that."

Eliwood could no longer hold back the tears. They were flowing from his eyes, down to Ninian's neck.

Time is the healer of all sadness. Just the same; the sorrow seemed to pass, and a feeling of content filled them both. The courtyard, which was earlier decorated with children and adults alike, was now empty. While the sun was setting, so to were their worries leaving them.

What was left, while the two lovers gazed at the red sky, were the sad whisperings of the wind.