Disclaimer: No, I don't own Fire Emblem orits characters! I also want to thank the person who posted the endgame script for FE7. Much of the dialogue was used, though I tweaked some of it for my own bidding!

Without an Answer

I awoke to the dying groan of the fire dragon. I opened my eyes in time to witness his anguishing collapse. Sorrow filled my heart; he only wanted to see Elibe once more. I reminded myself that it was my fault…if I had never opened the gate, so much conflict and death would have been prevented. "And if I had never come…though I would not have met Lord Eliwood, at least he would have been happier," I thought.

I sat up, leaning my back to the stone wall facing the grand Dragon's Gate. No matter how hard I tried, these thoughts always haunted me, always bringing miserable tears. Hoping no one would see my melancholy countenance, I buried my face in my slender hands.

"Lord Athos!" Eliwood cried.

Alarmed, I raised my head again. Brave Lord Athos fell to the ground, exhausted in this final battle. The three lords, as well as my brother Nils, crowded around him, heeding to the words of his last breath. An acute pain pierced my stomach. "Yet another has died…all because of me. More pain has been inflicted," I thought, tears still spilling from my ruby eyes. "I must also separate from Lord Eliwood, whom I love…there is no other way to seal the gate unless I leave him. How much must I suffer for my mistakes?"

I buried my face once more, wishing that I could hide away from the world…just to escape this shame. A moment of silence followed the brief last moments of Lord Athos. "Please, stop crying Ninian…you do not want them to worry about you. You do not want them to see you crying," I pleaded with myself.

I gently wiped the tears from my pale cheeks. I was still weak from using my powers against the three dragons, those poor children. I stood, weakly, and continued to gaze at the floor. I comforted myself in an effort to stop weeping. I slowed my breathing and encouraged myself with calm words. However, I felt an instant prophetic message pass my mind. "This world will once again be enveloped by darkness," I warned gravely, still trying to compose myself. I looked into the eyes of the lords and continued. "But at the end…a saving light shall rise…"

"Ninian!" Eliwood exclaimed.

My gaze strayed from his; I sheepishly looked away. "Lord Eliwood…"

"Good to see you, Ninian," he responded kindly.

"Lord E-Eliwood…I worried you," I said quietly. "Uhm…I….I wish to apologize."

"What? What do you mean?"

My face flushed as I grew nervous. "I was…..the cause for all of this," I paused. My voice was wavering. I was on the verge of sobbing again. "It was my weakness that invited this tragedy."

His face clouded with concern. "Ninian?"

"Here on Elibe…we were nurtured for ages in the land of our birth. Even after the humans invaded and drove us out…not a day passed that I did not think of it. I yearned to see it once again…our homeland…those children…the fire dragons…they were like me."

I glanced at Nils, who stood near us with his eyes also viewing the ground. He mutely listened to my speech, agreeing with my story.

"We…We knew that it was forbidden. And yet…we answered Nergal's call and opened the gate. We did not intend to stay long…just to see home one last time. But Nergal captured us and…it led to this. I was too weak…I gave in to his cries. It is my fault for this destruction and despair."

My eyes swelled with tears, and I refused to gaze into his eyes, no matter how much I wanted to.

"Ninian…it is our fault as well. We humans tore you from this land. If only," he began somberly.

"If only I could stay?"

"If only…this continent were made a place where humans and dragons could live together in peace, like the hidden city Lord Athos spoke of, Arcadia…"

For a moment, I expected him to embrace me or comfort me somehow. I found the strength to look deeply into his cerulean eyes, desperately searching for the love I thought he would surely return. But as the silence elongated, I lost hope. "What a wonderful world that would be…but that is something that will certainly not happen for a long, long time…," I said, bitterness concealed in my heart.

He turned to inspect the Dragon's Gate, looking back at me with a saddened expression. I ventured closer to the opened gate, that gate that would divide Lord Eliwood and me. "Please, please…say something to me…ask me not to leave…make everything all right again…," I begged him in my troubled mind. "Do you not see that I am sad? Am I really alone, as my restless thoughts say?"

"We…we can't stay here. The gate is still open. If it remains so, other dragons will certainly pass through. Before that happens, we must return to our world. We must regain our power and seal the gate…from the other side."

"Ninian, are you saying I will never see you again?" he cried in disbelief. I bit my lip apprehensively, unwilling to state the truth and afraid to cry. "It cannot be…you are my friend, Ninian…is there no other way to seal the gate?"

I tilted my face away from him, closing my suffering eyes and praying that he could somehow prevent my departure. "I love you, Lord Eliwood…do you not see? I suppose…you do not feel the same. Have I simply been waiting for something that will never happen? "

Nils appeared by my side, looking up at me. I realized that he could see my pain. "Lord Eliwood…," I fell speechless. I wanted with all of my heart to say it…but I did not believe he would return the feeling. "I am truly blessed to have had the chance to meet you."

"Ninian…"

I gently hugged him; I assured myself that this was the closest I could ever be to him. As I pulled away, we stared into each other's eyes, not a word passing between us. "Oh, Lord Eliwood…I beg you…," My heart was crushed as every noiseless second disintegrated. I dreaded the silence. Tears, now threatening to fall, forced me to look upon the gate. "C-come Nils. Let us go…we must return to our world."

Nils whispered to me, "Ninian…what about Lord Eliwood? I thought you--"

One bitter and grief-stricken glance was enough to communicate my answer. He sighed but continued an optimistic view despite my negativity. "Lord Hector, Lady Lyn! Thank you. My opinion of humans has changed since meeting you. There are humans in the world we are returning to, too. Finding a way to live together may be hard…but we will try."

"Ok, good luck!" Lord Hector boomed.

"I'll miss you…," Lady Lyn said sadly, though smiling in our support.

I looked back at Eliwood; this was his last chance to say something. "And it is my last chance to say something as well…"

"Take care! Both of you!" he called, waving his hand to say "goodbye".

"Thank you. Be well, everyone…," I mumbled in dismay.

"Say it now, Ninian! Please, just say it!"

But, as usual, I was too frightened to speak up.

I hesitated to leave for a moment, my mind still processing the fact the Lord Eliwood did not stop me. Perhaps he was too afraid to tell me how he felt…perhaps I misunderstood his actions. I would never know. Suddenly, I held my head high, tears pouring down my cheeks, and I passed through the gate. And as I entered, I whispered ruefully, "Lord Eliwood, I love you…"

As a side note, I wrote this for the 2nd anniversary of me beating FE7. (Which is 3/25/04, by the way...) Don't worry, I totally support the Eliwood/Ninian pairing! But I didn't get their A support on my first go around and I was very disappointed to get this ending! This is also my first fan fic, inspired by the bad day I had 2 days ago...

Y'know, now that I read over this, it seems pretty sappy...did I over do it? Please review! >>