Hey guys MT here!

I'm really hyped up right now, both because the war is over and I can stream to new topics and go back to more light-hearted writing, and because I just finished my first fanfic (A Soul Eater one for those interested) and I'm so happy I got one completely done! Anyways, that isn't a topic for this fic.

The war is now over and peace will return to Halkeginia...for now. Let's see what's going on now that Saito killed Ivarod.

ENJOY!

UPDATED 8/5/15

Chapter 26

Tabitha was on Sylphid's back, pushing the dragon to fly faster. She had been a part of the team that evacuated everyone when the fight between Saito and Toriyama had gotten intense. They had pushed their army back quite a distance, but because of that no one was aware of how the battle had been going. She was worried for Saito and her friends and was anxious to see how things ended.

Finally, Sylphid roared and pointed to the ground in front of them. The dragon slowed and Tabitha looked over her shoulder to the ground. She realized that the people she saw were Gwen and Tiffa, lying unconscious on top of each other. A lump appeared in her throat and she asked the dragon to take her down. She ran off and crouched next to the girls, seeing the blood dripping down their faces. She felt both of their pulses and sighed in relief. She rose up and clutched her staff, hoping she wouldn't have to fight because she needed to get her friends out of there.

"Take," said Tabitha, calmly, in her usual, low voice. Sylphid picked up the two girls in her enormous hands and walked a bit forward, following her master.

Eventually, they found Louise, lying face down in the dirt, her back scorched. Tabitha grimaced when she inspected the burns and wondered how the girl was still alive from the beating she would have had to take. Again she asked Sylphid to pick up her friend and helped her get Louise on her back. They found Asuna minutes later, bruised, bloody, and battered and picked her up the same as Louse.

Tabitha was beginning to become fidgety as she still hadn't found Saito or Ivarod. She was happy that her other four friends were alive, but Saito was always special and she feared for his safety, even if it didn't show in her expression.

It took another ten minutes of walking for her to reach Saito's location. She found him lying on the floor, Derf near to him, and Ivarod across from him, bleeding out in the ground. She hurried over to him, Sylphid close behind.

"Oh thank Brimir! Someone came!" shouted Derf when he noticed Tabitha's presence.

"Happened?" asked Tabitha as she slid on the ground next to Saito. She pressed her ear to his chest and immediately heard his heart beat. A weak one, but one just the same. She breathed a sigh of relief and pulled herself from his body.

"We defeated Ivarod by doing some voodoo stuff in my book. I shared magic I obtained from Ivarod's spells with him, he's lucky he survived it," said Derf, calmly. Tabitha didn't react to the sword's words as she carefully brought Saito to Sylphid (more like dragged him) and helped her dragon put Saito on her back.

Said blue haired queen then turned and walked over to Ivarod's body. Anger streaked across her normally indifferent face and she kicked some rocks and dirt at the now dead enemy. She pulled out her staff and cast a spell to carve out a large hole in the ground with fierce wind. She then pushed Ivarod's body into the hole and blew the earth into the hole covering him. She walked away from her sloppy burial and picked up Derf from the ground on her way over to Sylphid.

"What was that?" asked Derf, confused by her actions.

"Might be some way to revive him. Hide his body now, less problems later," said Tabitha, simply, hopping up onto Sylphid's back, behind her three unconscious companions. She brushed her fingers through Saito's hair and smiled as she looked over his exhausted form.

"Camp," she ordered, simply, causing Sylphid to carefully take off before heading back towards the base camp.

Two days later…

"When is Saito gonna wake up, Sis?" asked Irukuku, now in her human form and hovering over Tabitha. Tabitha was sitting in Saito's room in a building in Romalia which was being used as a makeshift hospital for all the people who were injured during the war. Many of the soldiers had already woken up and been treated, but Saito, Louise, Gwen, Tiffa, and Asuna had yet to become conscious once again. Water mages from all over the continent were pulled to assist in the treatment of everyone, but even then the damage each of them had received was great enough that they still required time to recover.

"Don't know," said Tabitha, calmly, as she sat and read a book at Saito's bedside. She had had relatively minor injuries and was released. Irukuku pouted at her master/sister and glanced back at Saito.

"Is Sis gonna make eggs with Saito when he wakes up?" said Irukuku, trying to lighten the mood. Tabitha froze, momentarily, causing her book to slide out of her hands and fall to the floor. She blushed, furiously, and glared at her young familiar. Irukuku tilted her head, curious to her master's reaction. Tabitha sighed and reached over Saito to grab his left hand, lifting it up so Irukuku could see it.

"Married," said Tabitha, calmly, while pointing at the ring on Saito's hand. Irukuku wore a confused expression and mouthed a 'So?' causing Tabitha to almost face palm. "Leave!"

Irukuku frowned but obeyed her master's orders and left the room, sulking a bit as she still hadn't understood what she did wrong. Tabitha sat down and sighed, rubbing her temples to soothe her headache. Need to teach her a lot, thought Tabitha, annoyed. Tabitha froze when she heard a groan and slight rustling on the bed in front of her. Her head was thrown up as she looked at the bed in front of her and found Saito rubbing his head with his left hand, groaning.

"Tabitha, what happened?" asked Saito after noticing her sitting next to him. Tabitha leapt up at him and wrapped her arms around his body, startling him. "Waah! Tabitha, what's wrong?!"

"Thought you wouldn't wake up," said Tabitha, simply, as she buried her face in Saito's chest. He sighed and attempted to sit up, wincing in the process. "Stay."

Tabitha pushed Saito back down on the bed and he watched as she retook her place in the seat next to him. He cocked a brow at her and waited for her to explain what had happened.

"Tabitha, how long have I been out? What's been going on? Is Louise alright?!" asked Saito, worriedly, hoping nothing bad happened while he was out.

"Everyone is here in Romalia being healed. You, Louise, Tiffa, Asuna, and Gwen have been healed a lot but are still injured. Water mage said Louise and the rest will be fine. Have been sleeping for two days," explained Tabitha, short and sweet. Saito looked like he was mulling over the short explanation, probably thinking about any questions he had yet to ask. He finally sighed, unable to think of anything else.

"Well, at least we survived. I didn't think I'd make it after doing what I did," said Saito, referring to the magic absorption he had performed in his battle with Ivarod. Suddenly, Tabitha was gripping his arm and staring into his eyes, fiercely. "Tabitha?"

"Never again," said Tabitha, only seriousness in her voice. Saito laughed, half heartedly, and breathed out an 'Okay', causing Tabitha to slip back into her chair. Tabitha picked her book off the ground and went back to the page she had been on, a silence now overtaking the room as she read. Saito became quickly annoyed by the silence and attempted to strike up a conversation.

"So, Tabitha, or should I call you Charlotte? How goes being Queen of Gallia?" asked Saito, attempting small talk.

"Tiring. Don't call me Charlotte," said Tabitha, not looking up from her book. Saito was a bit surprised that Tabitha didn't want to ditch the name that was associated with the pain of losing her mother to insanity. Now that she had her mother back and was back in her own country, he thought she would want to be known as Charlotte again.

"How come? I thought you wouldn't want to keep a name that was associated with bad memories," said Saito, confused by her actions.

"I was different as Charlotte," began Tabitha, speaking more fully instead of in fragments. "I wasn't the same person I am now. Also, you all met Tabitha not Charlotte so I want my friends to call me Tabitha. And not only bad memories."

"What good memories do you have as Tabitha?" asked Saito, curiously. Tabitha blushed and shoved her face into her book as she remembered Saito saving her and bringing her mother back to her after she had been captured in Gallia. She remembered falling in love with him in that very moment.

"Good memories," said Tabitha, still blushing, and being completely blunt about it. Saito cocked his head, curiously, and after a minute or so, knew that the conversation was over. He decided he might as well get some more rest to better heal and he closed his eyes. He heard the door open but chose to keep his eyes closed.

"Sis, Mrs. Henrietta wants to talk with ya! C'mon, c'mon," said Irukuku, energetically. She must have been bored just sitting around.

"One sec," said Tabitha, calmly. The door closed again and he heard Tabitha rise up from her chair. He expected her to leave right away but could feel her presence linger next to the bed. He heard clothes rustling and a moment later felt someone give him a quick kiss on the lips. He froze, refusing to open his eyes. He heard footsteps and then the door open and close. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at the ceiling in shock, blushing violently.

"Dammnit Tabitha!" shouted Saito to no one in particular. Tabitha, now walking down the hall knew that he hadn't been asleep and also knew that he must have been having a fit. She smiled to herself, a slight deviousness in it.

"Your Majesty, you called us?" asked Guiche as he and the Ondine Knights knelt in front of Henrietta.

"Yes, I did. I was told by Lord Bidashal that you all fought brilliantly on the Elven side of the battlefield and you led the other soldiers to victory," said Henrietta, happily.

"He gives too much credit," said Guiche, humbly. Henrietta giggled at his modesty and patted his shoulder, causing him to look up at her.

"You all did magnificently; I completely believe that you did. Therefore, I am planning on making you all an official division in the Tristain army. You will continue to serve directly under the crown but you will be sent out periodically to handle missions in all of Halkeginia. Your promotion will be announced in the festival happening next month, after everyone is healed to celebrate the end of the war," explained Henrietta. Guiche and the rest of the Knights looked up at her in disbelief, all of them wide-eyed.

"Y-Your Majesty. This…This is too much of an honor to bestow upon us," said Guiche, unable to form any more words than that. Henrietta giggled at his reaction.

"Your father agrees with me as well, Mr. Gramont. You all have fought, valiantly, to protect us and help the people many times, and therefore I wish for you to accept this honor when I officially bestow it upon you," said Henrietta, bowing slightly to the Knights. A couple of the Knights gasped at the fact that the Queen was bowing to them and Guiche was to his feet in a moment.

"Your Majesty! We will not betray your trust! We will show everyone the strength and finesse of Tristain!" declared Guiche, proudly. He took Henrietta's hand and kissed the top, lightly, as a sign of thanks and she giggled again at his sudden enthusiasm.

"Serve Tristain well, young Knights," said Henrietta, calmly. Guiche bowed and led the Knights out of the small room. The door closed and Henrietta sighed, tired by all the happenings. She fell down onto the bed in a seated position. She only had a moment to herself before there was a small knock on the door. She muttered out a 'Come in' and Tabitha walked in through the door, closely followed by Irukuku. "Ah! Queen Charlotte! Thank you for coming, I had something urgent to speak about that the other leaders asked me to speak about."

"Stay seated. We can talk sitting," said Tabitha, simply. Even though she didn't want to be called Charlotte by her friends, she knew Henrietta didn't really have a choice because of the need of formality between rulers. Henrietta remained seated and Tabitha sat next to her, Irukuku staying by the door, leaning against the wall.

"Alright, then. Julio was the first to mention it, but now that Ivarod is dead, you know what we have to start looking for," said Henrietta, seriously. Tabitha immediately understood what her fellow Queen was talking about.

"Next Void mage," said Tabitha, nervously.

"We've had a horrible line of acceleration-magic Void users, what with your Uncle and then Ivarod, we feel like the next one will be similar, what do you think?" asked Henrietta, wondering what their next step should be.

"Don't think trend will continue. Think next will be good, but we should search any way. Next Void mage could come from anywhere, must be thorough," said Tabitha, thinking about how they should start. Henrietta cracked a smile and giggled lightly.

"We don't get a break do we?" said Henrietta, still giggling. Tabitha smiled and let a light giggle pass through her lips, agreeing with Henrietta.

So? What did you think? Has the light-heartedness returned? Not counting the last part, of course.

Now that the war is over, and Saito has reestablished himself as the Hero of Halkeginia, I plan to make the harem fawn as never before! Be prepared for Saito to be attacked by the entire harem and my new additions (Gwen and Asuna).

Please Review and let me know what you guys think and until next time...byeee :D