Author's Notes

Just a short thought... "bombshell" is not the right word to use, as said in the previous chapter. I thought it meant something else. So... no bombshell dropping today.

We now return to our original programming.

Chapter 5: Different

Eirika, Innes, and Saleh are trying their best to defend themselves at Jehanna, but it seems they are fighting a losing battle. The enemy is beginning to close in on them, and it is unlikely they can hold on much longer.

"So... I guess this is where we die. I'm so sorry, everyone..."

Saleh places a hand on Eirika's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Eirika..."

Innes suddenly starts staring at something. He squints his eyes to get a better look.

"We're not done yet... there's a large group of people coming this way! I think it's your brother!"

Eirika and Saleh look as well, and they see a group of soldiers making their way towards Jehanna. And at the forefront is none other than Ephraim, riding a horse, with Myrrh holding on to him from behind.

After a couple of minutes, Ephraim's group settles at the bottom of the hill where Eirika and her companions are fighting. Ephraim gets off his horse, and helps Myrrh off as well. She smiles as he lifts her onto the ground.

Saleh notices.

It has been about three days since the two groups have reunited, and one day since reclaiming Renais Castle. They are now on their way to Rausten, and the camp is already set up. At this point, it's night-time, and the only people still sitting by the main campfire are Myrrh and Saleh. They haven't had any time to talk since reuniting, and so they are sharing some of their stories of the last few months apart.

"...and since then, I've been travelling with Ephraim and his group." She smiles, and her wings open up slightly. "He is a kind man, Saleh... and... it's nice of him to take an interest in my well-being." She gives Saleh a serious look. "You do not think I am being foolish, do you?"

Saleh hesitates. He has not been looking forward to this conversation, especially after he observes Ephraim and Myrrh's behaviour. Myrrh's definitely never been this happy before, or at least when she's with Ephraim. And Ephraim... well, it's obvious to Saleh that Ephraim cares for her, and he sees her as more than a friend.

But his grandmother is counting on him. He has to make sure this relationship can no longer progress... for the apparent good of the Manakete.

"Saleh?"

"I'm... sorry. I was just thinking." He takes a deep breath. "Great Dragon... this can't continue. You and him... you're one of the Manakete. He's a human. It is not... allowed."

She doesn't respond.

"...you are starting to fall in love with him, aren't you?"

They are both silent for a minute, before Myrrh finally speaks up.

"...we are human, and we are demon. We are both, and so we are neither..." Her father spoke these words, or at least something similar, to her a long time ago. "My father devotes his life to protecting humans, and he interacts with them from time to time. However, we are not meant to get... close... with them..."

Myrrh closes her eyes, bows her head towards the ground, and folds up her wings completely. "But after all the time I've spent with these people, through all the happy and sad times, with people like Ephraim, Dozla, and even Forde... the question I keep asking myself, when I'm alone, is... does what he said really matter?"

Saleh is feeling horrible listening to this. He's supposed to be her escort and protector... but he cannot protect her from the power of emotions, no matter if they're evil or benign. Still, he has to continue.

"Apparently... it does."

He doesn't tell her how it is not him who feels this way, but another: the elder of Caer Pelyn, and from the sounds of it, the original Great Dragon.

"Great Dragon... I'm sorry. I did not wish to speak to you about this..."

"N-no, it's okay, Saleh." She looks up at him, and hugs him. "I know you wouldn't be telling me this if you weren't looking out for my well-being."

Saleh refuses to meet her gaze, knowing full well that he is not looking out for her well-being in the slightest. But he can't say this, no matter how guilty he feels.

"Perhaps, Saleh... it was not worth it to come here in the first place... I should go back to Darkling Woods, and live by myself forever... because I can't belong... with them."

Saleh doesn't say anything; how can he respond to that?

Myrrh breaks the silence. "Saleh, I... I wish to be alone right now... and I will be gone by morning. I will probably never see you again... but thank you for all you've done for me." She closes her eyes again and sighs. "You've been a good escort... and a great friend. Please try to understand."

His eyes widen. "But, Lady Myrrh..." She just shakes her head, and so Saleh walks away silently.

Walking back to his tent, Saleh wages war in his head; a battle between what his brain says is correct, and what his heart believes is right. Should he really be interfering with something like this? Is this really the best decision? Shouldn't Myrrh's feelings be taken into consideration?

As he thinks, he nearly trips over a red book left on the ground. He picks it up, and starts flipping through it. It looks like a sketchbook of some sort, and not wanting to think about his conversation with Myrrh, decides to calm his mind by examining the creations within.

...until he finds a sketch of Ephraim and Myrrh leaning on the deck of a ship, in front of a glorious sunrise, with Myrrh holding Ephraim's hand.

Saleh recalls that when Myrrh told him of this occasion, her eyes were truly sparkling as she was speaking, and her wings were completely open and carefree. She says it was one of the happiest moments of her life.

He cannot recall any other time when he has seen her this way.

And at this point, now... now is when Saleh knows the answer to his dilemma. He swore to Myrrh that he will always do what is best for her. He has to do whatever it takes to make sure that she is happy.

And if falling in love with Ephraim makes her happy, then Saleh knows he has to prevent Myrrh from making the biggest mistake of her life by leaving him forever.

"'I think the answer may surprise you'. That's exactly what Forde said. I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I haven't said anything to Myrrh about it."

Ephraim and Eirika are sitting around a smaller campfire a short ways from camp, conversing with each other. Right now, he's telling her about his conversation with Forde not too long ago.

"Eirika, what do you think? What do you think I should do?"

Eirika smiles. "Well, you two do seem close. And she always has a smile on her face when you're around." She thinks for a moment. "And I may be imagining things... but sometimes, when you're with another woman, she just closes her eyes and holds her hand to her chest..."

Their conversation is interrupted by a rustling in the bushes, and then Saleh emerges from the forest.

"Saleh, it is good to see you," Eirika says, smiling. "What brings you here?"

"Oh... did anybody drop this book?" He holds the small red book up for the two of them to see. "I found it over by my tent."

"...I do believe that is mine."

Forde appears out of nowhere from the bushes, and walks up to Saleh. "I've been looking everywhere for this! You didn't look through it, did you?"

"Oh... I'm sorry, but I did." Forde groans, and then Saleh gets an idea. "And by the way... I found this very interesting sketch of Ephraim and..."

"Oh look, trees!"

Saleh glances behind him, and Forde calmly grabs the book from Saleh's hands. He sits down on a log, and Ephraim eyes him suspiciously.

"Why were you so intent on making sure Saleh didn't finish that sentence?"

"Uh, n-no reason," he stutters. Eirika rolls her eyes and looks back at Saleh. "Saleh... you seem troubled. Is anything the matter?"

Saleh now remembers why he came in the first place. "Yes... Ephraim. You need to talk to Myrrh. Before... she..."

"Before she what, Saleh?"

"Before she leaves... and never comes back. Please Ephraim, you're the only one who can prevent her from leaving."

Ephraim's eyes widen. "But Saleh... why? Why does she want to leave?" Saleh gives him a grave look in response.

"It... it involves you."

Ephraim just stares.

"Now, Ephraim!"

Surprised by the seriousness in Saleh's tone, Ephraim quickly gets up and runs to look for Myrrh, and unbeknownst to him, Forde follows. Saleh sits beside Eirika and puts his hands over his face, and then she puts her arm around his shoulder.

"Saleh... what's the matter?"

Saleh doesn't move. "I... I'm a horrible person, Eirika."

"No you're not, Saleh." She inches closer to him. "Whatever happened with Myrrh back there... you can tell me. I won't judge you."

Saleh removes his hands from his face and looks at Eirika; guilt is written all over his solemn eyes. "I don't want to... burden you..."

"It is not a burden! You've helped so much ever since we met; from saving us from monster attacks, to just being there to listen when I needed someone to talk to."

She hugs him endearingly. "The least I can do for you is to help you when you need it."

Saleh just sits there, taking in what she is saying to him. Finally, he just sighs and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, Eirika... I will tell you."

Ephraim searches for Myrrh and finds her at the main campfire, poking the fire with a stick. As he draws near, she looks at him, and gives a quick smile to acknowledge his presence, but then her saddened face returns, and she starts staring at the fire.

Her wings are completely hidden away, and a closer inspection of her face shows that her eyes are redder than usual...

"Myrrh... Saleh told me to come find you." He sits down beside her. "He said you might be leaving... and I want to know why you suddenly feel this way."

She solemnly looks up at him. "It's just... there's someone I really care about here in the army, but... we cannot be together."

Ephraim remembers the guilt on Saleh's face. "Why can't you and this person be together?"

"It is not... allowed." She pauses for a moment. "I... am one of the Manakete. He's a human. We are too... different."

Ephraim raises an eyebrow questioningly. "Too different?"

"My father told me... that the humans and Manakete are not meant to co-exist with each other... he said that we are both human and monster, or demon, and since we are both creatures, technically, we are neither of them. We are outcasts... and so we must live our lives... alone."

"But Myrrh..." Ephraim replies, "why are you thinking of this now? After all the time you've spent with everybody?"

"With the help of some of the people in this army, I've started asking myself if what my father said really matters. And I almost convinced myself that... it didn't. I could be with whoever I wanted, without consequence." She sighs, and leans into Ephraim's arm. "But just a while ago, Saleh kindly reminded me... that it does matter; that I shouldn't love this person. It is... unnatural, to have these desires, even if Saleh, or my father, didn't specifically say so themselves."

Ephraim thinks for a moment. "So... it is wrong... because you are different, and that because you are different, it is unnatural."

She nods lightly and pushes her face into Ephraim's shoulder.

Ephraim just sits there and tries to think of a way to respond to what she has just said. Finally, after a couple of minutes, Myrrh lifts her head from his shoulder, and he sees a tear roll down her face.

"I'm sorry... I'm not usually like this. I do not normally... show my emotions. I think the only time you've seen me cry... was whenever that horrible man that tried to capture me was around." She shivers slightly. "He has this... eerie vibe about him. And they were going to take me to Grado..."

"Myrrh... you don't have to explain yourself," Ephraim says, trying to make her feel better. "We are who we are. I'm usually a little more hardened as a person, but sometimes, I feel I should probably be a bit nicer around others, like you or my sister."

Myrrh sniffles slightly, and Ephraim decides that now is the best time to ask her the big question.

"Myrrh... am I the one you're... falling for?" She sits awkwardly for a second, and then hesitantly nods her head.

So Forde was right.

How should I be reacting to this?

Ephraim certainly hasn't been expecting this from Myrrh. It is probably not as deep of affection as she thinks it is, and he doesn't want her feelings to get hurt. And besides, he himself doesn't know exactly what he thinks of her.

Unfortunately for her, it may be better for Myrrh in the long run if the situation gets put to bed right away.

"It's just that... you've been kind to me, even if you're not usually like that as much with the others. And..." She hugs him. "I feel safe... when you're around."

"Myrrh..." She looks up at him endearingly. "I'm flattered... but I'm not sure if this would be a good idea..."

Myrrh then frowns, closes her eyes, and another tear starts to roll down her face. Ephraim continues to speak.

"However, it has nothing to do with what Saleh said, or what you believe..." Surprised, she opens her eyes and keeps her focus on him.

"When I was young, my father told me something. He said that there is only one way to know for sure whether a relationship can exist or not... there's only one thing you can do to find out."

This is probably so wrong...

But I only pick battles that I can win. And it's only to prove a point...

He holds her face and brings it to his. And then... he kisses her.

Her eyes widen at the gesture. This is a strange and new experience for her, but... she doesn't seem to mind it.

Not at all.

After their kiss, a bewildered Myrrh looks up at Ephraim, beaming.

"Ephraim, thank you... for everything."

"But Myrrh..."

Closing her eyes, she lies on his side, and lightly holds his arm.

Ephraim looks at Myrrh, and he notices that her wings are fully extended.

Now it's Ephraim's turn to be confused. What's just transpired between the two of them... it's not what he expected out of the situation.

When I did that, it was only to prove something to Myrrh... or maybe to myself. It was supposed to feel like kissing your sibling... gross, wrong, and even repulsive...

I wasn't supposed to enjoy it.

I wasn't supposed to want to kiss her again.

He sighs to himself.

I've lost this battle. I think it's obvious what's happened here...

I must be falling for her as well.

As Ephraim keeps thinking about the events that have just occurred, suddenly, some bushes start rustling, and Ephraim quickly narrows his eyes, grabs his lance, and turns his head around to try and spot the intruder.

But instead, a hand appears beside him and lays down a crumpled note. Before Ephraim can do anything about it, the mystery person crashes away through the bushes, leaving behind a small puff of smoke.

Ephraim ignores the person and opens the note...

"Told you. Signed, Forde"

Author's Notes

I went through this multiple times to try to keep the personalities as intact as possible (although that's not completely possible, obviously) while still trying to make the point. This chapter used to have a completely different second half that was even less plausible than it is now.

The realism is dripping away once again... and I apologize. My writing inexperience fails me here. :p I'm in too deep to stop it now.

Man, this is a long one. While I could have probably split it somewhere, I felt that the situation would make more sense if I kept it all as one chapter.

I bet I could easily end the entire story here if I really wanted to, but there are still some things to clear up, so... one chapter left people!

...Let's see how it goes.