Ephraim

I would be lying if I said my heart never skips a beat when Tana flies. But I have faith in her abilities– as she does in mine.

I must admit, before the war I never gave the pegasus knights their due. I'd never seen them in action; I had only witnessed a few showy flights when visiting Frelia, but nothing compared to seeing them in battle. They don't hold jousts for them as they do for us regular knights. It would be too dangerous. The goal of a jousting match is to unhorse one's opponent: for a pegasus knight, being knocked from the saddle is as deadly as being hit by an arrow.

Tana spirals wildly and I'm amazed she can even hang on; her hands are so delicate, her fingers long and slender and softer than any soldier's, though I can feel the toughened skin on her palms– the beginnings of calluses from wielding her spear in the war. My hands, trained since childhood to wield a sword or spear must seem very rough to her. She and Achaeus perform another set of acrobatics, dancing through the air, and then she darts away. I turn my attention back to my sister and her reluctant partner.

Innes is watching too. His back is turned to me and I'm glad of it. Eirika's nimbleness is impressive, such a far cry from the days when I was her sparring partner, teaching her the most basic of skills. There's something very natural about the way she and Seth move together, as if their disparate styles complement each other. But then perhaps it's more the result of their good chemistry in general.

When I think about it, I realize I'm not certain when I first noticed it– this affection that's grown between them. Eirika has always favoured Seth– that's no secret– but it was an innocent sort of affection, as if she were unaware that there could be any more to it. Somehow that changed during the war. I could see it when our forces joined together after I took Grado's capital It wasn't anything in particular that gave them away, just a shift in their dynamics, noticeable to me, I suppose, only due to my long absence– like visiting a young relative and finding he's grown taller in one's absence.

I worry about Seth sometimes. I'd not have him turn into another Carlyle, pining into madness for a woman beyond his grasp. For she's not beyond his grasp. All Seth needs to do is reach out his hand and she'll be his.

I've no objection to the match. I'll make a good alliance and father heirs. We've fought alongside the future leaders of every kingdom of the continent so there's no need to curry favour through marriage alliances. Carcino is a bit of a sticking point, but with its Council of Elders blood alliances simply don't come into play. Eirika has her freedom as far as I'm concerned; she fulfilled her responsibilities to this kingdom, paid her debt in blood. Now's the time for us to restore our kingdom and to find our happiness. Seth is a fine soldier and a good man and he can be part of that if he wishes to.

As for me, I can see my own happiness heading towards me along the walkway...

"Tana." I can't help but smile as I see her with her wind-tousled hair and cheeks rosy from the cool air above. "Enjoy your flight?"

"Yes. It was glorious! You should come sometime; it really is amazing, Ephraim."

I clear my throat. "I think I prefer to keep my two feet on solid ground."

"You're no fun."

I turn to look out over the battlements and it's strange to think that such a short time ago we were leading an army across these very fields and hills. "You're leaving tomorrow morning for Frelia."

"Yes," she replies and it's not difficult to hear the regret in her voice; we've had so little time together since the war ended.

"Before you go, I have some things I need to explain."

"Explain?"

"About when we were younger. I... neglected you." I raise my hand to forestall any protests– false though they would be. "Just hear me out, all right?"

She nods. "All right."

I've rehearsed this several times in my mind so that I could get it just right. Because it's important. Because she needs to hear it. "I'm sorry for how I was before– when we were younger. But noticing you– acknowledging your affection would have meant facing up to fact that I would someday have to marry and become king and take responsibility for all of Renais. I wasn't ready to do that then. There was a time all I wanted was to master the lance. I used to dream of travelling the continent improving my skill, of living without burdens, without responsibilities, without being tied down to a kingdom."

I pause as I see her lips twitch into a smile. "What?" I ask, puzzled, my stomach in knots because I've still got more to say and I haven't yet reached the crux of the matter.

"I'm sorry," she says, looking abashed. "I just can't help but find it funny that you would have so much in common with Joshua." This earns a chuckle from me as I think of the brash gambler who turned out to be an unlikely king. "Go on, Ephraim. I didn't mean to interrupt," Tana says gently and I'm resisting the urge to stroke her face, to run my fingers through her hair and press my lips to hers.

"And then..." I sigh and press on so as not to dwell on what's past longer than I need to to get the words out. "And then there was the war. When father was slain I couldn't run from my responsibilities any longer."

Tana raises an eyebrow. "And I started looking like a good marriage prospect?" Truth be told she's looking a little less than pleased– which is rather the opposite outcome I was hoping for.

"No." I take hold of her shoulders and look her in the eyes. "But I was finally able to see what was in front of me. And you've grown up so much, Tana. At first I thought we'd have to spend our time protecting you, but in the end you protected us as much as we ever protected you. I was thoughtless and I was arrogant. Can you forgive me?"

I get my answer in the smile on her lips.

"There's also–" And here I clear my throat feeling unexpectedly ill at ease. "Something else."

"Something else?" she says uncertainly.

I turn to look out over the battlements once again. "I've been thinking... How would you like to be queen of Renais?" I hear her breath catch, but I keep my eyes on the countryside; I know if I look at her right now I'll start to grin like a lad attending his first royal ball.

"Ephraim..."

"Of course one of the requirements is being married to me..."

"I think I can live with that," she says, and as I glance in her direction the smile that greets me makes me feel giddy. Discretely, she reaches for my hand and intertwines her fingers with mine. We're both leaning on the battlements looking out; anyone who glances this way would never guess what passes between us, that we've both just agreed to change everything, to share our lives.

"Tana?"

"Hmm?"

"How about we go find somewhere a little more private so I can kiss you."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," she says and, as I turn to look at her, the glint in her eye makes me heart race. As we move along the walkway towards the nearest guard tower I can't help but notice that, down in the courtyard, Innes's back is turned. This delights me far more than it should.