Twisted Fate
Chapter 17

When the pair had descended from the roof – Sath'rovok having fallen flat on his face, just like old times Nariel thought to herself – they shared one final hug before parting, agreeing to meet again before Nariel departed Silvermoon. It was as if she had never left. They were Nari and Sath again; friends, not lovers, but it was perfect to her. Frostbite walked causally at Nariel's side, her steps noticeably lighter. Quietly she strolled along the streets. Her mind was blank; there was nothing more to think about Sath'rovok. She was just enjoying happiness for the first time in years. True happiness. Not what she had felt when she knew she would be ok so long as she could avoid Sath'rovok, but rather the pure pleasure that came from the thought that nothing in her life was uncertain anymore.

Well, almost nothing…

"Nariel!" came the voice of the only other thing she was unsure about. "There you are!"

"Solarius?" She asked, surprised as he caught up to her.

"I was worried sick about you." He said, speaking quickly. "I had a terrible feeling that something had happened, and so I tried to get Frostbite to help me find you." He said, his words slipping together. "But she ran off" he yelled the last part, glaring angrily at the cat.

"It's ok Solarius." Nariel said with a laugh, trying to calm him.

"You're ok?" Solarius said, calming slightly.

"Yes." Nariel replied, pausing before adding "I just ran into an old friend."

"What?" he asked, confused.

Nariel took a deep breath and pulled him along as she began to walk again.

"I went to go visit a place I remembered from before I left," She said, taking a breath before adding "and Sath'rovok found me."

"What?!" yelled Solarius.

"He followed me." She continued before adding quickly "We spoke - agreed to move on."

"Move on?" Solarius asked, his voice uncertain.

Nariel nodded. "We talked about everything." She said, adding "He apologized, and asked me to forgive him."

"You talked, just like that?" Solarius asked.

"Well, to be fair he sort of cornered me." Nariel joked. "Otherwise I'm sure I would have run, but…I'm glad he did."

"Did you forgive him?" Solarius asked.

"Surprisingly…yes." She replied slowly.

Solarius walked alongside her, lost in thought.

"You are ok with this?" He asked.

"Yes." Nariel reassured him. "It's strange, but I feel happy."

Solarius watched her speak, as if testing her sincerity. Deciding she was not hiding anything, he smiled.

"That's wonderful Nariel." He said with a laugh. "I'm happy for you."

Out of the blue Nariel turned to him and wrapped herself around him, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you Solarius." She whispered, her voice sincere.

"W-what?" He asked in surprise.

"You've done so much for me." She said quietly.

He paused, registering her words before smiling and circling his arms around her.

"It's what friends are for." He said simply. At his response she only squeezed him tighter.

As Solarius looked down at her, arms wrapped around him, the words of his father once again echoed in his mind. The cost of not chasing our dreams is far greater than the pain we may feel when we fall short of them.

"Nariel…" He said slowly, his heart beginning to beat faster.

"Yes?" She asked, looking up, her arms still around him. He stared down into her eyes, wondering what to say.

"I don't…" he started, pausing as his voice fell to a whisper. "I don't want to miss another opportunity."

"What?" She asked, confused.

Solarius felt the world around him dissolve as he watched her face.

"That night, in the Ghostlands." He whispered, his voice suddenly more determined than she had ever heard it before.

"I thought we were-" She started, but before she could continue he cut her off.

"What if we had not been interrupted?" He asked. "What if you had kissed me?"

"I…" She started, quickly losing herself in an attempt to rationalize her feelings.

"I know you don't-" She said, her words coming out rapidly.

But her attempt at explanation was cut off as Solarius stepped forward, taking her lips in an instant. Nariel gave a surprised gasp before melting against him, closing her eyes and losing herself in the kiss. Her mind swirled.

By the light his lips taste so sweet. She thought, unable to comprehend anything else.

Her heart was suddenly racing as her hands pulled him closer. She held on tightly, suddenly not ever wanting to let go. Could the world truly be so perfect? Could fate finally be so kind after all it had done to her? When he finally pulled back she lingered for a moment, her eyes creeping open to stare into his, her mouth frozen where he had left it and her breaths deep and uneven.

It was all she could do to finally whisper his name: "Solarius…"

"Please tell me you feel the same…" He begged, his voice trailing off at the end.

She stood still looking up into his eyes, searching them but unsure what she wanted to find. Solarius was…worried She realized, shocked. He looked so vulnerable all the sudden.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." He admitted as his voice became less confident. "I didn't know why at first but now I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

Nariel let her head fall, leaning against his chest and closing her eyes as a smile overtook her.

Is this really happening? She asked herself.

If it was a dream she never wanted to wake up.

Solarius voice trailed off as she said nothing. He began to grow afraid that he had made the biggest mistake of his life when finally she spoke.

"I fought it for so long" she said quietly as her hands trailed down his side "but I cannot deny it anymore."

"Wha-" he asked.

Without warning she lifted her head and pressed against him again, her turn to steal a kiss. She took everything she had so desperately wanted, pouring all of her desire into her actions as she felt his hands slip down to take her own. They stayed there for what felt like an eternity, fingers laced together and locked in the perfect kiss that neither ever wanted to lose. To Nariel even that was not long enough, and as he pulled away her lips desperately inched forward slightly, chasing after him and trying to reclaim what they had given up.

Finally, after conceding the loss of the kiss she spoke.

"Promise that you won't ever hurt me." She said, looking into his eyes.

"I promise." He replied.

Her smile grew even larger as she leaned her head against his chest once again. Finally she heard it. The sound that might have answered her questions so long ago if she had only been listening. Solarius' heartbeat was racing in perfect time with hers. Nothing in the world could have so thoroughly convinced her that life was going to be ok now. Her past was behind her, her friends were there, and now she had won the greatest prize she could have dreamt of.

"I love you." She said finally, admitting what she had tried to hide for so long.

"I love you too." He replied, squeezing her tight.

And despite what she had been through, despite all the twists and turns she had taken, all the pain she had felt, Nariel couldn't help but decide then and there that life was perfect.