The Death of a Bachelor

Chapter Forty-eight

A/N: When I first pictured the aftermath a long time ago, I sincerely did not think it would be this sad.

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You are not alone. I've been here the whole time...
-Ruelle & Fleurie.

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“My wish has always been to die in battle.”

A gasp. “Kieran! I thought I told you not to jinx us!”

A laugh; deep, genuinely merry and amused. “I am merely expressing my wishes to you, Elena.”

“Death is not a subject to speak so lightly of.”

“Perhaps not. But even in death, I must keep my pride. Mighty soldiers do not want boring deaths. We want our deaths to not be in vain, so that whoever we leave behind sees us as heroes. Remembers us as legends, actually.”

“You wish to die fighting for your kingdom, then?”

“No.” A pause. “Fighting for my family. Above anything else, I would reach whatever lengths to keep and uphold my family’s honor. It is a goal I am yet to achieve.”

Only until recently had Elena really understood those words. She could tell Kieran had some sort of goal, but he always evaded discussing it.

Commander Reece was still alive, and the battle raged on. Kieran had not accomplished his goal.

The outside was dark with heavy rain, and Elena stood at Rivera manor’s back entrance as she watched the drops pelt the trees, the grass, the surface of the pond. She stepped forward and her bare feet gathered the coldness of the wet grass.

It had been so long since she’d felt the rain, and it easily soaked her up – her hair and dress, easing past the fabric and sliding against her skin.

“But do you want to know something else, Elena?”

“Mm?”

“There is something that can push me to avoid death at all costs, even where it seems definite – inevitable.”

“And what is that?”

“You.” A half-smile. “I want to get married to you, and I want to see what our children would look like, what they will be like. Will they have your eyes or mine? Will they be as sweet as you or will they be daring and provocative?”

“Well, whatever the case may be, your ears will definitely be passed down to them.”

Another laugh; merrier than the last.

Elena burst into tears. The concept of a future that could never be burrowed a hole inside her heart.

“You must promise me then, Kieran. You must avoid death for my sake, and your children’s sake.”

“I promise.”

More tears spilled; these ones an embodiment of a broken promise.

“Elena!” It was Mara’s voice that called out to her, and it was accompanied by a gentle touch of her shoulder.

Elena turned around and saw the distraught look on her sister’s face, much like her own.

“You’ll get sick!” Mara yelled above the rain. Her black hair matted and stuck to her face, but she made no move to brush it away, just like how Elena made no move to leave from her position.

Mara’s nose as well as eyes, much like Elena’s, were puffy and red, and Elena could differentiate the tears on her sister’s face from the rain. Elena’s grief was her sister’s as well. Nothing could change that.