Mama Mia, Nel'vari!

Untitled Part 5

I called forth the rains of Nel'vari and was immediately greeted with a downpour of... snow.

I don't know exactly what I'd expected. To be honest, normally I did the watering of my crops with the watering can. But today I was feeling extra fancy with my new spell. Snow, however, was not really what I was expecting.

I looked up at the cloud as the farm became what looked like the inside of a snowglobe.

Each snowflake shimmered brightly in the sky as they fluttered down to the ground.

"They're beautiful." Someone said from behind me. I could tell from the sound of his voice that it was Lucius. "Like earthbound stars falling all around us in a fluttery... flutter."

I turned around to face him. He wore the snowflakes well and he looked picturesque with the backdrop of the frozen waterfall to the north.

I rubbed my hands together to warm them and reached out to him.

He took a step closer and grabbed my outstretched hand.

I tugged him close and hugged my arms around his neck.

"Do you like to dance?" I asked.

"Dance?" He repeated. "I can't say that I have tried dancing before. Do you... erm... dance, Light?"

"I do sometimes." I giggled.

I pressed myself against him as best as I could with my growing belly between us.

"Put your hands on my waist and then you sway."

"Is this really all there is to dancing?" He asked.

"It really is." I answered. "Just you, and me, and the music of nature's song all around us."

I could see Lucius blush.

"I like the sound of that." He muttered.

I stood up on my tippy toes and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. He pulled back just enough to gaze into my face.

"I love you," I whispered.

"You are my one true love, My Starlight." He responded.

It felt nice to lose myself in the shower of ice and snow alone with Lucius but before too long, the snow stopped and we simply were left staring into each other's eyes.

"Your hands are ice." I muttered to him knowing mine likely were as well. "Shall we head inside and I'll make some coffee to warm us up?"

"I... should be going." Lucius answered with a reluctance and a sheepish smile. "It is difficult for me to stay awake past noon."

That evening, A knock on my door disturbed me from my reading.

"Who could that be at this hour?" I asked myself.

Wesley stood on the opposite side of the door when I answered. For a long moment, he stared at me.

"Please, come in." I ushered him into the house and busied myself with the kettle to make him some tea with honey.

"Thank you," He said and took off his hat.

We sat at the table together as the tea steeped and for the longest time, neither of us said anything.

"Are you alright?" I asked him, sliding a cup of tea to rest in front of him.

He stared down into the tea, watching the mesmerizing sight of the steam that billowed from the rim of the cup.

"No." He muttered absently.

I waited patiently for him to say anything more, but when he didn't I cleared my throat.

"Wesley-." I said in a quiet tone.

"Light," He interrupted. "I have noticed your reluctance to marry. I wished to inform you that no matter if you marry me, I will still care for you."

I stood slowly and rounded the table. With my hands on either of his shoulders, I began to massage his tense muscles.

"You carry your stress in your shoulders." I commented softly. "You should let me share your burdens. You do not have to be strong all on your own anymore."

"I'll have you know," Wesley said as he put his hands over mine. "That it is not stressful to care for and love you."

In a gentle movement, I planted a kiss atop of Wesley's head.

"But everything else is. I want you to share your troubles with me. Let me be here for you as you have been here for me."

Wesley seemed to deflate at these words. I took this opportunity to continue working on his shoulders.

"I can't help but feel that it should be I, who pampers you." Wesley muttered. "Not the other way around."

I smiled.

"You deserve to be cared for, Wesley." I could feel him tense as he took a sharp breath. "Love cannot be one sided, but rather it is a give and take. A reciprocation between those that love one another."

"I must know." He said quietly. "What do you feel for me?"

Without hesitation, I responded. "I love you, Wesley."

"Why?" He began but stopped short.

He sighed. I could tell that there was much left unsaid, but he didn't press further. Instead, he rested his hands on my bump.

"This child." He said after a long pause of silence. "No matter the outcome, I wish to be in your child's life."

Something inside of me shattered like glass at these words.

"Wesley."

"I should be going." Wesley said. He stood, and left.

I couldn't stand being left alone with my thoughts after what Wesley had said. On my way out from the farm, I found myself face to face with Vaan who was standing among the trees near the river.

I looked at him before turning on my heel to head back.

"Wait." Vaan said in a hurry. "Don't go."

I froze as his hand grabbed one of mine and he pulled me to face him.

"Everyone else seems to have their minds on the forest, but all I can seem to think about is you."

"Come with me." I whispered softly.

"What? Oh."

I led the way back to my farm and soon we stood before the griffin.

"Bow to him, and present this berry." I instructed.

Vaan gave me a look of confusion but did as I said. Once the offering was accepted, I mounted the griffin and tugged Vaan to be seated behind me.

"You always tell me how much you enjoy flying." I said as the griffin took off. "Now it's my turn to show you what flight is for me."

The sensation of takeoff made my heartbeat quicken with eager anticipation. I could feel Vaan quickly hug his arms around me to keep himself steadily in place behind me.

"This is nothing like the flight I know." He shouted over the sound of the wind and the flapping wings of the griffin.

"I know." I shouted back. "Isn't this great?"

Vaan let out a laugh. "It's amazing."

When we landed on my farm in Sun Haven, we both climbed down from the creature's back and he was quick to grab my waist and twirled me around in a circle. He leaned down and kissed me.