The Death Market *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Iladriel Smiles

Song: Molly Smiles - Jesse Spencer

~One Year Later~

I say goodbye to Master, Kiki, Mitsuhide, and Miss Shirayuki before leaving his office and making my way across the grounds. I have a few days off from my work here at the castle, so I am taking the time off to check in on some people. I didn't expect my life to change so much in just over a year but I don't think it's quite a bad thing. It certainly is different than I'd expected but I've grown used to it, even before the major changes.

A few hours later, I make my way up a narrow dirt path toward a cottage nestled in a small grove of orange trees. I hear hushed giggling coming from the trees along with slight rustling. She's getting quieter but isn't quite fully at the level of stealth I am. She'll get there someday, but nonetheless I pretend I don't hear her and continue on. An orange bounces off my back and I turn around dramatically and look around, making sure to act like I don't see the bit of bright blonde hair that is peeking out from one of the tree branches.

"Hm, that's strange. I must be imagining things." I say as I turn around, trying my best to conceal the smile threatening to come forward.

She giggles again and the rustling moves closer before I spot her jumping out of the tree toward my back out of the corner of my eye. I turn around at the last second and catch her.

"I got you."

"That's no fair Obi! I worked hard to sneak up on you!"

"You almost got me, I'm not going to lie. Pretty soon you are going to completely surprise me. Maybe then you'll get my boots."

Iladriel wiggles out of my grip and as soon as her feet touch the ground she grabs my hand and forcibly drags me to the cottage.

"Miss Harlowe is making breakfast! It's chocolate chip pancakes today."

Harlowe and I never told Iladriel the truth of her parents but we asked what she wanted to do since we couldn't find Torin and she asked Harlowe if she could stay with her. It caught us both by surprise and I could see Harlowe fighting back tears but she said she'd be happy to have her. Harlowe got the chance to be like a mother to Iladriel without ruining the girl's memory of the people she saw as parents. They both stayed with Molina for two months until Molina considered Harlowe ready enough to continue her studies on her own. I helped her find a cottage big enough for them to move into together and made sure they were settled. I can't be around all the time but I make sure to come around as often as I can, even if it is just a few minutes on the way to a job. From what I could tell when I came to see them, they're doing great together. The feeling of family is there even if Iladriel doesn't realize it.

My eyes track Iladriel as she runs around the yard trying to catch the fireflies lighting up the night. Harlowe and I are settled on the steps in front of the cottage with drinks in our hands. I spent the day playing with Iladriel and helping Harlowe complete her medicine orders so now we're all relaxing. Well, Iladriel is as close to relaxed as she can get I suppose. She never seems to sit still, always moving until her body can't handle it anymore and she finally goes to sleep.

"I missed you." Harlowe mumbles as she moves closer to me and rests her head on my shoulder.

I shift slightly so I can wrap my arm around her and press a kiss to the top of her head.

"I missed you too. How have things been?"

"Always an adventure. Ila is a curious creature."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I chuckle.

"What does that mean?"

"Her mother is curious too."

"Am not." She grumbles.

"You chained me to the floor so you could find out more information on me." I point out and she elbows my ribs.

"Who does the chaining now, hm?"

I bite back a laugh and shake my head. "That's for very different reasons."

"Obi, Miss Harlowe! I caught one!"

We both turn back to Iladriel as she rushes over with her hands gently cupped around the bug. As she opens her hands to show us, it escapes, filling the air between us with it's flickering light before disappearing. Her bright blue eyes track the bug for a while before sighing.

"Hey Obi, do you think Ryuu likes fireflies?"

"I'm sure he does, but I'll ask him when I return to the castle and have him put it in his next letter."

Iladriel was able to return to the castle a time or two over the last year and she spent most of her time with Ryuu and now they send letters back and forth. Beyond her general curiosity I think she's got a slight crush on him whether she realizes it or not.

Iladriel returns to running around in the grass until she stops suddenly and looks up to the sky. She gasps and tells us that something went flying through the sky way up high. I look to Harlowe and she smiles before telling her that it was probably a shooting star and she should make a wish on it. Iladriel closes her eyes and whispers a wish before grinning at us.

"What did you wish for?"

"It's a secret Obi! You're not supposed to tell or it won't come true."

"You're right."

"Oh! There's another! And another!"

Harlowe and I get to our feet and come to stand behind her. Sure enough, there's light after light streaking through the sky, but they're not shooting stars.

"It's a meteor shower, Ila."

"It's so cool! Can I wish on them too?"

"If you want, but that's a lot of wishes."

"Then I'll make one big wish..." Despite it coming out in a hushed whisper, I hear her wish. "I wish my family with Miss Harlowe and Obi stays together forever... and I wish that Torin is okay wherever he is."

I smile softly as I meet Harlowe's gaze. I ruffle Iladriel's hair, earning a groan of complaint before I pull Harlowe into a kiss.

A/N: This is the end of The Death Market. I hope you all enjoyed it! Stay tuned for more stories in the future. <3 -H