.Elementals.

-70-

"You burnt yourself." I didn't face her as I stared up at the elm, wondering how simple life was as a tree. "You didn't go to a healer you burnt yourself..."

"Don't talk with guilt Highness, it was my choice take care of it in this way." I said, resting my hand on my face before letting it fall and crossing them in my back.

"It must have hurt."

"Not more then why I got it.... But I deserve it."

"You don't Mystery! I should have never done such horrible thing!"

"I do deserve it if you seeing that didn't make you think that could be fake, to you I am someone that could do this without remorse and for that I deserve this Highness."

"Shut up!!" I turned to her finally to see her glaring with tears in her eyes. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!! I'm Audrey!! I-I didn't mean it! I'm Audrey!.... I'm Audrey....."

I took a deep breath, this will be long but lets hope it will be helpful.

"Right.... Audrey, that is your name."

"I wish I could all take it back! Everything! You deserve nothing off what I did!"

"I deserve it if you think I could do something like that." I stepped closer, brushing a finger across her face to wipe the falling tears away.

"You don't!!" She tried to keep herself together but was falling apart. "I am so paranoid.... So scared of ending up without you.... I can't spend a day without thinking about what would happen if you weren't mine it lead to this...."

"I reassured you many times I'd stay with you."

"I know but all the whispers when they think I won't hear them.... All the doubt the servants have that we'll last... All the uneasiness knowing you might die so I can live.... And I.... I didn't even think to look into it when I saw that, all their doubts and my fears suddenly confirmed in front of my eyes."

"You thought I betrayed you." I didn't have much to say as I didn't know how to say it well. "You thought I betrayed you and wanted me away from you, you hated me."

"I never did!" I could tell she itched to do something but wasn't confident enough. "The second I struck you I regretted it, wanting to take it all back but the hurt I was feeling was master of my decisions...... Y-you can have pay back." She said, waiting for me to hurt her.
She flinched and closed her eyes as I lifted my head but just set it on her head and leaned my forehead against hers.

"Audrey you made me feel many things, as good as bad as they get but I'd never, ever, strike you for whatever reason I could have to want to do that but I'd never even think of doing that... I live for you in many way and to hurt you isn't one of those reasons, not physically nor emotionally."

"How can you be so sweet after all this...." She looked up at me.

"Because you're worth the pain, any and all type."

"I'm not, I am not, all I do is hurt you.... Maybe we are better apart aren't we?"

"In that case." I pulled my dagger out as I stepped back and held it out to her with the blade between my fingers. "Kill me."

"What?! Mystery have you lost your mind?!"

"If you are not willing to not willing to have me as yours then kill me, no matter what you put me through you are worth it to me.... You made a mistake, we all make mistakes but this one is fixable..... Once you asked of me what I was feeling, here's the answer, despite what happened I love you. I. Love. You... And if you don't want me then kill me."

"Mystery I can't kill you!"

"Do it!!" I yelled at her, scaring her into silence. "Do it!!" I shoved the dagger towards her. "Before you showed up I was no one, another mage like the rest, stuck in her duties she didn't like but accepted as her life as she knew nothing would change.... But it did change, you showed me a part of me I didn't even know about.... You give me a reason to want this life to the fullest, you gave my a reason.... I never blamed you, I never was mad at you, I never stopped loving you, I never thought of giving up on you for a mistake you made while is sever emotional distress from mine look alike.... So if you are not willing to accept I still don't want to leave you behind then kill me Audrey. Kill me! End my life as without you in it it isn't worth shit!"

"How can you not blame me even for a second...."

"Because it's human to feel, it's human to make mistakes, it's human to learn from them and grow.... Accept me as you are and as I am or kill me because without you I'll die anyway."

"Mystery...." She shook her head. "I can't, and I don't think I will for a long time, understand how you don't blame me like you should.... But I can't kill you or I would have to follow to be with you."

"Water under the bridge?"

"No this can't be forgotten, ever. I did something bad and it will stare back at me every time I look at you but if you do mean what you sai--" "I do mean every last bit of it Audrey. I don't blame anything on you and want to remain by your side until death tears us apart."

"--I think I could learn to forgive myself too but it will be hard."

"I know and I will be here with you, not letting you go alone."

"So put the dagger away, we won't need it."

"Right." I did before cupping her cheek. "And this is to prove I mean my words." I tilted her head up to kiss her, short but sweet.

"You are way to nice for your own good." She leaned her head against my shoulder.

"I know Audrey I know." I passed my hand through her unbraided hair. "A brick to the tower."

"What?"

"Since water under the bridge is not a good metaphor for you I came up with one, a brick to the tower, a brick on which we can build on and it will help us get higher with its strength and the strength of many other bricks, good and bad alike."

"Mmm I prefer it to the other."

"I thought you would." I kissed her hair, hugging her against me and she hugged me back, don't worry you aren't alone, both of us needs to stop blaming ourselves for something the skin taker did, they are the true one to blame.

I got you and I'll never let you go Audrey.

You'll have to kill me for that to happen.