Watch the Stars with Me

Chapter 20

As the last weeks of Passed Valantia watched as Leo vacillated and wrestled with his decision to leave the village and return to his own country, to Leiden, to meet a mother who doesn't remember him, and probably won't remember him when she dies. "I'll come back after my friend's wedding." He kept saying, more to himself and Valantia knew it was because he knew he wouldn't.

The day before he would leave the last bit of snow had melted and the ground was just beginning to thaw. When they woke up that morning she felt nearly ready to let him go on his next adventure, but knew there was unfinished business for him in her village.

As she prepared their breakfast over the fire she spoke in a serious manner. "Jahanjuy."

He sounds distracted as he reads over some of the notes he's made for his travel plans, tapping his pencil as he is still trying to decide wether or not to visit Fern on his way to see his mother or if that would be too much of a detour. "Hmm? What it is it?"

"I know you have visits planned with the elders and some of your friends today. I'm just wondering—" she pauses as she pulls the food from the fire and begins to dish some of the hot grains into some bowls.

He had stoped going over his notebook and was giving her his full attention. "I had planned on spending most of the day here with you though..." his eyebrow raised in a slightly mischievous way that was all too telling to her.

She had been thinking about it since the day he told her he would be leaving. It was the first thing she could think of to give him as a parting gift, a way to say "thank you for helping me heal, for showing me I can love again." Without actually uttering the words to him Incase they made him decide to stay. "When you return from your other visits, do you think you can have your camera ready?"

He closed his eyes a little, not sure why she would ask him to have his camera when she had so adamantly told him to keep it out of her sights in fear it would take a piece of her soul. "I can. What for?" He sounds suspicious and it makes her laugh.

She places the bowls oats and grains down after sprinkling some brown sugar and pouring some milk she had snuck off to the town one day to buy, another farewell gift she told herself 'something sweet to remember me by?' As he takes his first bite and is overwhelmingly surprised by the divergence from their typical bland morning meal she felt the trek to town was more than worth it. "I will tell you when you return from your farewells in the village." She smiles and they eat their breakfast with idle chat.

When he leaves the little house they'd been sharing for the last month and a half he makes sure to kiss her and whispers before their heads separate. "I'll be back." Both of them knew he wasn't talking about from his visits in the village, he was repeating his mantra again.

His friends were lavishly affectionate in their farewells. Some of his male friends cried harder than the you g women who had started to weep the moment they saw him. He laughed nervously as they hugged him, they kissed his cheeks and his closest friend, Keanu smacked his rear before pulling him into a tight hug and sobbed "don't forget me Jahanjuy!"

It was all a bit overwhelming and made so much more when the elders told him he was always welcome back. He needed a moment to himself before returning to Valantia for whatever she had planned for their final hours together, she he walked into some of the trees where some of the earliest buds of spring were starting to bloom. Little white snowdrops litter the ground as beams of light hit the ground. Leon sits on a fallen tree and looks into the forest, wondering if he really will ever return to this place. Ahead of him hidden amongst the bright purple crocus flowers is a small patch of violets.

When he returns to the house he is ushered around by Valantia to hurry and get his camera and put on the backpack she packed. As he followed her he gave up on asking her where she was taking him when she didn't reply to his third request for information with the same "you'll see!"

The closer they got to their destination the more a sense of déjà vu came over him and a sense of closure began to creep into her heart. She was preparing herself to say goodbye, and although she was starting to feel somewhat sentimental she knew that it was right.

Just before turning the last corner Leon let out a knowing "oh, I know where we are." The cave he had been shown over a year ago now was before him again and he let the place steal his breath for just a moment until he realized why she had him bring his camera and got very serious with her. "I do not have permission from the elders." He states while pulling the machine out from his pack.

She smirks. "I do. I guess it would be more accurate to say that I obtained permission for you from the elders." She smiles as she watches him process before running to and pulling her into an embrace. "Don't crush you camera." She manages to squeak out as he tightens his arms around her.

When he lifts his head back, loosening his grip he kisses her. "I can't believe you did this." He whispers as he rests his forehead to her's.

She slightly chuckles before pushing away from the embrace. "Come on Leon. Let's get these photographs done." She turns before she can see the surprise on his face from hearing his real name for the first time, out loud, from someone else, in so long.

"Wait." He says without moving from where he is standing. "I should get a shot of the opening from this angle."
She walks back to him and watches carefully as he snaps a few shots of the cave from the outside before asking if he was ready to go inside.

She guided him through the dark with a lantern, which after not too long became their only source of light. When they reached the room full of paintings he hesitates to pull his camera up. "You're sure I have permission? Because if I don't—"

"You'll never be allowed back in this village again." She cuts him off. "I promise. I wouldn't do that to you. I wouldn't take this place from you Leon." There it was again, his real name. As he captures images of the walls she holds the lateral and uses a light expander to give him more light where he needs for his frame. His name rings in his ears as he presses the button of his camera and images of his life before the village flash behind his eyes with every flash of his camera.

When he was finished he looked over at Valantia, noticing the melancholy look on her face he reached out to cup her cheek. It was sinking in what she was doing. Why she had made breakfast the way she did, why she brought him here and his eyes started to prick with tears. "Valantia—" a knot was beginning to form in his throat but he pushed through. "Can I take a photo of you?"

His simple request, one that would have struck fear in her heart if he had asked when they first met, now made her feel an odd sense of comfort. Odd because she still believed that machine had the ability to take a piece of someone's soul. "Please do." She smiled, that melancholy look in her eyes remained though.

Author's Notes:
Creation can be difficult. Comments and votes make it easier!
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Want to know what I listen to while I write this story (other that Violet Evergarden's OST) his name is Yiruma and you should definitely be listening!