Hello, Goodbye

Revisiting The Tower

The trip back to the monastery was rather uneventful. Unless you count a four year old driving us all mad interesting. It didn't take as long to get back, due to most of us being on horseback. Once we arrived it was like a wave of nostalgia hit me all at once. It was hard to believe that so much time had really passed since I was last in this place. I climbed down off my horse slowly and then held my arms out for Lillie. She jumped into my arms and I sat her down slowly. She started jumping up and down and I knew that she was just dying to look around the place. I picked her back up and placed her on my hip. "Someone's excited. Care if I take her?" I looked up in surprise as Felix walked over to me. A subtle laugh left my lips. "You sure you can handle her?" At this he just rolled his eyes. "If she's anything like the boar I can handle her." I threw my hands up in defeat. "Okay! Whatever you say Felix." I placed Lillie in his arms and they walked in the direction of the pond. "Did Felix just walk off with our child?" I looked to Dimitri to see a look of surprise on his face. "Yeah. He asked if he could take her. I was surprised too. How close are we to being done unloading?" I looked around to see that most of our cargo had been uncased and set aside.

"We're nearly done. However, I have a ton of paperwork to do. I'm sorry." I quickly hugged him and smiled. "Nothing to be sorry for. I completely understand. Do you need any help with it?" He pulled me close and sighed. "I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to help me with this. Will you be alright without me for a bit?" I pulled back from him and nodded. "Yeah. You go be a prince, okay? I'm going to go spy on Felix and Lillie." He only chuckled at me as I walked away. I walked past the first floor dormitories and hid next to the bait stand. Felix was sitting there with my daughter in his lap teaching her how to fish. A smile crept it's way up to my face as I watched the two of them. "Felix would never show it, but he's like a big teddy bear." I turned to see Ingrid smiling at the two of them. "That he is. So, Ingrid... wanna catch up over some tea?" She smiled at me happily. "I never thought you would ask. Lets go." I nodded and followed her to the garden. She grabbed some boiling water from the dinning room and fixed us some Chamomile. I whiffed it and sighed. It smelled so good. "Can I be blunt with you Thalia?" I looked up to her slightly surprised. "Yes of course you can Ingrid!" She sat her cup down and looked down at her lap. "I know things have been hard for you. Considering everything that's happened. Sorry if I'm prying into personal matters. It's just your outburst on the pier in Derdriu... You love Claude, don't you?"

I knew this was going to happen eventually. I knew someone was going to ask. I just didn't expect it to be her. I took another sip of my tea and sat my cup down. "Of course I do Ingrid. He was always there for me. More so when the war started. The day at the Holy Tomb, the day I found out Dimitri had "died", the day I gave birth... He was there through all of that. He helped to heal my heart. I know what your probably thinking but please don't. I have no intention of hurting Dimitri. Claude knew the second he found out Dimitri was alive, things would change. He told me that night following the battle that it was because he loved me that he would leave me be. He wants Lillie to have a stable relationship with her father and I do too." I sighed and felt tears try to break from my eyes. "Ingrid... the day in Derdriu. I watched you all fight before we surprised the Imperials. I looked at every single one of you, looking for him. And when I saw him that day. It was as if I could breathe again. Like a part of my soul that had been put under lock and key almost six years ago had finally been unlocked. And Dimitri was the key. So yes...I love Claude. But loving him helped me realize that deep down I was just waiting for Dimitri to come back. He's my heart Ingrid. Dimitri gave me the happiest part of my life. Our child. So I will do everything I can to make this work between us. Even if it's not the same as it used to be, my love for Dimitri is still there. I love him."

I smiled at the realization that came with my words and took another sip of my tea and she nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry Thalia. I just... I worry about His Highness." I smiled at her before finishing my tea. "I know you do. You will make an excellent knight Ingrid. I have to go, but if you see Dimitri tell him to come to the place he told me three special words five years ago." She looked confused at first but nodded her head and we went our separate ways. I made my way to the all familiar tower and stepped inside. This was one place that hadn't changed. The view from here was still stellar. The sunset over the mountains nearly took my breath away. I closed my eyes and just took in the feeling of being here in this place. I thought of all the things that hade me happy. I thought of the blessing that was my little girl. Tears came to my eyes as I recalled what happened here the night of the ball.

"Dimitri this is amazing." He walked to me and wrapped one arm around my waist. "Do you know what this place is Thalia?" I looked at him before shaking my head. "This is the Goddess Tower. They say if a man and woman make a wish at this tower on this night the Goddess will make it come true." I nodded in understanding and nuzzled into his side. "What would you wish for Dimitri?" He pulled me flush to his chest and laid his chin on top of my head. "I would wish for a world where everyone could live in peace and harmony." I smiled into his chest and wrapped my arms tighter around him. "Then I'll wish for the same. A world filled with peace and more understanding and accepting people. A world where I could live freely without prejudice." He pulled back from me and smiled softly. "Thalia?" I looked at him questioningly. "Yes?"He cupped my face in his hands and his eyes in that moment I'm sure could see directly into my soul. "I love you." My heart began to race, nearly beating out of my chest. "I wasn't sure at first because I've never felt so strongly about someone before but holding you like this and seeing the way you look at me, I know. I love you." I placed a hand on the back of his neck and kissed him fiercely. He returned the kiss with as much, if not more, passion than I displayed. Under the starry sky, his lips on mine, it felt as if my whole body come alive. He pushed me into the wall and I jumped. He caught me and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He parted from me breathless. "Thalia... can we... take this... somewhere else?"

Heat flooded my cheeks as I recalled the events that happened afterwards as well. Hearing Dimitri tell me he loved me that night... just thinking about the first time those words came from his lips make my heart flutter. I opened my eyes as realization flooded my body once more. "Are you okay, Thalia?" I turned to Dimitri, who was standing at the top of the stairs, with tears in my eyes. "Yes... my wish. It's changed Dimitri. I still want peace, but as far as acceptance... screw that. As long as you and Lillie accept me... then I could care less if anyone else does. The two of you are the only ones I need. I... things have been really crazy for me the past several years. But I can definitely say that through it all... my love for you never faded. Even after all this time, I love you." He walked briskly to me and pulled me into his arms. I cried into his chest, but they weren't sad tears. They were tears of joy. 'Thank you Claude. Thank you for letting me go. You knew didn't you? You knew that Dimitri would be the one to truly make me happy. Thank you.' I stood on my tip toes and kissed Dimitri gently. His arms went to the small of my back as he pulled me closer into him. Our lips danced together as night started to settle in the sky. He pulled back from me slowly and placed his forehead on mine. "There you are!" We looked to the top of the stairs to see Lillie standing there. She ran to us and I pulled her up into my arms. "I love you mommy, and you too daddy." I giggled as I held her tight to my chest. "Dimitri... I never told you her full name did I?" He shook his head and I just smilled. "Her full name is Lillie Alexandria Blaiddyd. At the time she was born we were still unsure if you were even alive or not. So I decided to make her middle name similiar to yours." I saw him smile out of the corner of my eyes and then he pulled us both into his arms. I was so ready for peace. So ready for this war to be over. So for once I could live life with the ones I loved the most.