Assassins Bane (wof medieval human AU)

Before and What Was

Moonwatcher

She brushed out her long, dark hair in front of the mirror, humming a soft tune and admiring the bright moons which hung low outside her window.

She felt peaceful and full of warmth knowing that she and Qibli had not damaged anything by demolishing their engagement.

"You're free to go where ever you like Moon, you and Winter." He had said, and strangely enough, he had looked peaceful too.

They had all decided, that she and Winter would stay a while longer, as to make sure to lessen the chances of some sort of scandal running amok among the SandWings. 

It would have been some news indeed if Queen Thorns Ward's betrothed disappeared in the middle of the night with the jilted mans best friend.

Moon knew that she wanted to lessen the damage as much as possible. For Qibli's sake more than her own.

It was Qibli himself who had suggested that he send them off publicly.

"If I give you my blessing, my honest blessing, there should be no real scandal. Not a long lasting one anyways." Qibli said.

"I still don't understand why you are agreeing to this so easily," Winter had frowned. Clearly still in a state of shock and confusion.

Qibli had shrugged. "I love Moon, and I feel that she loves me too. But I have come to realize that love does not lie within possession. Moon came to me freely of her own free will, and I accepted her. We were happy. Then I began to grow worried and unsure in her love and tried to contain her so as she couldn't flee. But the tighter I held her the farther away she went. If two people truly love each other, then there shan't be that doubt and concern. You see Winter," Qibli had turned his eyes to the IceWing.

"It doesn't matter how much you may love someone. If you cannot make them grow, and you alongside them, then the union will be doomed in the end."

"I hurt Moon, how can you imply that I'm right for her?" Winter asked.

"Because though you loved her, you were also strong enough to risk loosing her love by disagreeing with her. You didn't just want her to love you, you wanted her to see where she was wrong. I might, for the most part, make Moon happy. Our relationship would be clean and innocent and people would see two people in a healthy relationship. However, on the inside there would be a rotten patch. When we finally had a disagreement, it would be hurtful. We neither of us would know what to do. In the end, to make sure we stayed together, out of fear, one would give up their side of the argument and apologize. It would be forgotten but the problem would never be resolved. It would keep resurfacing again and again until what was pure and beautiful would hide a cold shadow."

"You seem to have thought quite a lot about all of this," Winter said.

"I have. I wouldn't give Moon away to someone I didn't know would have her better than me."

Moon reached forwards and grasped Qibli's warm hand in her own. Her eyes shone with affection, gratitude and warm light.

"I'm the one who can read minds," she said. "But you're the one who can see the truth Qibli."

He looked down, eyes glimmering with tears.

"Can we spend these last few days together?" He asked. "All of us?"

He looked at Winter. Winter looked at Moon, then they nodded.

That night, the three of them slept in the same room, wrapped up in blankets beside each other. 

They talked well into the night of random, pleasant things, and in the end they fell asleep, Moon and Winter, sitting on either side of Qibli, rested their heads on his shoulders, and they all slept, not as lovers, but as friends. Just as they were before.