Eiridan sat up with a soft, strangled sob. He wrapped his arms around his knees and pressed his face into his legs to stifle the noise of his pain. The dream had been so real. So sweet and vivid. And then it had been ripped away by the coming of day.

Lifting his head, he stared out the window of the grass hut. The flat landscape was still foreign even though it had been seven years since he'd fled Castre. He and Kyren had barely made it. Aelia and Jaeyria had come with them along with Rya. The others had been killed at some point with the fighting or managed to get out before everything turned to destruction.

He would never forget that night either.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed thickly as tears trickled down his cheeks. The bed beside him was cold and untouched just as it had been for the last seven years. Falling back, he clutched the pillow to his chest and let the agony come out in muffled, gasping sobs.

"You have to go now!" Jaeyria screamed. "I can't hold them off for long. Kyren, don't you dare!" she shouted as he tried to join her in holding up the barrier of shadows. "It isn't going to last even with two of us. Not for long. Rya and Aelia need you. Now go!"

"Jae," Eiridan whispered in the calm created by her wall of shadows. "Jae, no. You... You have to come with us."

She looked at him, the strain in her face obvious. "Eiridan," she murmured. "You always told me that I had to do what I knew was right. You always say that, no matter what, we have to do the right thing even if it means sacrificing. I'm sorry, but there's no other way."

"T-there is," he stammered. "There... This isn't happening. There's another way."

Kyren laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "There's no other way, Eiridan. We failed. The forces against us were too strong."

"No," Eiridan snapped, his lower lip trembling. "We're not abandoning you to die, Jae."

"Yes, you will, or gods above help me, I'll make you." Jaeyria crossed her arms, the lines of pain etching into her face as she fought tears. The magic use and pressure were getting to her.

A portal whooshed open behind them, and Kyren made Aelia go through with Rya as soon as it opened. She left tearfully with a grateful look in Jaeyria's direction. Kyren turned back to them. "Come on, Eiridan! There's no time for this. Let's go."

"I... I can't," Eiridan whispered.

"You will," Kyren said, grabbing his arm when he showed no signs of moving.

Jaeyria sighed and walked over to them. She wrapped her arms around Eiridan's neck, pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back, desperation and longing coming through. She pulled away for a quick breath then kissed him again, pressing closer. He ran his hands through her hair, crying as he tried to convince her without words that they couldn't leave without her.

"Eiridan," she whimpered into the kiss. "I'm sorry."

Eyes glistering with tears, he pulled back and looked at her. "Wha—"

She nodded to Kyren and then shoved Eiridan hard. He stumbled back and tripped over Kyren's outstretched leg, falling straight into the portal. Jaeyria's scream echoed around him as the portal spit him out on the beach of some other place and then grew brighter, blotting out her face. Kyren landed on top of him as they all sat in disoriented silence in the white light. It continued to glow brighter until it was blinding them. They shaded their eyes from it, and all of a sudden, they heard a loud bang as the light winked out.

Eiridan opened his eyes, staring at the sunlight drenched ceiling above. I should've known she'd pull that trick. She did it in the arena too, he thought sadly. His mind recalled the vision he'd had shortly after too while he stared at the stucco painted ceiling.

He stood on the beach where he'd last seen her face, gazing out to sea. Someone's gentle touch on his shoulder caused him to turn, and there she was, smiling sadly at him. He almost cried in relief, thinking that she hadn't died after all. She'd somehow survived.

"Jae," he whispered, taking her in his arms. "But how..."

"I'm sorry it ended the way it did, Eiridan."

At that, he broke down into tears. "No. You're not gone, Jae. You're not... Please... Please don't say that. I... I can't..."

"Come now... Stop your crying. You've always been the brave, loving one, Eiridan. Anyway, I'll always be in your heart. We needed each other, and even though I'm gone, it'll still be alright. I'll be here, so please don't cry."

Eiridan shook his head, collapsing to his knees on the white sand and running his fingers through his hair. "I can't live without you," he sobbed.

"You have to. I'm always in your heart, right?" Her green eyes locked on his, and he saw an almost anxious expression in their green depths.

He nodded, still crying. "You'll always be in my heart."

"I may not be with you anymore, but you've got to hold on, Eiridan. Just like Kyren did when Ashyra died."

"You'll still be in my dreams, right?" he whispered miserably.

"Always, Eiridan. Always..." she whispered, bending down to kiss him. Her lips lingered on his coolly, and then she pulled back, fading.

He lifted his hand to stop her as the tears fell from his eyes. "Don't... Don't leave me."

"I'm always in your heart," she assured one last time before disappearing completely.

"Hey... Are you okay?" Kyren asked quietly, stirring on his cot across the room. Aelia stirred, pressing closer to him in her sleep.

Pain crashed through him like a runaway horse. They're so happy. She's been so good for him... And I... I... Eiridan pressed his lips together and shrugged. He got up and threw on his shirt, fleeing the tiny cottage.

He barely made it out the door and to the trees surrounding their cottage before breaking down. Seven long, lonely years of forced exile. Seven long, painful years where he watched his two friends get married, have a baby boy, and be happy. Seven years of being the quiet, kind of queer uncle to the two little kids that made up Kyren and Aelia's little family. And in those seven years, he still hadn't forgotten what happened. It was like he'd lived through it yesterday.

He crumpled to his knees in front of the grave marker they'd made to commemorate her.

The etching read:

Beloved wife and friend. She had a bold heart and brave soul. God rest her soul.

He wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed unabashedly. You said you'd always be in my heart, but it just feels empty and lonely now, Eiridan thought as he cried. I'm so tired of this, Jae. I just wanted us to be happy, but instead we lost everything. You'd be happy with this, at least, I think: I learned my lesson. Life's never going to get better. You just do your best to make it through, and you hope that life doesn't give you a bad hand.There's no justice in this world, and some people really aren't worth saving. If I could go back, I would make sure I that I died on the field with you. Death is better than this.

The train of thought threw him into another flashback and further despair.

"How did it all go so wrong, Kyren?" he whispered, staring blankly at the crashing waves from his spot further up the beach.

Kyren picked at a clod of beach grass and shook his head. "It should've worked; I don't understand why it didn't. We had the support of the major nobles and everything. But it still fell apart."

"The rebels promised to fight with us, not against us... And the nobles said they supported the plan. Why did they go back on what they promised us?" What Eiridan really wanted to know was why they'd decided to kill all of the remaining Magi instead of banishing them or coexisting.

"Because they were afraid of us," Kyren mumbled in response to his unspoken question. "They didn't believe that we could be different from Vaxon, so they wanted us dead."

Eiridan's eyes filled with tears as Jaeyria's face hovered in his mind. He stared down at the Mark, which still hadn't gone away. His chest felt hollow, and breathing suddenly seemed difficult as tears dropped off his cheeks onto his palm. "Why did they take her away from me?" he whispered sadly. "She still had a long life ahead of her, but they just killed her."

Kyren looked away, his jaw clenching. "I don't know, Eiridan. For the same reasons Vaxon killed our other family members, maybe? Because they wanted us gone but she was the only one they could get? I just don't have answers. I'm sorry..."

"Don't," Eiridan snapped, wrapping his arms around his waist as he got up and ambled toward the house. "Don't apologize for it. You can't fix anything, Kyren, so don't apologize. It's meaningless."

"It means that I care enough to feel bad that she died!" Kyren got up and grabbed Eiridan's shoulder so he couldn't run off. "What's wrong with you?"

"Everything!" Eiridan yelled, finally breaking. "My wife, my soulmate, is dead, and you're asking me what's wrong? Nothing's ever going to be right again. Not after this. I've had it, Kyren. All I've ever tried to do is love others and take care of them, and this is what I get. Time and again people destroy what I love and hurt me for it. I could handle it when it was just me being punished for my kindness. Fine; I'm used to being abused. But watching the people I love get hurt? I can't! So just stay away from me. Otherwise you'll just get hurt too." His voice cracked, and he tore away from Kyren's grip, running up the beach.

He kept running until his legs burned and his lungs felt as though they'd collapse. Then he stopped, his legs wobbling. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the sand. Slamming a fist into the wet sand beneath him, he screamed at the sky. "Why did this happen? If anyone's even up there to hear me, if there's a real god somewhere out there that watches this forsaken planet, why did you let them take her away? Why?" He ran his sand-coated fingers through his hair and whimpered. "W-why?" he gasped. "Why, why, why? Will I forever curse those whose lives I come into contact with? Someone, answer me..."

Nothing happened; no one answered him. He was left alone with the crashing waves, which drowned out the gasping sounds of pain he made as he leaned over, pressing his face to the sand, and wept brokenly.

A warm hand fell on his shoulder. He didn't look up, didn't need to. He knew it was Kyren. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to wipe away his tears.

Kyren's hair was tousled, and he hadn't bothered to throw on a shirt. Really, it wasn't necessary here. The weather was always balmy or far too hot. Eiridan was past caring that his shirt made him hot though. "It's not the end of life, Eiridan," Kyren murmured wearily, dropping his head into his hands.

"Yes, it is."

"I swear, you've become the worst pessimist I know," Kyren snapped. "Seven years, and you've refused to go into town. Refused to make friends. You disappear into the forest for days at a time, and you always leave when we have guests over. You're a mess. Out of every outcome I foresaw when she died, this wasn't one of them."

"I let her die," Eiridan finally whispered. "So I don't deserve to be happy."

"No, you didn't. She had to shove you through the portal to keep you from dying with her. She loved you so much that she was willing to die to save you. Now clearly I haven't been blunt enough with you," Kyren huffed. "She is dead. Dead, Eiridan! As in, never coming back kind of dead. Get over it. And," he added as an afterthought. "You definitely deserve to be happy."

Eiridan stared at him blearily. You don't know what it feels like to have a bond half-severed in the blink of an eye, leaving you hanging and missing half your soul. He wasn't sure if he was broadcasting it to Kyren or not; in fact, he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted Kyren to hear what he was thinking. He wasn't sure about much of anything these days. The only thing he knew for certain was that he felt trapped in grief and depression constantly.

"Move on. She wouldn't want you to be like this, and you know it. Find some way of being happy again for heaven's sake. I'm sick of you moping about like this," Kyren hissed. "Aelia feels horrible and goes out of her way to make you happy, but you barely say anything about it. Oh, you thank her, but everyone can see your heart's not in it. I try to include you, and you push me away."

"Funny, you were like that once upon a time," Eiridan mumbled flatly.

"I was worse, but you brought me out of it. So I'm returning the favor." Kyren crossed his arms. "That's beside the point though."

"Why?" Eiridan asked listlessly. "Why should I bother with any of this? I just want to be done, Kyren. There's nothing left for me here anyway."

Kyren growled in annoyance and grabbed his shirt collar, hauling him to his feet roughly. Then he punched Eiridan in the face. Eiridan didn't say anything. He just let out a sharp breath of pain and gingerly wiped the blood off his split lip.

"You want to repeat that?" Kyren asked, his eyes hard. "Because if you do, I'm happy to punch you again."

"Not saying it..." Eiridan paused to pinch his nose, which was where most of the blood was coming from since it had taken most of the blow. "Doesn't mean I don't think it."

Kyren whistled softly and shook his head. "How much harder do I need to punch you to knock some sense into your head?"

"You can't knock sense into my head," Eiridan huffed. "I don't want to replace Jae, Kyren. And I don't deserve friends. Every time someone gets close to me, they get hurt. Because of me, Jae died. Because of me, you lost Ashyra and Ren..."

Kyren grabbed his shoulder and shoved him against a tree angrily. "Shut up. I didn't lose Ashyra and Ren because of you. I lost them because of my decisions. So don't you dare lay the blame for that at your door too. And Jae sacrificed herself for all four of us, not just you."

Eiridan shook his head. "I can't live with myself. In fact, I hate who I've become."

"You mean you don't want to live yourself. You're perfectly capable of living with what happened; you just won't. So get on with life."

"I can't."

"You will. You're coming to town with me today, even if I have to drag you."

Tired of the argument and feeling the urge to ramble about the woods, Eiridan shrugged halfheartedly. "Fine," he mumbled tonelessly. "I'll go."

"Good. Be back for breakfast in an hour if you're leaving again."

Eiridan didn't answer. He just turned and wandered off into the woods noiselessly.

***

He stared at his reflection in the pool of water. The lucid lake was his favorite place to go to think. The place was quiet and peaceful, providing a much needed balm for his wounded soul. It let him feel peaceful and less depressed for a little while. He often came here when he left the little farm for days on end. If Kyren knew, his little sanctuary would constantly be invaded by his well-meaning friend. Kyren didn't know when to leave it alone.

Kind of like you when you first met him. Now you know how it feels to constantly be pestered by someone who wants to help and won't give up on you. Eiridan smiled sadly about that and tossed a stone at the lake, watching as it skipped a few times and then sank.

A tiny fox crept through the bushes to look at him. It limped a little closer when he didn't move, and Eiridan watched the fox as it stared at him. He could sense the animal's wariness, but it also seemed to know he wouldn't hurt it. The leg was mangled as though it had been caught in a trap. For a moment, he was transported back to childhood when he would bring injured animals home and use his powers to heal them, nursing them back to health.

"It's okay," he whispered to the fox. "I'll help you."

The animal cocked its head as though it understood and approached with a whining yelp.

Eiridan took the trembling mass of matted fur and bloodied flesh into his lap gently, spreading his magic throughout the fox's body. It shivered in his grip, but it relaxed as his magic began working its way through the torn flesh and broken bones.

Whining softly, it licked his face as he pet its head and let it go. For a moment there, he'd felt normal again, but as soon as the fox raced off on its newly healed leg, he felt alone and empty.

Sighing, he turned back to the lake with a weary shake of his head.

A snapping twig startled him, and he turned around on his perch on his rocky seat.

A young woman stared back at him with large, doe-like eyes. Her sleek black hair was nearly waist length, and the slight breeze made it ripple just a bit. Her olive skin seemed to glow in the warm light of the sun. "I've seen you here a few times, and... You looked so sad, so I wanted t-to..." She blushed fiercely, stepping back and clutching her pitcher closer to her chest.

She was dressed, he noticed, in the short buckskin dress of the native tribes here. The fringe just brushed mid-thigh, and she wore a pair of moccasins. Her aura was an open, inviting blue, and he was surprised to find that she had Magi power like he did. She wasn't a healer. No, he thought, based on the aura, that she might be a water mage. A tinge of pink rippled through the blue, hinting at the embarrassment that was already so obvious on her face.

Without asking, she sat down on the wide, flat rock beside him. "Why are you sad?" she asked, pursing her lips. "You lost someone," she stated without thinking on it for long.

He glanced over at her, startled. "Umm..."

"Sorry. I'm Kialani Khaldera."

"Eiridan..."

"Just Eiridan?"

"Stormblessed," he murmured unhappily.

"This person you lost. It was a woman, wasn't it? Your wife?"

He narrowed his eyes as he stared down at the lake. "How would you know?"

Her aura brightened. "You're telling me. Plus, she told me."

"I am? Wait, she did?"

"Yes. You practically throw your thoughts at me whenever I come here. It's like you're screaming for help, but no one's getting through. And yes, she's been trying to get me to listen, to talk to you."

He glanced at her.

"I know how you feel," she said, casting her gaze down to the ground as she toyed with the fringe of her dress. "My parents died last year, and the rest of the village just wants to move on like nothing happened. It hurts. It's been seven years for you, and no one's done anything?"

He shrugged, wondering why she was so easy to talk to. Maybe it was because he was lonely, and she already knew everything? Or maybe he really was just desperate for a kind, listening ear. Kyren wasn't going to listen; he meant well, but he wanted Eiridan to move on, not talk about it.

And after seven years of bottling things up and saying nothing about how he felt, Eiridan needed to talk about it. "No one really understands what I need. Kyren — he's one of only two friends I have left — sees things differently. He isn't much of the talking sort when it comes to feelings, and he doesn't remember much about the way he handled his wife's death. So... He hasn't been able to help me after... after I lost my wife." He looked away, biting his lip.

"It's okay. You can cry if you want. You don't have to hide it with me. Not if you're just doing it because you think it's not manly. Sometimes we need to cry, and I think you need to more often than you allow yourself to."

"Speaking from experience?" Eiridan asked softly.

She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "Yeah. I still cry less than I need to, but I cry more than I ever used to." She tugged her moccasins off and dipped her toes in the cool water, which lapped at the base of the tall, flat rock.

"It's so hard," Eiridan whispered. "I try to pretend that I'm someone I'm not anymore because I know my friends want me to be me again. I wish I could be who I was, but I can't, and I think it's going to break their hearts when they realize that they can't 'fix' me."

Kialani shifted closer to him and boldly laid her head on his shoulder. Eiridan stiffened for a moment, but then he relaxed. He felt bad for letting her touch him and be close to him because he felt like it somehow betrayed Jaeyria's memory.

"She'll always be in your heart, Eiridan, but she wants you to be happy. She wants you to move on and live your life."

He glanced down at her. "How do you know that?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know... I can just... hear her, I guess? She told me when she told me to talk to you."

"She did?"

"I know it all sounds crazy," Kialani whispered. "My village calls me insane, and a few say I'm a witch. With my parents gone, they're trying to kick me out. I think I'll just go. I don't like them much anyway. But I'm serious. I can hear the voices of those who have passed but haven't left this world just yet. She's been lingering for this whole time because she needed to know you'd be okay. I was here on the day you first showed up, and she spoke to me. Ever since then, she's been pushing me to find you..." She blushed. "Her name's Jaeyria... It's pretty. She's pretty too. I can see why you loved her; she's got a beautiful soul. And she said you've lost yourself. That you need someone to help you find yourself again. And she said I had to be that person. So I finally decided to listen."

Eiridan blinked and shook his head. "It doesn't... It doesn't sound crazy. It sounds just like her too. Always looking out for me. Can you tell her... Can you tell her that I'm sorry if I've kept her from moving on and being happy?"

Kialani smiled. "You can tell her. She's listening; she's always listening even when no one else is."

Eiridan wrapped his arms around himself, shifting away from her. "Well... I'm sorry. I never meant to keep you here, Jae." He felt awkward talking to thin air, even if he knew she was there. It was made more awkward by Kialani's presence at his side.

"She says there's nothing to apologize for. She'd speak to you herself, but she doesn't have the energy."

He smiled softly, feeling better just because he knew she had been watching out for him the last seven years. "I still love her," he whispered.

Kialani nodded. "I know. She knows too. But she wants you to remember what you told your friend all those years ago when he lost his wife. What did you tell him?" she asked, raising her brows.

Eiridan laughed, shaking his head. Kialani already knew the answer to her question; Jaeyria had probably told her what he'd said. "I told him we could love more than one person. I was always telling him that."

"Yes, I imagine you did. You seem like that type," Kialani mused. "Well, your wife wants you to remember that because it applies to you now. She wants you to move on and be happy. Find someone else, or just make some really good friends. But she doesn't want you to live in your grief anymore. It hurts her when she sees you like that."

"It does?"

"Your bond wasn't broken completely when she died," Kialani said, gesturing to his hand. The ring that had been etched onto his ring finger during the Binding ceremony with Jaeyria was gone, but their symbol was still on his palm. "She says she still feels what you feel, and it's keeping her here. Eiridan, she wants to move on. Her family's waiting for her in the Place of Light, and she wants to go to them. She wants to go to her new home, but she can't unless you release her."

Eiridan stared down at his palm and the symbol there. Tears welled in his eyes. "She really wants me to let go of her?" he whispered miserably.

Kialani nodded. "You don't have to forget; you just have to let go and allow her to become a memory instead of a lingering shade."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "I relinquish my bond with Jaeyria Lightwood," he whispered brokenly. "She's free to move on as she wishes."

Pain erupted in his body. The mark on his hand burned almost unbearably, and his head ached. He doubled over, gasping for breath as each nerve in his body seemed to light on fire. Vaguely, he was aware of Kialani's gentle voice and soothing touch, but the agony nearly drowned those out too. Tears came hard and fast as the pain began to ebb away. Opening his eyes, he saw that the mark was gone.

His lower lip quivered as he shut his eyes again and tried not to make any noise as he let himself cry. Kialani wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head into her shoulder. "It's okay... Hey... Shh... It'll be okay," she murmured. "Just let it all out. You'll feel better after."

He finally surrendered to the sobs with a gasp. And when he was done, he did feel better just like Kialani had said he would. Wiping away his tears with a deep breath, he gave Kialani a grateful smile. "Thanks. You barely know me, but you still stayed to help... I appreciate it."

"You needed me," Kialani said with a shrug. "I go where I'm needed." She smiled brightly.

Eiridan's smile became a little brighter and lighter. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Even though the ache over Jaeyria was still intense and gut-wrenching, it was a little easier to cope with. He didn't feel like dying anymore either.

Maybe it was just the fact that Kialani had brought him some closure, which he hadn't had when she died. The day on the beach hadn't been closure; it had just left him feeling empty and alone. Most likely, that was because Jaeyria hadn't been ready to move on either, and the two of them had remained together for seven years, each sad in their own way. Now maybe they could both move on.

He took a deep breath and let it out. "I have a little while before I have to go back... But... Maybe it's a little odd to ask you this since we've just met, but would you like to have breakfast with me? Unless you have to get back to your village?" He bit his lip uncertainly.

Kialani's bright yellow-brown eyes danced with amusement as she stood and hoisted the pitcher onto her hip. "They wouldn't care if I never came back," she announced with a laugh. "You're the first person to care about my existence for a year. And the first person who didn't find an excuse to leave when I showed up." Cocking her head to the side, she asked, "Why is that?"

Eiridan stood up too and shrugged. "I don't push people away. Guess the optimistic side of me never really died. I thought it had, but... I just needed a little help to realize that it's still there, and I can still be happy. You helped, and anyway, I didn't think you were a threat. So why would I run off?"

"I don't know," Kialani admitted. "But most people do anyway. I'd be happy to take you up on the offer of breakfast though."

"Great," Eiridan said, smiling. "The cottage is back this way."

The two headed off, talking and laughing a little as they did so.

***

"So you just met her in the woods?" Kyren asked as they washed up for breakfast.

He kept casting wary glances in Kialani's direction as she helped Aelia with breakfast and set the two little ones laughing. They were both vying for her attention and staring at her in amazement. Neither had seen one of the natives in their usual dress before, and they were, naturally, curious about it.

"Why do you dress funny?" Rya asked, sticking her thumb into her mouth.

"Rya!" Aelia scolded. "That was rude. You're eight years old, more than old enough not to suck your thumb or ask rude questions. Apologize!"

Kyren smirked and shook his head.

"Reminds me of you," Eiridan teased.

Raising a brow, Kyren said, "Someone's in a good mood. What happened?" His gaze fell to Eiridan's palm as Eiridan reached out for the hand-towel. "Didn't you have her Mark there this morning?" he asked, frowning.

Eiridan bit his lip and nodded. "Kialani's a Magi. Sort of... I'm not sure what she is. I thought she was an air Mage based on her aura, but she can talk to spirits who haven't moved on."

"This ties into your disappearing Mark because?" Kyren prodded.

"Well, the Mark wasn't gone because Jae and I hadn't moved on. She was still hanging around here to keep an eye on me. She was ready to pass into the next life, and she couldn't because of me and our Bond. So she got Kialani to tell me because she couldn't do it herself. Once I realized how much she wanted to be free to move on, I couldn't say no. And I realized that I needed to move on for my own sake too," Eiridan explained quietly.

"How come my advice on that wasn't enough for the past seven years, and you're suddenly deciding now that it was good advice?" Kyren asked, raising a brow.

"You didn't listen to me when I needed to talk about everything that happened and what I was feeling. Sorry, Kyren, but you're not a great sympathizer. You're a great friend in a lot of ways, but not in that one. Kialani listened, told me what I needed to hear, and let me unload everything I was feeling. I feel better, and I actually feel ready to move on. I also don't feel like a huge chunk of my heart is missing due to a half-severed Bond. That always helps."

Kyren rolled his eyes. "You're certain it had nothing to do with her? And how long have you known her anyway? You disappear a lot. Has it been for rendezvous with her?"

"No!" Eiridan said, his eyes widening. "I just met her today. Apparently she was unsure whether to listen to my wife about talking to me. She decided she would today because, according to her, she couldn't stand seeing me so upset all the time. She's really nice, Kyren."

"Yeah, so are most women who want something from you. You're sure she's—"

"I read auras, Kyren. She's genuine," Eiridan huffed.

"Okay, okay..." Kyren raised his hands. "Let's just eat and get to know her a bit better, shall we? No need to argue over whether she's a liar or genuinely nice."

Eiridan glared at him. "You're just jealous because you're my friend, and a complete stranger did a better job of helping me start the healing process," he accused.

"As if." Kyren sauntered toward the table, giving Aelia a quick kiss as he snuck a piece of bacon from the plate by the stove.

She smacked him in the back of the head as he made off with the food. "You're worse than the kids!" she griped. "Keep your fingers out of the food, Kyren Asherex, and wait until it's done."

Kyren sent her a triumphant smirk as he sat down on the rug by the fireplace where the kids were playing. They came running over when they saw what he had.

"Papa, Papa!" little Teagan said, giggling. "Some?"

"They're cute," Kialani said as she approached Eiridan.

He nodded, grinning. "Teagan's three, and Rya's eight now. Her birthday was last week."

"Well, they're adorable." She stared wistfully at the two kids and Kyren as they goofed off and ate the piece of bacon Kyren had stolen.

"Why are you sad?" Eiridan asked, leaning against the wall as she washed her hands and dried them.

She shrugged the question off with a strained smile. "I'm not sad. Your friends' family is really nice."

"You're deflecting," Eiridan said with a smile. "And I read auras. You're sad."

Her nose wrinkled, and she sighed. "It's just that... Well, I want kids someday, but... No one wants me. I'm nearly four years past the prime marrying age for my people, and our people are a minority now. The majority of the country treats us like dirt, and they refuse to marry anyone from one of the remaining twelve tribes. That's why I'm sad. I'm never going to get the family I've always wanted."

Eiridan raised a brow. "No one wants you?" he asked incredulously. "But... Why not? There's nothing wrong with you. You've got a great personality, and you're a far cry from being ugly."

She brightened, sending him a teasing look. "Are you saying that you think I'm pretty?"

"Well... Yes," Eiridan mumbled, blushing.

"And would you marry me?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Eiridan cleared his throat. "Err... Right now? No, because we barely know each other... In the future? I don't know."

"So there'll be a future?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"As friends, at the least. If you want it, that is."

She rolled her eyes. "Men..." she huffed. "You're all so dense sometimes. Of course I want to be friends. If I didn't, I wouldn't have come here."

"Oh," Eiridan mumbled, embarrassed.

She laughed, patting his arm. "Don't worry about it. I'm not offended in the least."

"Hey, you two lovebirds," Aelia called with a smile. "Breakfast is ready."

"Guess someone thinks we'd be a good match," Kialani remarked offhandedly as she sauntered over to the table.

"Don't think much of it," Eiridan muttered to her. "She's always trying to set other people up together. And the funny thing is... It usually works."

Kialani laughed. "Guess we'll have to see if anything comes of it this time, huh?"

Eiridan stayed quiet. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted anything to come of it. Did he like Kialani? Yes, in a way. But he didn't know her well enough to really like her. He also felt bad for being attracted to her because he still felt that it was a betrayal of Jaeyria. However, she had been the one to press Kialani to find a way into his life. She had been the one to push them together and tell him to move on.

Eiridan knew his deceased wife like he knew himself; if she didn't think he and Kialani had a chance of something more than friendship, she wouldn't have pushed them together. She was well aware that Eiridan was missing her and her companionship. And Jaeyria knew, just as any woman would, that he'd probably be ready to move on at some point. It would take him a while, he knew, but even there his late wife's prescience made itself known. Kialani was definitely patient; he could see that about her right off the bat.

In response to her questioning earlier, Eiridan felt that it was possible that she could be the one he'd move on with. She'd already proven an amazing ability to tell what he felt and thought at any given point. In that manner, she reminded him a lot of Jaeyria. Both women had the uncanny ability to read him and make things better when he was feeling down.

Kialani was different from Jaeyria in a lot of ways, but Eiridan didn't expect anyone to be the same as her. No one could be precisely like her, and he didn't want them to be. Jaeyria had been unique, and she'd shone bright until the day she burned out. Not everyone liked her, Eiridan knew, and she'd made bad decisions. But everyone did that. No one was perfect.

And with that, he knew the answers to his own questions. He did want to move on. He wanted to be happy again, and he wanted to have friends. It had taken a persistent, generous soul to prove that to him, but the point had been made, and he was glad for it. Looking around the table, he smiled. He was surrounded by friendly faces and love, and everyone here loved him. Even Kialani, who didn't know him well, was genuinely happy to be around him and wanted him to be content too. Satisfied, he sat back and enjoyed his breakfast.

It was time to move on and let the past become a memory. He would always cherish Jaeyria, but seven years was far more time than necessary to mourn a lost loved one. Yes, he'd needed it, but it was time to be done with mourning. It only hurt him, and he now knew that Jaeyria was going to be happy in the afterlife thanks to Kialani. It was all he could've asked for her soul, and it allowed him to move on too. Maybe there can be a happily-ever-after in this life after all. And even if there isn't, I'm going to make sure that I live my life to the fullest no matter what happens, Eiridan thought.Starting today, I'm done with running from life. It's time to start living again.