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"Our Parents"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl

Adapted from the stories of Aranelion and Elianaron Brokenstar, as told to them by their mother, memories of their father, and their own personal knowledge.

Part 2: The Path to Follow

   Later that evening, our mother was able to sneak our father into the village leader’s private cabana on the edge of Valordian Lake.  They were up all night talking and laughing with one another, but still managed to get on their way after sunrise and a light breakfast.  Our father stayed in Valordian longer than he intended to, completely missing his trip to the Northern Kingdom, and at the same time, not caring much.  The entire purpose of the trip was, when it came down to it, to find someone he loved and could marry and have children with.  In our father’s mind, he had already done this, finding his heart’s dream realized in the love he had for our mother, Lady Aerealei.

   Of course, he couldn’t stay as long as he would have liked to, for while he was granted much longer of a stay than normal, he was only promised a two week leave before he was expected to return, and he knew it.  He promised the Guardian, his best friend, that he would be back after a two week departure, and as the eve of his last night with our mother finally arrived, he was determined to make the most of this final night with her.

   The two of them had grown awfully close within the past two weeks; our father always said it was the happiest he had ever been in his life; quote, “They were days more golden than those of my youth.  I had found happiness that no other paradise or treasure the world had to offer me could provide, save in the happiness I find in you my sons.  It saddened me swiftly to have leave her.  Was that not the purpose of my journey, to find my soul mate, and realize my heart’s true desire?  It was simply a matter of race; I could not just march into the middle of the village square with a hedgehog maiden on my arm, no matter how beautiful she was, even if it meant I was ready to settle down from my travels.  It would demand explanation, even to the point of explaining myself to my dear friend, the Guardian, for it would baffle him as much as the others.  I needed to set things up first before bringing this out into the open, and it involved explaining things to the Guardian so he would stand beside me when it came to begging the village elders to grant her membership in our tribe, so for that point in time, I had to leave her, and yet, my heart mourned, feeling the pain deeper than it ever had in all of my days in this world.”

   Our father Armundae was so happy, and yet he had to leave his happiness behind for a short time.  He knew it wouldn’t be easy to get our mother accepted into the Angel Island tribe, but he knew once he explained himself to his friend the Guardian, who held the final decisions in everything in the echidna culture that he would be able to bring her with him to Angel Island where the two could live out a happy life together; of course, this meant actually admitting his feelings to her first, and it was on this particular night that he did so, and received the best answer he could hope for in reply.

   Valordian Lake was the only place in the entire forest where the canopy opened up fully to the sky, allowing for sunlight, starlight, and moonlight to pour down onto the lake in abundance, reflected off the water, clear and smooth as glass, the reflected light twinkling gently as waves rippled over the surface of the water.  Fireflies twinkled above and through the reeds and plants that surrounded the lake’s edge for most of the way; crickets were chirping, and it was one of those simply heavenly nights, a gift to the wandering world, pleading for all life to pause in a collective breath of peaceful bliss, exhaled slowly as the puff of warm winds blowing through the air, breaking the stillness that overtook the land.

   It was this final night that our parents shared together that they chose to sit together beside the lake, sitting on a small pier in one of the few places the plants did not coat the lakeside.  Gazing up into the cloudless sky, our mother had a dream-lulled smile on her face, whereas our father, almost dreading having to leave her, stared blankly at the water below, watching the same stars as our mother, but with less vigor; he had much on his mind, too much to say, too little time to speak it, and not much courage to say it.

   Our father, normally an out-going soul with a fiery personality, the one behind every joyful word or laugh in his presence, was for once starved of conversation, unable to find the words to say, knowing full well what was in his heart, and simply worried he might never be able to let our mother know how he felt.  Still, as our mother always did, she did something for our father, and already, she could simply glance at him, and know that something was troubling him, doing her best to help him through it.

   “Armundae, dear,” she started, “Is something troubling you?  You’ve barely spoken a word since supper.  Are you alright?”

   She placed her hand on his own, and to this, and hearing her speak, our father slowly raised his head, gazing at her in silent wonder.  Every time he looked at her this outpouring of love and emotion flooded his heart and every inch of his soul and thought.  It was hard for him to feel troubled or plagued with worry and concern with all this warmth and happiness in his heart, and as such, it dissipated from him as he looked to her.  The warm smile returned to his face as he let out his breath.  He shook his head and murmured, “No, Aerealei, I was just pondering a few things is all.  I’ve had something on my mind for a little while and…it’s something I need to find resolution with before I leave you tomorrow.”

   The subject of his departure made our mother’s stomach feel like someone had tried to strangle it.  The last thing she wanted now was this dashing, sweet echidna warrior disappear forever, not after she had grown so close to him.  Scooting up closer to him she asked, “Does that mean…you’ll never come back to me…I mean, Valordian again Armundae?  Surely your dedication to your duty will hold you back from wandering for awhile.  I mourn such a possibility.”

   “What possibility?” our father asked, looking to her.  As she looked to him, he managed a weak smile and continued, “You mean that we’ll never see each other again.  I don’t think that’s something you’ll ever have to face my lady; if anything it’ll be a temporary separation.  I have every intention to return to you…and Valordian fair…now more than ever.”

   As our father returned his eyes to the lake, our mother let out a small gasp, glancing at the full moon, and asking, “Oh…well, I’m glad to hear that…for…it was a growing pain in my heart to think I would never see you again.  You are such a wonderful soul…it hurts to ponder the days beyond this, wandering these wide and lonely woods without you.”

   Our father took a deep breath, exhaling to slowly as he tried to relax his nerves.  He asked, “Does it, Aerealei?  Why do you now find such displeasure in such a wonderful home as this?  Will my absence spoil and stale the experience for you now?”

   “It won’t be the same!” our mother cried suddenly.  She looked to our father, tears now streaming down her face as our father looked to her slowly, his mouth opened slightly, his lips quivering, as he tried to fight back his own tears that were threatening to consume him.

   Poor mother, she wouldn’t hide her tears any longer.  She loved our father, and while they had only known each other a short time, she knew that he was the one she was born to be with; he was her soul mate, for he made her happy…he made her heart feel alive and overflowed her senses with such happiness and joy unlike she had ever felt before in her life.  To think that she was going to lose this happiness forever was like a death sentence for her soul; she would continue to live, but it would only be after she had realized the true desires of her heart, and was left with no choice but to abandon them.  It would be the death of her heart, soul, and happiness; she would never find such love and joy in anyone else.

   Our father turned to her, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other on one of her own hands, distressed at her tears.  He asked, “Aerealei?  Why do you weep?”

   She looked up to him, her eyes almost completely shut to suppress her tears; she shook her head, and whimpered, “If you leave me here to languish, it will never be the same.  Armundae…before…before I knew you, my life was filled with such sadness.  I felt I would never be truly happy, even when I had reason to be.  There was always something missing, a hole growing in my heart when I could not find love in anyone else.  When I met you, I knew immediately that we would be friends; everything about you made me happy; simply hearing your name makes my heart race…your sweet smile fills me with such joy and warmth.  I just know that without you, I’ll never be this happy again.  I’ll be left to a life that was never secure or joyful to begin with.  How can I face this and not weep as if mourning the death of someone I held dear?  I’ll be losing a part of my heart if I lose you Armundae…I—I love you, more than anything else in this world, and to lose you, will be the death of not just my happiness, but my heart.”

   As she finished speaking, using up the last of her final breath for those last few words, she exhaled the rest of it with a struggle, inhaling her next breath, only to expel it in a flood of silent tears, turning away from our father, trying to dry her eyes.

   She had confessed her love for him before our father could even begin to speak of his love for her, and a plethora of feelings flooded him at once; he was overjoyed to hear she felt the same feelings for him that he did for her, while at the same time he still needed to return his love, and more still, he needed to try and soothe her tears, seeing how deeply his departure had already affected her and would only deepen the pain in the future.

   It was almost as if our mother was weeping for multiple reasons; she was trembling, as if telling our father how she felt had taken a deep wealth of courage and strength, and now she was unraveling from the center into a bundle of nerves.  That was perhaps the main source of her tears, but of course, she was facing losing our father, maybe forever, as well as the possibility of him not returning the same feelings for her that she had just poured her heart out to show that she had for him.

   Our father, a small, but warm smile on his face, scooted up to our mother, wrapping his arms around her, and whispering, “Aww, Aerealei…please, don’t cry.”  She looked up at him, and though she was comforted by his words, his smile, even his heart beating in his chest as she rested her head against it, she found it impossible to stop the flood of tears from streaming down her face.  Instead, she simply glanced up at him, then closed her eyes, continuing to weep, and buried her face in the tuft of fur on his chest, keeping her head turned just so her ear could still hear his heartbeat since it comforted her so.

   It was alright; our father understood, for he felt the same love for her that she did for him, and thus he understood why she wept.  He tightened his embrace on her, gently but securely, resting his head on hers and murmuring, “Aerealei…it took a lot of strength to say that didn’t it?  I—I know that it did, because, I’ve had to search for the same courage to say the same to you, but, you proved how strong you really are in saying it first.  I do love you Aerealei, and, it fills my heart with such joy just to hear you feel the same, and return it with just as much affection.  So, you see, you’ll be alright, everything will be okay; I may have to leave for awhile, but, I’ll be back.  My leave may be shorter, but, we’ll find a way to be together…our hearts certainly brought us this far didn’t they?  I say we trust them and our love to show us the rest of the way, and one day, we’ll never have to be apart again.”

   That was it; his words cemented their love forever, guiding them through everything, good and bad times, bonding them together forever, and would hold them together in the afterlife.  Our mother, her trembling slowly subsiding, looked up at our father, her tears lessening, and a smile spreading across his face.  Our father returned her gaze, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.  Finally, our mother let out a soft and happy sigh and whispered, “I…love you too…Armundae, with all of my heart and all I’ll ever become.”

   She didn’t know it, but she was going to be our mother someday, but still, the two could feel a strong, lasting bond growing between them.  No matter what, this bond and love would never be broken; no matter what came their way, their love would never die.

   This was a good thing, because some of the most difficult times for them both would blossom like thorns on a newly bloomed rose.  In this case, the rose, sweet, red, and beautiful, was their love and the promise for happiness and life it represented, and the thorns, of course, represented the sacrifices, sufferings, and even tragedies, which would spring up to try and squelch or even kill it, just as real thorns did to a rose.

   Still, there were no thoughts of heartache or pain on this blissful eve.  That night, our parents confessed their love for each other, sealing it with a kiss, spending the rest of the evening cuddled by the lakeside under the soft light of the full moon, with the fireflies and reflected starlight twinkling around them as if they were in a fantastic dream.  The lake water looked like liquid silver in the light of the moon and stars and a soft, warm wind continued to blow until morning, when, as the sun rose, it died down, sweeping away the peace and happiness of the night before along with it.

   They walked together, hand in hand, to the edge of the woods where they first met.  As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the dimly lit silhouette of Angel Island could be seen in the distance, barely peeking over the northern horizon.  They gazed at it together, unsure of what to say in parting, but our father was the one who decided to speak.

   “Once I have talked things over with my friend, the Guardian, and spoken to the village elders about you, I shall return for you, and you can come with me to meet my kindred.  Perhaps, sharing the news of our love won’t be as difficult as we think,” our father started.  Looking to our mother, he smiled, turning to her and taking her other hand in his free one and continued, “We’ll be together again my fair Aerealei, and soon we’ll never have to be apart…I promise you.  There’s a bright future in store for us both, just as the warm light of a sunrise brings promise of hope in the new day.”

   Our mother was staring at the ground, trying to keep her composure and not cry anymore, for in such the short time she had known our father, she had given her heart to him, and now that he was leaving, even for a short time, he was taking part of her heart with him, and until they were back together, she would be restless, alone, and incomplete.  Yet, that same strength he spoke of the night before would see her through, as well as the love our father had for her, for just as in he was taking a piece of her heart with him, he was leaving a piece of his own behind to comfort and protect her.

   She looked up at him, able to smile, nodded and said, “I know Armundae…and while I will miss you terribly until the day you do return to me and Valordian fair, I—I shall be comforted in the knowledge that you will return, no matter how much time may span between now and then, or how many miles will separate us hence.”  She paused, then added, “I love you…take care of yourself Armundae.”

   This was it; it was the time the two of them had come to dread, but would have to accept anyway.  The fact that they now had each other’s love to comfort them would make it easier than if they had parted without admitting their feelings to each other, for now, it was all they would have.  Our father leaned forward and kissed our mother, and she returned it, before slowly pulling away, bowing as he did when the first met and whispered, “And I love you, with all my heart Lady Aerealei.”  As he stood up, he took her hand in his own, kissed it gently, and rubbed it, saying, “Hang in there until I return, for I will soon, I promise.”

   Our mother nodded, smiling bravely, and kissing him on the cheek one more time.  They both seemed almost unwilling to separate, but one step back turned into the road home for our father, who, on his journey back to Angel Island, was plagued with the occasional tear, and a lump forming in his throat as his stomach tied in knots.  It felt as if someone was ripping his heart out and stomping it flat.  Sure, he had found the courage to admit his feelings to our mother, but what he wouldn’t let her know, was he was deeply afraid of having to speak of these events to even his best friend, the Guardian.

   He was afraid he would be mocked and ridiculed, and possibly punished for such acts of folly, an area of jurisdiction he wasn’t sure the Guardian would want any part in dealing with after learning of this treachery, for as much as the hedgehogs were unwilling, and even hateful, of associating with echidnas, he was well aware that the echidnas would call such relations insulting to their kindred, and he would certainly be punished for it, never allowed to leave his post, or Angel Island, again.

   Our father was faced with a certain danger; there was a possibility that his friend, the Guardian, wouldn’t be able to help him, and should this prove true, he would have no one to help him when he had to explain himself and his actions to the village elders.  He was already on their bad list; they were angry enough with him already, for the father of the girl who’s love he turned down was one of them.  Should they find out that he finally gave his heart to someone, only to discover she was a hedgehog maiden, he would most likely receive the maximum punishment allowable for a Captain of the Guardian, and considering Captains had been exiled in the past, he was extremely frightened.

   For this reason, which would prove to help him in some ways and harm him in others, Armundae chose not to speak of his time with Aerealei to even his best friend and perhaps his strongest ally in helping him with his problems, the Guardian.  When he returned, he spoke as if he had made it to the Northern Kingdom and had a pleasurable visit, but still found no one he could connect with, and appeared ready to get back to his position as the Captain of the Guardian.  He made such light of his trip on the outside, and yet he was only hiding a growing overload of emotions in his heart.

   If he didn’t tell the Guardian about her, how could he possibly face the village elders in asking for her to have membership in their tribe?  It was such a confusing time for our father, and as he paced nervously around the Master Emerald at night, the Guardian gave a concerned eye to his friend, knowing something was writhing deep inside his heart, and he was fighting the urge to speak it.  Still, the Guardian would not mess with our father’s free will, and let it go, and as the days turned into weeks, our father grew more desperate to see our mother again and find the strength he needed to speak of their love to the Guardian, so they could take the steps to bring their love out into the open, but after he had taken two weeks off and extended trips in the past, he felt he had no right asking the Guardian for another leave, especially when the Guardian planned to father his first child, the new heir to the Guardianship, within the next few months.  Our father…was on his own.

   This is where keeping his love for our mother a secret would end up hurting him.  Instead of risking exposing this secret and taking punishment for it, our father instead opted to risk his livelihood in another way.  He decided to run away from Angel Island for a few days, and asked the other Captain, his distant cousin, for help, if not in such apparent need.  He told him that he was feeling sick and asked if he would cover his post for a few days.  The other Captain agreed, and also promised to cover for him should the Guardian or village elders come asking about him.

   So, our father ran away one night, leaving his post and returning to Valordian Forest where he met our mother again.  The reunion was joyful for them both, bringing both happiness and tears.  They spent two days together, laughing, talking, and planning their future.  Our father could only say he was still working things out with the echidnas, even lying a bit to our mother, but still saying he needed to find the strength to keep going with it.  Their love, so pure, sweet, and strong, renewed our father’s faith and courage again, and so he returned to Angel Island again, acting as if his health was now restored, and yet he still could not confess his doings to the Guardian.

   Again, our father was growing more and more anxious, doing more than pacing around the Master Emerald at night, when no one was watching to see this dishonorable dance while he was on post.  He barely got sleep, didn’t eat like he used to, and the Guardian began to worry more for his friend.  He realized maybe he had waited too long to confront him, and when he chose to, his worries were justified.

   Our father was guarding the Master Emerald alone that night, allowing the Guardian a while to sleep.  Some months had passed since our father had met our mother, and a few weeks still had gone by since he ran away to meet with her.  He could feel it in his heart, the need to run away and see her again, and planned to talk to the other Captain about it that next morning, but, the Guardian got to him first.

   He climbed the steps to the top of the Master Emerald’s Altar and raising his hand in greeting said, “Armundae, my friend, why do you pace so recklessly around the altar?  Why don’t you retire and get some rest?  You seem to be plagued with both fatigue and worry.  Is something bothering you?”

   These were simple enough questions, but our father, out of desperation, worry, fear, or even fatigue, sputtered, “Is it a crime to stretch one’s legs my friend?  I am not tired, and what could possibly be bothering my spirit on such a beautiful evening?”

   Stepping up to him, the Guardian replied, “No, it is not, but that is the question I just asked you.  I fear for your welfare my friend; surely you know my wife and I are expecting our first child, the new heir, very soon, and I’ll have need to be with them.  You shall have to step up and return the time away that I granted to you in the past, and you look as if you have something drawing away your focus from this objective.  Now speak to me honestly; what troubles you so?”

   It was never made clear what snapped in our father’s heart at that moment; he felt as if he couldn’t even trust his best friend anymore.  He let out a cry, almost loud enough to wake those closest to the altar, dropping his spear and backing in a run halfway down the steps.  He shouted, “Nothing!  You speak nonsense if you say my heart is in peril!  Just…stay your tongue and this madness this instant!”

   The Guardian, distressed at this panicked frenzy, took steps towards our father, extending his hand to him and saying, “Armundae, please…I am your friend.  I only want to help you.  There’s no need to get angry.”

   “If I’m angry it is your fault!” our father shouted.  He looked from side to side and cried, “I’ll be there for you my friend, but for now, understand my words and heed my cries; now is not the time for you to beckon me to reveal my feelings.  Not even you would be able to understand them!  Never; no one!”

   With that, our father bounded down the rest of the steps to the ground below, stopping long enough to grab his sword, Akrenar, and his daggers, Tempest and Twilight, before leaving Angel Island and running south into the starry twilight.  He ran constantly, faster than he ever had before, stopping only to rest when his tears overwhelmed him.  He wept, clutching the grass and earth below him like a child does to his baby blanket, just praying the echidnas wouldn’t try to follow him, for at this point, he didn’t care if he was exiled.  Now, he just didn’t want to be imprisoned.

   As the sun came up, our father took time to drink some water and eat some fruit before continuing the path back to Valordian Forest.  To avoid suspicion from the hedgehog tribe, he and Aerealei agreed that he would wait for her by the spring they met at until she arrived to get water from it, either to drink or wash her laundry and dishes in.  That morning, he met her as she washed her breakfast dishes.

   She looked up, seeing him standing there, smiling until she saw the distressed look on his face; as he fell to his knees, she knew something was wrong.  As she ran to him, she cried, “Armundae!  Oh Armundae, what ails you so?”

   He looked up to her as she hugged him, his eyes red and puffy and his cheeks stained with tears.  He murmured, “I can’t do it Aerealei…I can’t tell even my best friend about my love for you.  I’m deathly afraid that they shall imprison me there if they hear of such nonsense and treachery.  I cannot bear the thought to lose you forever…I just can’t.  I would much rather die.”

   “Oh Armundae…my dear…,” our mother started.  She hugged him tighter, sitting beside him and kissing him gently.  “I love you, and that’s all that’s important now.  You’re strong…you’ll be able to tell them.  Face your fears; remember, no matter what, we’ll be together in the end, and you know it.  Don’t let go of that promise and you’ll be able to tell them no matter what happens.”

   Our father looked at her, trying to smile, but still continued to weep.  Our mother knew she had to do her best to comfort him; she dried up her dishes, and risked getting in trouble with her own kindred by bringing our father to her home instead of the village leader’s cabana.  She snuck him in, and for the next three days and nights she did her best to encourage him and strengthen him, and our father began to heal.  He was renewed, healed by their love, and after the third night, our father was ready to go home and face his problems.

   Returning to Angel Island was difficult, but even as he was arrested by two of the village guards, he was unafraid, and kept a brave smile on his face, even as he was brought to the village elders, and most importantly, the Guardian, in order to explain himself.

   It was difficult, for this time, he would face them all alone, for after he argued with the Guardian, he wasn’t going to get any mercy on that end.  He stood before them, and after he was yelled at and demanded to explain himself, our father looked to them all, but kept his eyes fixed on the Guardian as he spoke and said, “The only way to explain my behavior…is this.  I’m in love.”  He paused, and at first this was well received, but our father, still brave and unwavering continued, “No, listen.  It’s not for you to rejoice in; only I find comfort in this, for she is not an echidna maiden.  She is Lady Aerealei, a hedgehog from Valordian Village.  I met her when I was supposed to go to the Northern Kingdom, but instead spent my days with her, and it is to her that I have given my heart, and my future.  So, you can go ahead and be outraged if you wish, but, you said I merely needed to find a wife to mother my children, the next Captain of my bloodline, and this is what I have done.  I now apologize for my behavior three nights ago, but will not apologize for loving her, no matter how it is seen wrong in your eyes.”

   A wave of gasps and muttered words came as our father spoke; the father of the girl our father rejected looked ill, and yet the only one who was silent after this was the Guardian, staring at his friend, not in disbelief, but in concern.  Our father then left the council chambers, picking up his spear, and then returning to his post as if nothing ever happened.

   That night, the Guardian approached him; nobody was speaking to our father, so he was used to the silence, but when the Guardian sat down beside him, this silence was broken.  He said, “My friend…I am happy you have found love…and yet, I mourn that you did not come to me with this sooner.  Why did you feel the need to keep from speaking of it to me?”

   Our father heaved a sigh and said, “For the same reason I said nothing to anyone else; the fear of rejection.  Already the elders are planning to have it so I can never leave here again, and force me to have but one child with some girl just to keep my father’s bloodline alive.  I have shamed my kindred, and yet she’s the only maiden I feel I could ever have a future with, and plan to keep it that way, even if I have to force myself into exile.  I apologize my friend; I will still cover for you when your child is born, for you can always count on me, this I promise.  I will protect you ‘til the death.”

   The Guardian looked to our father, his mouth slightly agape, and shook his head; “My friend…did you think I would let the village elders take out such a punishment on you?  No, love is never wrong, and while it may be a hard road ahead, I will help you until the end.  First, you have to keep your trust in our friendship.  I will help you and see about getting Miss Aerealei accepted into our tribe, for if you love her, and have promised your future to her, then this love will give you the child you seek, and everyone will just have to accept this.”

   Our father looked to the Guardian, tears falling from his eyes in a trickle; his voice was shaking, and he could only utter, “My…my friend…I’m sorry…Th—thank you.”

   The Guardian hugged our father tightly, comforting him as he wept.  He said, “Just, please, let me welcome my child to the world first, and then, we can handle this together.”

   That night, our father found acceptance for his love for our mother from his best friend, the Guardian, and the one who would help him immensely in the coming days.  In the few weeks before the Guardian’s son was born, relations between Armundae and the echidna tribe were healed, and the Guardian maintained his promise to help our father get Aerealei into the tribe.  However, even with such hope all around him, with the son of the Guardian, Hinsei Hidama, being born, and the possibility of getting Aerealei into the tribe, so he could marry her, a shadow was still over his path, and would present itself in the form of a letter, delivered by a wandering fox and his brother, addressed to “Armundae, Captain of the Guardian, of Angel Island.”

   Close to a month had passed since our father and mother last saw each other, and as our father was handed this letter that night, he was unsure of why she would decide to write to him now; however, the chilling words she wrote, would explain why it was so necessary, and urgent.

   “Armundae, my love, I’m in desperate need to see you again.  I know you have a commitment to your duties, and I know we both respect them, but, I—I need you, for now I’m all alone, and I’m scared.  My own tribe has gone against me, exiling me to a poorly built hut on the outskirts of our village.  I’m marked for death and treason in their eyes.  I need you badly Armundae…because…

   I—I’m pregnant Armundae, and now, they all know…that you, are the father.

   They threatened me for so long and when they threatened to beat me I finally caved and had to speak of our love, and reveal to them that you are the father; they have thrown me into this shoddy dwelling, and…they’re going to make me go through this alone.  I fear for our child…and I’m so scared Armundae.  I’m already breaking into tears as I write this.  Oh…Armundae, I know you have your duties, but please, don’t leave me here alone…I don’t know how long I can last.

   I love you with all my heart and all I’ll ever become, which now includes being the mother of your child, just remember that, no matter what happens.

   Much love, Aerealei.”

   Our father could only remember that after reading this, his knees went weak and buckled; standing on the edge of the altar proved dangerous, for as our father collapsed and fainted, he fell from the side, down to the ground, and almost broke his neck on the ground below.  He dislocated his shoulder, broke his ankle, and went unconscious, landing within inches of the home of the Guardian where he sat with his son Hidama and wife, and they were the first to see his near fatal fall.

   “Poor Armundae…something is wrong with Aerealei.  He needs our help,” the Guardian said, handing his son to his wife, and running from the house to help his friend, as others ran to help him.  He remained still, clutching her letter to his chest.  Of all the thorns growing on the rose of our parents’ love, this would prove to be the longest and most painful, and yet the one that would bear the most fruit once conquered.

Description
"Our Parents"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl

Adapted from the stories of Aranelion and Elianaron Brokenstar, as told to them by their mother, memories of their father, and their own personal knowledge.

Part 2: The Path to Follow

   Later that evening, our mother was able to sneak our father into the village leader’s private cabana on the edge of Valordian Lake.  They were up all night talking and laughing with one another, but still managed to get on their way after sunrise and a light breakfast.  Our father stayed in Valordian longer than he intended to, completely missing his trip to the Northern Kingdom, and at the same time, not caring much.  The entire purpose of the trip was, when it came down to it, to find someone he loved and could marry and have children with.  In our father’s mind, he had already done this, finding his heart’s dream realized in the love he had for our mother, Lady Aerealei.

   Of course, he couldn’t stay as long as he would have liked to, for while he was granted much longer of a stay than normal, he was only promised a two week leave before he was expected to return, and he knew it.  He promised the Guardian, his best friend, that he would be back after a two week departure, and as the eve of his last night with our mother finally arrived, he was determined to make the most of this final night with her.

   The two of them had grown awfully close within the past two weeks; our father always said it was the happiest he had ever been in his life; quote, “They were days more golden than those of my youth.  I had found happiness that no other paradise or treasure the world had to offer me could provide, save in the happiness I find in you my sons.  It saddened me swiftly to have leave her.  Was that not the purpose of my journey, to find my soul mate, and realize my heart’s true desire?  It was simply a matter of race; I could not just march into the middle of the village square with a hedgehog maiden on my arm, no matter how beautiful she was, even if it meant I was ready to settle down from my travels.  It would demand explanation, even to the point of explaining myself to my dear friend, the Guardian, for it would baffle him as much as the others.  I needed to set things up first before bringing this out into the open, and it involved explaining things to the Guardian so he would stand beside me when it came to begging the village elders to grant her membership in our tribe, so for that point in time, I had to leave her, and yet, my heart mourned, feeling the pain deeper than it ever had in all of my days in this world.”

   Our father Armundae was so happy, and yet he had to leave his happiness behind for a short time.  He knew it wouldn’t be easy to get our mother accepted into the Angel Island tribe, but he knew once he explained himself to his friend the Guardian, who held the final decisions in everything in the echidna culture that he would be able to bring her with him to Angel Island where the two could live out a happy life together; of course, this meant actually admitting his feelings to her first, and it was on this particular night that he did so, and received the best answer he could hope for in reply.

   Valordian Lake was the only place in the entire forest where the canopy opened up fully to the sky, allowing for sunlight, starlight, and moonlight to pour down onto the lake in abundance, reflected off the water, clear and smooth as glass, the reflected light twinkling gently as waves rippled over the surface of the water.  Fireflies twinkled above and through the reeds and plants that surrounded the lake’s edge for most of the way; crickets were chirping, and it was one of those simply heavenly nights, a gift to the wandering world, pleading for all life to pause in a collective breath of peaceful bliss, exhaled slowly as the puff of warm winds blowing through the air, breaking the stillness that overtook the land.

   It was this final night that our parents shared together that they chose to sit together beside the lake, sitting on a small pier in one of the few places the plants did not coat the lakeside.  Gazing up into the cloudless sky, our mother had a dream-lulled smile on her face, whereas our father, almost dreading having to leave her, stared blankly at the water below, watching the same stars as our mother, but with less vigor; he had much on his mind, too much to say, too little time to speak it, and not much courage to say it.

   Our father, normally an out-going soul with a fiery personality, the one behind every joyful word or laugh in his presence, was for once starved of conversation, unable to find the words to say, knowing full well what was in his heart, and simply worried he might never be able to let our mother know how he felt.  Still, as our mother always did, she did something for our father, and already, she could simply glance at him, and know that something was troubling him, doing her best to help him through it.

   “Armundae, dear,” she started, “Is something troubling you?  You’ve barely spoken a word since supper.  Are you alright?”

   She placed her hand on his own, and to this, and hearing her speak, our father slowly raised his head, gazing at her in silent wonder.  Every time he looked at her this outpouring of love and emotion flooded his heart and every inch of his soul and thought.  It was hard for him to feel troubled or plagued with worry and concern with all this warmth and happiness in his heart, and as such, it dissipated from him as he looked to her.  The warm smile returned to his face as he let out his breath.  He shook his head and murmured, “No, Aerealei, I was just pondering a few things is all.  I’ve had something on my mind for a little while and…it’s something I need to find resolution with before I leave you tomorrow.”

   The subject of his departure made our mother’s stomach feel like someone had tried to strangle it.  The last thing she wanted now was this dashing, sweet echidna warrior disappear forever, not after she had grown so close to him.  Scooting up closer to him she asked, “Does that mean…you’ll never come back to me…I mean, Valordian again Armundae?  Surely your dedication to your duty will hold you back from wandering for awhile.  I mourn such a possibility.”

   “What possibility?” our father asked, looking to her.  As she looked to him, he managed a weak smile and continued, “You mean that we’ll never see each other again.  I don’t think that’s something you’ll ever have to face my lady; if anything it’ll be a temporary separation.  I have every intention to return to you…and Valordian fair…now more than ever.”

   As our father returned his eyes to the lake, our mother let out a small gasp, glancing at the full moon, and asking, “Oh…well, I’m glad to hear that…for…it was a growing pain in my heart to think I would never see you again.  You are such a wonderful soul…it hurts to ponder the days beyond this, wandering these wide and lonely woods without you.”

   Our father took a deep breath, exhaling to slowly as he tried to relax his nerves.  He asked, “Does it, Aerealei?  Why do you now find such displeasure in such a wonderful home as this?  Will my absence spoil and stale the experience for you now?”

   “It won’t be the same!” our mother cried suddenly.  She looked to our father, tears now streaming down her face as our father looked to her slowly, his mouth opened slightly, his lips quivering, as he tried to fight back his own tears that were threatening to consume him.

   Poor mother, she wouldn’t hide her tears any longer.  She loved our father, and while they had only known each other a short time, she knew that he was the one she was born to be with; he was her soul mate, for he made her happy…he made her heart feel alive and overflowed her senses with such happiness and joy unlike she had ever felt before in her life.  To think that she was going to lose this happiness forever was like a death sentence for her soul; she would continue to live, but it would only be after she had realized the true desires of her heart, and was left with no choice but to abandon them.  It would be the death of her heart, soul, and happiness; she would never find such love and joy in anyone else.

   Our father turned to her, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other on one of her own hands, distressed at her tears.  He asked, “Aerealei?  Why do you weep?”

   She looked up to him, her eyes almost completely shut to suppress her tears; she shook her head, and whimpered, “If you leave me here to languish, it will never be the same.  Armundae…before…before I knew you, my life was filled with such sadness.  I felt I would never be truly happy, even when I had reason to be.  There was always something missing, a hole growing in my heart when I could not find love in anyone else.  When I met you, I knew immediately that we would be friends; everything about you made me happy; simply hearing your name makes my heart race…your sweet smile fills me with such joy and warmth.  I just know that without you, I’ll never be this happy again.  I’ll be left to a life that was never secure or joyful to begin with.  How can I face this and not weep as if mourning the death of someone I held dear?  I’ll be losing a part of my heart if I lose you Armundae…I—I love you, more than anything else in this world, and to lose you, will be the death of not just my happiness, but my heart.”

   As she finished speaking, using up the last of her final breath for those last few words, she exhaled the rest of it with a struggle, inhaling her next breath, only to expel it in a flood of silent tears, turning away from our father, trying to dry her eyes.

   She had confessed her love for him before our father could even begin to speak of his love for her, and a plethora of feelings flooded him at once; he was overjoyed to hear she felt the same feelings for him that he did for her, while at the same time he still needed to return his love, and more still, he needed to try and soothe her tears, seeing how deeply his departure had already affected her and would only deepen the pain in the future.

   It was almost as if our mother was weeping for multiple reasons; she was trembling, as if telling our father how she felt had taken a deep wealth of courage and strength, and now she was unraveling from the center into a bundle of nerves.  That was perhaps the main source of her tears, but of course, she was facing losing our father, maybe forever, as well as the possibility of him not returning the same feelings for her that she had just poured her heart out to show that she had for him.

   Our father, a small, but warm smile on his face, scooted up to our mother, wrapping his arms around her, and whispering, “Aww, Aerealei…please, don’t cry.”  She looked up at him, and though she was comforted by his words, his smile, even his heart beating in his chest as she rested her head against it, she found it impossible to stop the flood of tears from streaming down her face.  Instead, she simply glanced up at him, then closed her eyes, continuing to weep, and buried her face in the tuft of fur on his chest, keeping her head turned just so her ear could still hear his heartbeat since it comforted her so.

   It was alright; our father understood, for he felt the same love for her that she did for him, and thus he understood why she wept.  He tightened his embrace on her, gently but securely, resting his head on hers and murmuring, “Aerealei…it took a lot of strength to say that didn’t it?  I—I know that it did, because, I’ve had to search for the same courage to say the same to you, but, you proved how strong you really are in saying it first.  I do love you Aerealei, and, it fills my heart with such joy just to hear you feel the same, and return it with just as much affection.  So, you see, you’ll be alright, everything will be okay; I may have to leave for awhile, but, I’ll be back.  My leave may be shorter, but, we’ll find a way to be together…our hearts certainly brought us this far didn’t they?  I say we trust them and our love to show us the rest of the way, and one day, we’ll never have to be apart again.”

   That was it; his words cemented their love forever, guiding them through everything, good and bad times, bonding them together forever, and would hold them together in the afterlife.  Our mother, her trembling slowly subsiding, looked up at our father, her tears lessening, and a smile spreading across his face.  Our father returned her gaze, wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.  Finally, our mother let out a soft and happy sigh and whispered, “I…love you too…Armundae, with all of my heart and all I’ll ever become.”

   She didn’t know it, but she was going to be our mother someday, but still, the two could feel a strong, lasting bond growing between them.  No matter what, this bond and love would never be broken; no matter what came their way, their love would never die.

   This was a good thing, because some of the most difficult times for them both would blossom like thorns on a newly bloomed rose.  In this case, the rose, sweet, red, and beautiful, was their love and the promise for happiness and life it represented, and the thorns, of course, represented the sacrifices, sufferings, and even tragedies, which would spring up to try and squelch or even kill it, just as real thorns did to a rose.

   Still, there were no thoughts of heartache or pain on this blissful eve.  That night, our parents confessed their love for each other, sealing it with a kiss, spending the rest of the evening cuddled by the lakeside under the soft light of the full moon, with the fireflies and reflected starlight twinkling around them as if they were in a fantastic dream.  The lake water looked like liquid silver in the light of the moon and stars and a soft, warm wind continued to blow until morning, when, as the sun rose, it died down, sweeping away the peace and happiness of the night before along with it.

   They walked together, hand in hand, to the edge of the woods where they first met.  As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the dimly lit silhouette of Angel Island could be seen in the distance, barely peeking over the northern horizon.  They gazed at it together, unsure of what to say in parting, but our father was the one who decided to speak.

   “Once I have talked things over with my friend, the Guardian, and spoken to the village elders about you, I shall return for you, and you can come with me to meet my kindred.  Perhaps, sharing the news of our love won’t be as difficult as we think,” our father started.  Looking to our mother, he smiled, turning to her and taking her other hand in his free one and continued, “We’ll be together again my fair Aerealei, and soon we’ll never have to be apart…I promise you.  There’s a bright future in store for us both, just as the warm light of a sunrise brings promise of hope in the new day.”

   Our mother was staring at the ground, trying to keep her composure and not cry anymore, for in such the short time she had known our father, she had given her heart to him, and now that he was leaving, even for a short time, he was taking part of her heart with him, and until they were back together, she would be restless, alone, and incomplete.  Yet, that same strength he spoke of the night before would see her through, as well as the love our father had for her, for just as in he was taking a piece of her heart with him, he was leaving a piece of his own behind to comfort and protect her.

   She looked up at him, able to smile, nodded and said, “I know Armundae…and while I will miss you terribly until the day you do return to me and Valordian fair, I—I shall be comforted in the knowledge that you will return, no matter how much time may span between now and then, or how many miles will separate us hence.”  She paused, then added, “I love you…take care of yourself Armundae.”

   This was it; it was the time the two of them had come to dread, but would have to accept anyway.  The fact that they now had each other’s love to comfort them would make it easier than if they had parted without admitting their feelings to each other, for now, it was all they would have.  Our father leaned forward and kissed our mother, and she returned it, before slowly pulling away, bowing as he did when the first met and whispered, “And I love you, with all my heart Lady Aerealei.”  As he stood up, he took her hand in his own, kissed it gently, and rubbed it, saying, “Hang in there until I return, for I will soon, I promise.”

   Our mother nodded, smiling bravely, and kissing him on the cheek one more time.  They both seemed almost unwilling to separate, but one step back turned into the road home for our father, who, on his journey back to Angel Island, was plagued with the occasional tear, and a lump forming in his throat as his stomach tied in knots.  It felt as if someone was ripping his heart out and stomping it flat.  Sure, he had found the courage to admit his feelings to our mother, but what he wouldn’t let her know, was he was deeply afraid of having to speak of these events to even his best friend, the Guardian.

   He was afraid he would be mocked and ridiculed, and possibly punished for such acts of folly, an area of jurisdiction he wasn’t sure the Guardian would want any part in dealing with after learning of this treachery, for as much as the hedgehogs were unwilling, and even hateful, of associating with echidnas, he was well aware that the echidnas would call such relations insulting to their kindred, and he would certainly be punished for it, never allowed to leave his post, or Angel Island, again.

   Our father was faced with a certain danger; there was a possibility that his friend, the Guardian, wouldn’t be able to help him, and should this prove true, he would have no one to help him when he had to explain himself and his actions to the village elders.  He was already on their bad list; they were angry enough with him already, for the father of the girl who’s love he turned down was one of them.  Should they find out that he finally gave his heart to someone, only to discover she was a hedgehog maiden, he would most likely receive the maximum punishment allowable for a Captain of the Guardian, and considering Captains had been exiled in the past, he was extremely frightened.

   For this reason, which would prove to help him in some ways and harm him in others, Armundae chose not to speak of his time with Aerealei to even his best friend and perhaps his strongest ally in helping him with his problems, the Guardian.  When he returned, he spoke as if he had made it to the Northern Kingdom and had a pleasurable visit, but still found no one he could connect with, and appeared ready to get back to his position as the Captain of the Guardian.  He made such light of his trip on the outside, and yet he was only hiding a growing overload of emotions in his heart.

   If he didn’t tell the Guardian about her, how could he possibly face the village elders in asking for her to have membership in their tribe?  It was such a confusing time for our father, and as he paced nervously around the Master Emerald at night, the Guardian gave a concerned eye to his friend, knowing something was writhing deep inside his heart, and he was fighting the urge to speak it.  Still, the Guardian would not mess with our father’s free will, and let it go, and as the days turned into weeks, our father grew more desperate to see our mother again and find the strength he needed to speak of their love to the Guardian, so they could take the steps to bring their love out into the open, but after he had taken two weeks off and extended trips in the past, he felt he had no right asking the Guardian for another leave, especially when the Guardian planned to father his first child, the new heir to the Guardianship, within the next few months.  Our father…was on his own.

   This is where keeping his love for our mother a secret would end up hurting him.  Instead of risking exposing this secret and taking punishment for it, our father instead opted to risk his livelihood in another way.  He decided to run away from Angel Island for a few days, and asked the other Captain, his distant cousin, for help, if not in such apparent need.  He told him that he was feeling sick and asked if he would cover his post for a few days.  The other Captain agreed, and also promised to cover for him should the Guardian or village elders come asking about him.

   So, our father ran away one night, leaving his post and returning to Valordian Forest where he met our mother again.  The reunion was joyful for them both, bringing both happiness and tears.  They spent two days together, laughing, talking, and planning their future.  Our father could only say he was still working things out with the echidnas, even lying a bit to our mother, but still saying he needed to find the strength to keep going with it.  Their love, so pure, sweet, and strong, renewed our father’s faith and courage again, and so he returned to Angel Island again, acting as if his health was now restored, and yet he still could not confess his doings to the Guardian.

   Again, our father was growing more and more anxious, doing more than pacing around the Master Emerald at night, when no one was watching to see this dishonorable dance while he was on post.  He barely got sleep, didn’t eat like he used to, and the Guardian began to worry more for his friend.  He realized maybe he had waited too long to confront him, and when he chose to, his worries were justified.

   Our father was guarding the Master Emerald alone that night, allowing the Guardian a while to sleep.  Some months had passed since our father had met our mother, and a few weeks still had gone by since he ran away to meet with her.  He could feel it in his heart, the need to run away and see her again, and planned to talk to the other Captain about it that next morning, but, the Guardian got to him first.

   He climbed the steps to the top of the Master Emerald’s Altar and raising his hand in greeting said, “Armundae, my friend, why do you pace so recklessly around the altar?  Why don’t you retire and get some rest?  You seem to be plagued with both fatigue and worry.  Is something bothering you?”

   These were simple enough questions, but our father, out of desperation, worry, fear, or even fatigue, sputtered, “Is it a crime to stretch one’s legs my friend?  I am not tired, and what could possibly be bothering my spirit on such a beautiful evening?”

   Stepping up to him, the Guardian replied, “No, it is not, but that is the question I just asked you.  I fear for your welfare my friend; surely you know my wife and I are expecting our first child, the new heir, very soon, and I’ll have need to be with them.  You shall have to step up and return the time away that I granted to you in the past, and you look as if you have something drawing away your focus from this objective.  Now speak to me honestly; what troubles you so?”

   It was never made clear what snapped in our father’s heart at that moment; he felt as if he couldn’t even trust his best friend anymore.  He let out a cry, almost loud enough to wake those closest to the altar, dropping his spear and backing in a run halfway down the steps.  He shouted, “Nothing!  You speak nonsense if you say my heart is in peril!  Just…stay your tongue and this madness this instant!”

   The Guardian, distressed at this panicked frenzy, took steps towards our father, extending his hand to him and saying, “Armundae, please…I am your friend.  I only want to help you.  There’s no need to get angry.”

   “If I’m angry it is your fault!” our father shouted.  He looked from side to side and cried, “I’ll be there for you my friend, but for now, understand my words and heed my cries; now is not the time for you to beckon me to reveal my feelings.  Not even you would be able to understand them!  Never; no one!”

   With that, our father bounded down the rest of the steps to the ground below, stopping long enough to grab his sword, Akrenar, and his daggers, Tempest and Twilight, before leaving Angel Island and running south into the starry twilight.  He ran constantly, faster than he ever had before, stopping only to rest when his tears overwhelmed him.  He wept, clutching the grass and earth below him like a child does to his baby blanket, just praying the echidnas wouldn’t try to follow him, for at this point, he didn’t care if he was exiled.  Now, he just didn’t want to be imprisoned.

   As the sun came up, our father took time to drink some water and eat some fruit before continuing the path back to Valordian Forest.  To avoid suspicion from the hedgehog tribe, he and Aerealei agreed that he would wait for her by the spring they met at until she arrived to get water from it, either to drink or wash her laundry and dishes in.  That morning, he met her as she washed her breakfast dishes.

   She looked up, seeing him standing there, smiling until she saw the distressed look on his face; as he fell to his knees, she knew something was wrong.  As she ran to him, she cried, “Armundae!  Oh Armundae, what ails you so?”

   He looked up to her as she hugged him, his eyes red and puffy and his cheeks stained with tears.  He murmured, “I can’t do it Aerealei…I can’t tell even my best friend about my love for you.  I’m deathly afraid that they shall imprison me there if they hear of such nonsense and treachery.  I cannot bear the thought to lose you forever…I just can’t.  I would much rather die.”

   “Oh Armundae…my dear…,” our mother started.  She hugged him tighter, sitting beside him and kissing him gently.  “I love you, and that’s all that’s important now.  You’re strong…you’ll be able to tell them.  Face your fears; remember, no matter what, we’ll be together in the end, and you know it.  Don’t let go of that promise and you’ll be able to tell them no matter what happens.”

   Our father looked at her, trying to smile, but still continued to weep.  Our mother knew she had to do her best to comfort him; she dried up her dishes, and risked getting in trouble with her own kindred by bringing our father to her home instead of the village leader’s cabana.  She snuck him in, and for the next three days and nights she did her best to encourage him and strengthen him, and our father began to heal.  He was renewed, healed by their love, and after the third night, our father was ready to go home and face his problems.

   Returning to Angel Island was difficult, but even as he was arrested by two of the village guards, he was unafraid, and kept a brave smile on his face, even as he was brought to the village elders, and most importantly, the Guardian, in order to explain himself.

   It was difficult, for this time, he would face them all alone, for after he argued with the Guardian, he wasn’t going to get any mercy on that end.  He stood before them, and after he was yelled at and demanded to explain himself, our father looked to them all, but kept his eyes fixed on the Guardian as he spoke and said, “The only way to explain my behavior…is this.  I’m in love.”  He paused, and at first this was well received, but our father, still brave and unwavering continued, “No, listen.  It’s not for you to rejoice in; only I find comfort in this, for she is not an echidna maiden.  She is Lady Aerealei, a hedgehog from Valordian Village.  I met her when I was supposed to go to the Northern Kingdom, but instead spent my days with her, and it is to her that I have given my heart, and my future.  So, you can go ahead and be outraged if you wish, but, you said I merely needed to find a wife to mother my children, the next Captain of my bloodline, and this is what I have done.  I now apologize for my behavior three nights ago, but will not apologize for loving her, no matter how it is seen wrong in your eyes.”

   A wave of gasps and muttered words came as our father spoke; the father of the girl our father rejected looked ill, and yet the only one who was silent after this was the Guardian, staring at his friend, not in disbelief, but in concern.  Our father then left the council chambers, picking up his spear, and then returning to his post as if nothing ever happened.

   That night, the Guardian approached him; nobody was speaking to our father, so he was used to the silence, but when the Guardian sat down beside him, this silence was broken.  He said, “My friend…I am happy you have found love…and yet, I mourn that you did not come to me with this sooner.  Why did you feel the need to keep from speaking of it to me?”

   Our father heaved a sigh and said, “For the same reason I said nothing to anyone else; the fear of rejection.  Already the elders are planning to have it so I can never leave here again, and force me to have but one child with some girl just to keep my father’s bloodline alive.  I have shamed my kindred, and yet she’s the only maiden I feel I could ever have a future with, and plan to keep it that way, even if I have to force myself into exile.  I apologize my friend; I will still cover for you when your child is born, for you can always count on me, this I promise.  I will protect you ‘til the death.”

   The Guardian looked to our father, his mouth slightly agape, and shook his head; “My friend…did you think I would let the village elders take out such a punishment on you?  No, love is never wrong, and while it may be a hard road ahead, I will help you until the end.  First, you have to keep your trust in our friendship.  I will help you and see about getting Miss Aerealei accepted into our tribe, for if you love her, and have promised your future to her, then this love will give you the child you seek, and everyone will just have to accept this.”

   Our father looked to the Guardian, tears falling from his eyes in a trickle; his voice was shaking, and he could only utter, “My…my friend…I’m sorry…Th—thank you.”

   The Guardian hugged our father tightly, comforting him as he wept.  He said, “Just, please, let me welcome my child to the world first, and then, we can handle this together.”

   That night, our father found acceptance for his love for our mother from his best friend, the Guardian, and the one who would help him immensely in the coming days.  In the few weeks before the Guardian’s son was born, relations between Armundae and the echidna tribe were healed, and the Guardian maintained his promise to help our father get Aerealei into the tribe.  However, even with such hope all around him, with the son of the Guardian, Hinsei Hidama, being born, and the possibility of getting Aerealei into the tribe, so he could marry her, a shadow was still over his path, and would present itself in the form of a letter, delivered by a wandering fox and his brother, addressed to “Armundae, Captain of the Guardian, of Angel Island.”

   Close to a month had passed since our father and mother last saw each other, and as our father was handed this letter that night, he was unsure of why she would decide to write to him now; however, the chilling words she wrote, would explain why it was so necessary, and urgent.

   “Armundae, my love, I’m in desperate need to see you again.  I know you have a commitment to your duties, and I know we both respect them, but, I—I need you, for now I’m all alone, and I’m scared.  My own tribe has gone against me, exiling me to a poorly built hut on the outskirts of our village.  I’m marked for death and treason in their eyes.  I need you badly Armundae…because…

   I—I’m pregnant Armundae, and now, they all know…that you, are the father.

   They threatened me for so long and when they threatened to beat me I finally caved and had to speak of our love, and reveal to them that you are the father; they have thrown me into this shoddy dwelling, and…they’re going to make me go through this alone.  I fear for our child…and I’m so scared Armundae.  I’m already breaking into tears as I write this.  Oh…Armundae, I know you have your duties, but please, don’t leave me here alone…I don’t know how long I can last.

   I love you with all my heart and all I’ll ever become, which now includes being the mother of your child, just remember that, no matter what happens.

   Much love, Aerealei.”

   Our father could only remember that after reading this, his knees went weak and buckled; standing on the edge of the altar proved dangerous, for as our father collapsed and fainted, he fell from the side, down to the ground, and almost broke his neck on the ground below.  He dislocated his shoulder, broke his ankle, and went unconscious, landing within inches of the home of the Guardian where he sat with his son Hidama and wife, and they were the first to see his near fatal fall.

   “Poor Armundae…something is wrong with Aerealei.  He needs our help,” the Guardian said, handing his son to his wife, and running from the house to help his friend, as others ran to help him.  He remained still, clutching her letter to his chest.  Of all the thorns growing on the rose of our parents’ love, this would prove to be the longest and most painful, and yet the one that would bear the most fruit once conquered.