A/N: I'm sorry if I messed up anything related to technology, the time period which it takes place in is so awkward.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Izetta: The Last Witch.

"I order you..." Finé choked as she was unable to continue. If she did, she would basically be sending Izetta on a suicide mission. It was not that she did not worry every time Izetta was sent on a mission, her body was still human and could die if a shot connected just right. However, Izetta had always been confident in her abilities in combat, telling her that she could do whatever was asked of her. For her to admit that she might die, Finé genuinely believed that the chance was there.

It was a risk she was not willing to take, not after they had become girlfriends following their magical ride where Izetta was finally convinced that Finé loved her. She loved her purely for being herself, it had nothing to do with magic or anything else in the world. Finé was completely wrecked when she saw how completely battered and broken Izetta was after facing off against Sophie, or more accurately, the power of the Magic Stone. The fall or future of Elystadt was not on her mind, the thought of Izetta being in so much pain drowned all the others out.

It was needless to say how she felt when she found out Izetta could not use her legs anymore. Now Izetta was asking her to tell her to go to her death. Rather, a gamble but one which had a loss Finé did not want at any cost. She sucked in a breath, trying to steel herself to do it anyway. Even if Izetta was her number one, she still had a duty to her people. It was trait Izetta loved about her, if she rejected her country or the world in favour of Izetta, she would be disappointed. "You..."

All this time, despite Finé clasping onto Izetta and sobbing, Izetta had not moved an inch. She maintained her stance of undying loyalty, trust and conviction for Finé. Finé just realised this and the meaning of it. She was not telling her that she could die, she was showing her determination to put her life on the line for Finé and wanted her to acknowledge it. With such beliefs, Finé had no reason to deny or doubt her. If it was possible, she pulled Izetta even closer. She breathed in again to compose herself and after a few breaths finally stopped shaking.

"As the Archduchess of Elystadt, I order you to fight as my witch and end it all," she whispered in a barely audible voice. Izetta smiled as the fragments of hesitation she had vanished instantly. With Finé's blessings, she would give her everything and more into this final battle. Nothing else mattered anymore, her lover recognised her wishes and her strength. She knew if, when she won, Finé would be waiting for her to come back. Finé pulled away from her but kept her hands on her shoulders. Izetta looked at Finé as her forehead approached hers. As they touched, Finé closed her eyes and the final tears rolled down from her eyes.

"As Ortfiné Fredericka von Elystadt, I want you to promise me, that you'll..." she paused as her voice cracked. Failing to collect herself after a few seconds, she continued anyway. "Come back alive. Please, Izetta, my love." Izetta instantly dropped the broom and wrapped her arms around Finé. For now, she was not living as a witch but as a girl who finally found her worth and somebody who cherished her more than anything in the world. She was so happy she could cry but held it in. There was time for that when she came back victorious.

"Okay, Finé."

"Even you couldn't survive a single magical blast of this size, could you?" That had been a ruse although it was true. By threatening Sophie with a deadly attack, she had no other choice but to gather her own magical bomb or perish. With the two halves of the Magic Stone absorbing the magic from the leylines, Izetta did not have to torture herself for as long. Still, the pain was so overwhelming that her body trembled. She wanted to curl up and cry, stop tormenting herself and go to sleep with Finé. However, this was all for Finé herself. She would go to her death with a smile. She would do anything for Finé just to make her life better. With renewed strength she grit her teeth and continued channelling.

The two red masses continued to gain in size until they finally touched. A bright light flashed from the contact point. They were starting to combine and reach critical mass. Sophie could not hold out any longer and dropped out of the sky, her consciousness and life following suit. 'I'm happy,' Izetta thought to herself as she started to dissolve the magic. With Sophie down for good and all the magic in the world concentrated at her fingertips, all that was left was to unleash it. There would be no more witches and humans would live without the interference of magic.

'Because I can end things with a smile.' This was it. Her mission was accomplished successfully. This was the final task of the Witch of Elystadt, the end of everything related to magic. She did not have to fight anymore and she was satisfied. The world would become a better place for everyone, for Finé. 'You see, Finé?' The magic exploded towards space, never to be seen again. The shock waves hurled Izetta far away but she was too hurt and tired to care. 'I did it, Finé.'

Finé. For Finé. Everything was for Finé. To make her happier. In that case, Izetta was not done yet. She had no strength left, her body was pushed to its absolute limit and she was seconds away from blacking out. However, she had confidence in her magic, the one thing that had always been with her. She had mastered the art since young but never saw it as a tool. It was her comrade which she held dear, even able to give it verbal commands like "Everyone!" and it would rush to her side.

Now she was getting rid of it. The thought pained her at first when she came up with this plan but when she could think of nothing else, she resigned herself. She formed a magic gem in her hand, closed he eyes that started to well and lowered her head. She did the only thing she could, "I'm sorry," she apologised. Serving under Izetta for so long, it was as if her magic had gained a conscience itself. Izetta would never receive its reply but it understood Izetta. It did not blame her in the slightest. If its master would be better off without it, it would leave without hesitation or regrets.

The rifle, now slowed to a stop, which Izetta rode was supercharged with all the magic that passed through it during the mass gathering just now. With blood dripping out if her mouth, she leaned forward until her whole body was resting on it. "Please..." she croaked out with the last dregs of her strength. Nothing in her body seemed to function anymore. The rest of her words were lost in her mind as darkness consumed it. 'Save me. Bring me back to Finé.'

That was enough. Based on that one word, the rifle understood its duty. Without Izetta pumping magic into it, its magical power was running out fast even though it had a greater reservoir than usual. It did a rough scan of the area below, trying to find a mass that was not water. It did not require precision like when Izetta needed it to form a shield from swords, it just needed something solid to offload its owner. Locating the nearest landmass, the rifle started to glide towards it.

Approaching the land, it bumped into the edge of the island, causing Izetta to jolt forward due to inertia and landing flat on the ground. With the lower half of its body submerged by the surrounding water, the rifle rocked back and forth on the brink as the waves came. It cocked a shot, using the smallest amount of energy needed to cause the bullet to glow. Then it waited, waited and waited. Magic had no sense of time so it did not know how long it waited but it just did, holding off until the last possible moment. It was when it was on its last legs, when it knew any longer would cause its fumes of magic to be insufficient to fire the bullet that the trigger was finally pulled.

It was not that long but with each second the chance of a rescue crew coming for her increased. It just took the best chance it had to launch a flare for others to locate her. With the recoil, the rifle jerked into the ocean where it sank to the bottom. 'Farewell, my master.'

The yellowish-green energy lit up the sky as the magic blasted itself into space. Finé saw this and realised what it meant. Izetta had carried out her plan to completion. Her knees buckled and she sank to the ground from the magnitude of the situation. Every time Izetta was on the battlefield, she was far away and worried for her safety with every fibre of her being. Now that she actually saw upfront the danger that Izetta faced alone it chilled her to the bone. She genuinely thought that Izetta had died. She completely lost control and broke down, bawling uncontrollably without a single coherent word coming out. All her memories of Izetta came flooding back to her and with each flash, her body was wracked with anguish.

"Okay, Finé." Her eyes burst open as she took in a sharp gasp of air and her voice stopped. It was the last thing Izetta said to her last night on the mountaintop. She had promised to come back, alive. Tears still flowing out of her eyes, she scrambled on all fours to Redford who was looking down sullenly. This act shocked Bianca, who was holding Finé moments ago, that she just stared in disbelief while holding onto thin air and not moving at all.

Finé grabbed Redford's hand with both of hers and pleaded with her trembling voice, "Please, Lord Redford." A sob interrupted her but she continued even faster, "Please, send your men there." She closed her eyes and lowered her head despite being unable to stop shaking. "I beg you..." Redford was appalled at the sight and what he was hearing. Ortfiné Fredericka von Elystadt was begging somebody while crawling on the ground? Finé took in one last quick breath before screaming at the top of her lungs, perhaps willing God to hear it, "Save Izetta!"

No words could describe how dumbstruck Bianca was. She blinked multiple times, trying to dispel what she thought was an illusion. The Archduchess was basically grovelling in front of all these people, throwing away her pride that she had maintained for all her life. Even when the Germania soldiers threatened to torch the bunker and everybody in it, she only bowed slightly and pleaded while standing. She did not care about anything now, just the one she loved. Bianca let her arms fall to her side, kneeled squarely and both knees and closed her eyes as she realised it. For Finé, nothing could compare to Izetta.

Redford was still speechless as he processed what the Archduchess was doing right before his feet. He could only say the first thing that crossed his mind. "I-isn't," he stammered, "she dead?"

"She's alive!" Finé howled back as though it was the universal truth. "She's going to die if nobody saves her!" With that, she broke down again, unable to stop the torrent of tears and sobs. Elystadt had no more machines or ground to maintain them when Germania took over so her only hope of anybody getting there quickly was from a nearby country. 'Why won't somebody do something?!'

"Okay, okay," Redford coaxed her. As he used his free hand to retrieve his phone, Finé let go of the other, too distraught to express her gratitude. Dialling his air force, he was surprised by what came through when the line connected. Engines were roaring. "What's happening?! Where's the boss?!" he shouted as he tried to make himself be heard. Finé blinked and looked up towards Redford, wondering why he was screaming.

"'The Britannian Air Force would forever by disgraced if we abandoned a lady!' was what he roared before running out," the operator articulated powerfully. "A bomber has a search and rescue party aboard and its just about to launch. A helicopter is taking off seconds behind while a second bomber is starting up. He's really got the men fired up to save the White Witch!" Redford could sense his morale peaking over the line although Germania's witch had crushed them and forced them to give up so much land. He was almost disappointed that this was their reason why their spirit had come back stronger than ever.

"Seeker squad, status check." His hand was on the throttle, just raring to go once the final checks were clear.

The search and rescue members checked their seatbelts and that their equipment and parachute were strapped to them. "Seeker one, clear."

"Seeker two, clear."

"Seeker three, clear."

"Seeker four, clear."

"Tower, this is Hive one. Crew check clear. Are we clear for launch?" His grip on the throttle tightened, one last line and they would be off.

"Hive one, clear!"

"Hang tight you guys!" Groman shouted hysterically as he rammed the throttle forward, triggering the afterburner straight away. The engines made their distinct roar as their one hundred percent was activated, all heard by Redford. He slowly used his thumb to disengage the call and let his hand fall to his side. He looked at Finé and blinked once.

"They're already on their way," he informed in a matter of factly tone. Finé could only cover her tear smeared face with both hands as she wept in relieve.

"Thank you..." she managed to choke out. "Thank you so much."

It was a small glint in the vast sea of blue, yellow and green. However, it was big enough that it could not escape their trained eyes. By squinting, they could see a faint line of the path the bullet took. Tracing it back to the ground, they saw a white figure collapsed on the sand. It was a whole lot easier than they imagined, being given a makeshift flare to follow. They did not question why or how, only unbuckling their seatbelts to get ready for the jump.

Seekers one and two stood up and took their position over the door, all the while keeping track of their target. "We're in the drop zone boys!" That was the queue to go and the door was flung open. Seeker one immediately leapt out and arrowed himself to the white dot. His setup was the lightest, bringing only water and first aid. It was his job to get to the victim as fast as possible and provide emergency relief so his manoeuvrability was the highest.

Seeker two followed soon after, carrying a much bigger set that contained a stretcher, food and equipment needed to secure the victim to the cables the helicopter would be dropping. Groman circled around for a bit, trying to find where he could land and take off again. The best case for them was if they loaded her and immediately went back, saving precious time as it was much faster than the helicopter. Alas, he could not find a suitable stretch for the aircraft to build up speed so he radioed the helicopter and passed on the coordinates. Seekers three and four remained inside, they were the backup.

As soon as Seeker one landed, he ran over to Izetta, threw his bag to the side nearby and took out the flare gun. Just moving towards her had given him the information needed for this mission. Loading it with a green round, he shot it to the sky and the trail lingered for far longer and stronger than the previous indicator. She was ready for extraction, no backup or change in location was required. He then turned her over to examine her wounds. Looking at how her body lay, he knew that her insides were broken or ruptured. However, his fingers over her wrist and nose near her mouth told him the most important thing. She was alive. He gently put her in the recovery position and did what little he could as he external injuries were minor.

Seeker two showed up seconds later and set up the stretcher instantly. "Code one," Seeker one informed as he came over to help set up the ropes and carabiners. Seeker two grimaced, it meant life hanging by a thread but there was nothing they could do about it. He exhaled deeply and continued, now both of them softly placing her on the stretcher. At least it was not code zero, dead. As soon as the helicopter arrived above them their expert fingers connected the cables rapidly and lifted her onto the main bay. As soon as the door was closed the pilot put the pedal to the metal.

Without any magic left, Germania had no more grounds for their terms so the meeting ended swiftly. As Redford got up to return to the aircraft that would take him back to Britannia, he turned to face Finé who had not said another word the entire time, only blankly looking at her hands in her lap. "Seats for two?"

"Please, Bianca answered on her behalf as she bowed a little. They had found Sieg's body so there was no need for any other arrangements. Finé's mind was clearly still preoccupied with Izetta's status. They got new of recovering her but the description of her condition was ghastly to say the least. When Bianca informed Finé of Sieg's death, she just replied with a monotone, "Oh, okay." Her thoughts were completely filled with Izetta, anxious if she would make it to the hospital, worried that she suffered irreversible damage.

Now they were in a car that was driving towards the hospital. Finé had no way of knowing what was happening, Izetta had been in the operating room for hours. Finé just stared into nothingness the whole time, behaving like a zombie as she did when she was in the aircraft. Bianca just shifted her eyes between Finé, the road and the chauffeur, unable to think of the appropriate action. At long last, the vehicle stopped. "We're here."

The left door flung open as Finé got out, not missing a beat. Her feet stepped in front of each other in perfect rhythm as she was just shy of running. Bianca quickly went out the same way as her, just thanking the driver with, "We'll be long, we'll call you to bring us to the hotel if needed." As the last word left her mouth the door closed behind her and she jogged to catch up. When she did, Finé had already gotten where the room Izetta was in and was waiting for the elevator. "Archduchess, you should get some sleep when we reach the waiting area, I'll keep watch," she suggested.

"Do you not know how much pain my heart is in?" Finé hissed back as her eyes darted to Bianca. Bianca backed off a little from just how much venom was in her voice, never had she heard Finé speaking like this. She could be fierce or enraged but this was just malicious. Finé blinked and her pupils moved to face the floor now. "Just like I don't know how much agony she's in, or how she's fighting tooth and nail for her life." They remained in silence until the ding of the elevator finally arrived. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped," she apologised softly as she stepped into it.

"Ah, no..." Bianca tried to assure her as she followed in.

"You can get some sleep first," Finé said as she pressed the button. "I'll sleep eventually, but I just can't so soon." The doors closed while Bianca just replied with the only way she knew how.

"Yes, Archduchess."

The door creaked as the surgeons finally left the room. It was a very soft sound but it was enough to jolt Finé who was on the verge of dozing off. Adrenaline kicked in again as her eyes shot open, wide awake and dashed to them. "She's going to be okay, right?!" she practically screamed at them. They looked at each other for a moment, sceptical of how to respond. The lead surgeon spoke up after a few more seconds of Finé's lips trembling.

"She's not out of the woods yet, the machines are keeping her alive." Finé's eyes widened as her mouth opened and shook her head ever so slightly. "A lot of things are broken or punctured. It's better for you to see for yourself." When Finé did not say anything else and just stood there, they left with heavy steps. She gradually approached the door and lay a hand on it, trepidation starting to overcome her. With a deep breath, she pushed it and took in the sight. She thought her tears had dried up, that she had experienced every single level of grief and had been devastated enough.

Izetta was in a full body cast, had an intravenous drip connected to her under the cast and a mask was hooked up to her mouth, helping her to breathe while a nasogastric tube was in her nose. Even the meagre areas of her uncovered skin were coated with plasters, bruises from when she and Sophie threw each other around. Finé's heart shattered into countless fragments as she stumbled into the room, fresh tears spilling out of her eyes. She collapsed on her knees followed by her palms, facing the ground as her vision blurred. Her eyes shut as the tears flowed in a steady stream, vigorously shaking her head and yowling with all her might. "Izetta! Izetta!" Her right hand balled up and started to hammer itself into the floor repeatedly. "Izetta! Izetta! Izetta..."

Finé had cried herself to sleep that night and Bianca lay her down on some chairs, using her blazer as a pillow before going to update the people back home on the situation. When she woke up a few hours later, her body jerked forward as she breathed heavily and sweat dripped from her forehead. She then hastily went back into the room, believing that she had seen something wrong before. As the harsh reality hit her again, she covered her face with her hands and whimpered. After a while, she lifted her head through her palms, opened her eyes while taking in a deep breath. "Bianca, call the chauffeur. I need some proper rest." When Bianca stared at her in disbelief, she explained, "Izetta kept her promise to me but I can't keep mine if I collapse. A world where everybody can choose their tomorrow." She was convinced that Izetta would make it out, it was just a question of time.

When they got into the room Finé picked up the phone and dialled for the bunker back near Elystadt. She was going to ask the doctor to send somebody over to take care of Izetta, taking note of what equipment was being used. When the person was ready, Finé and Bianca would return and the plane would ferry the person back to Britannia. To her surprise, Lotte volunteered to be trained and sent over since Izetta was entrusted to her at first. Two of the royal guards would also follow her to watch over them. She replied with the only words she could, "Thank you."

"For you, Archduchess Finé. For you and Lady Izetta."

Finé threw herself into her work the moment she got back, trying to forget how her most important person was suffering. It almost worked but the moment she went to bed, once her mind had nothing else to think about, images of Izetta lying there broken and comatose in a distant land came back. It felt as if she was going to suffocate, it got harder and harder to breathe until she used the only outlet she knew. When she woke up every morning to a damp pillow she wondered when her eyes would eventually dry up. It was only after one week when she finally wailed into the night that it stopped. She would still lie lifeless on the bed but sleep just came to take her quietly.

Lotte updated them every day at first but they were basically saying that there was no change. It was after the night when Finé howled for hours that she was told to just provide weekly reports if nothing special happened, she could not bear hearing the same heartbreaking thing everyday. Weeks passed with the status quo, then it happened. A part of the cast was removed from her. Finé choked a little, a glimmer of hope seeping through. The hope of Izetta coming back to her someday.

More months went by as more of the cast came off. Eventually, the life support systems started to be detached as well. Finé grew more optimistic each week even if there was no difference from the previous one. Izetta had managed to stabilise, even though she was still very weak and unconscious. She just had to not get ahead of herself and wait patiently for the definite reunion. Even when the doctors disclosed that she would never walk again, Finé did not care for she just wanted Izetta to return. "It's okay, I'll take care of her. Forever."

Elystadt was retaken and rebuilding had begun. Once the palace was hospitable enough they moved from the bunker back in. Citizens started to come back to help to repair the rest of the country. The allies were pushing back Germania so while the people of Elystadt did not have to worry about another invasion, they were eager to help take down the threat once and for all. Everything was going back to as normal as it could have been, then the final development came to pass.

"Lady Izetta opened her eyes!" Lotte exclaimed. She continued gushing after that but Finé did not register any of it. She could not believe what she just heard even though she had been expecting it to happen sooner or later. It felt too surreal, as if she was dreaming. If she was, she would rather wake up than be engulfed in disappointment later. She raised her left hand and with all her might, slapped herself. The stinging and swelling red area told her that this was not a fantasy, that this miracle was actually happening. Lotte had stopped in her tracks, stunned by what the sound was.

"I'm flying over now," came a stifled voice and the sound of a chair being pushed out.

"No need, we're coming back now!" Finé did a double take although it was just a voice she was conversing with.

"What?"

"They cleared her for the long flight back. We're packing our things then we'll board the plane with her. Just wait for a few more hours!" Finé fell back into her seat and rubbed her face with her free palm.

"Thank you..." she choked out. "Thank you so much..." Lotte smiled, knowing that everything was worth it for this moment.

"Lady Izetta's coming back to you, Archduchess Finé."

The roar of the engines grew louder as the aircraft approached the runway. The landing gears extended and the wheels screeched as they touched the ground. Friction took over as the vehicle slowed down gradually. It eventually ground to a halt and the engines died down. The sound diminished slowly until it was finally silent. The grinding of machines broke it as the back door of the plane came down, revealing its cargo. Finé sprinted the fastest she ever did in her life.

On top of a stretcher was a thin mattress with a small pillow and it was there that she lay. The all too familiar red tufts of hair, tied with a yellow string. Finé covered her mouth as euphoria filled her. Izetta opened her eyes and those red pupils turned to Finé. She had forgotten how entrancing they were. Izetta's lips moved but she could not hear anything. Finé rushed over, kneeled down and put her ear close to her mouth. It was very soft, clear that Izetta was still frail. "I'm back, Finé."

Her eyes watered as she put her forehead to Izetta's, closing her eyes while visibly shaking. "Welcome back, Izetta." She wanted to hold Izetta so badly, to never let her go again. Yet she knew she would only hurt her in her current condition. "You did well, so very well."

"Is that all I get?" asked a playful voice. Finé opened her eyes to see Izetta looking at her fondly, her mouth slightly opened as if inviting her. She leaned in closer to Izetta, locking lips with her. Both of them had tears roll down their faces as the sensation registered. Neither one cared about the others around them, they had gone through too much for too long. After a few seconds, Finé pulled away and saw Izetta beaming at her.

"You're not leaving my bed for a long time," she teased although she was deadly serious.

"Not that I want to," Izetta replied as her smile grew and closed her eyes in bliss at the implication. Finé smiled and ruffled Izetta's hair one last time before nodding to the two royal guards aboard. They picked up the stretcher and carried Izetta to the transport waiting, Lotte following behind with their luggage. The royal guards escorting them back saluted to the aircrew as Finé, the last one, got off. The Britannians saluted back, acknowledging them as well as the girl who saved the world and made it back home.

When Izetta was brought to the Archduchess' room and placed on the bed, Finé climbed in beside her. She still could not sit up to consume any food so the drip was prepared and inserted expertly by Lotte before she left the two of them alone, bowing when she was at the door. Finé lay on her side, taking in the sight for a while before voicing her concern. "Are you in pain?" Izetta slowly turned her head to face Finé and blushed a little when she realised how close they were.

"Only if I try to move." Her eyes started to close while she continued, "Now I just feel so, so very tired." Finé reached for her hand, stopping just shy of it, afraid that if she just touched Izetta she would shatter like glass.

"You have to tell me the moment it hurts, okay?" Izetta slightly nodded, her eyelids covering half of her eyes now. Finé clasped Izetta's right hand with both of hers and with utmost care, gently brought it up towards her heart.

"Too high," Izetta gasped as her eyebrows twitched. Finé immediately lowered her hands, face filled with regret, shock and anguish that she had barely got off the surface of the bed before it was too much for her. Izetta visibly relaxed and mumbled, "Okay," to assure her when it subsided. Finé adjusted her body until her forehead was able to touch her hands. Her hands shifted to the sides of Izetta's hand, caressing every inch. Her forehead then touched the exposed part of the hand.

"Just rest, rest as long as you want to," Finé comforted her, "You don't have to fight again. Never again." Izetta's eyes fully closed as she peacefully smiled and fell into an undisturbed slumber.

Izetta was never awake for more than a few hours each day but Finé was not worried. Her chest continued to rise and fall ever so slightly and that was enough to assure her. Her lungs were still wounded but at least it did not hurt her to breathe normally. Finé continued her diplomatic work, only coming back every night to sleep with her loved one. Just being beside her was enough to soothe her nerves and after a long time, could just let her consciousness be robbed without any worries.

When Izetta's sleeping patterns started to normalise Finé made it a point to talk to her every night although she did most of the talking, knowing that her throat still ached if she talked too much or loudly. At the end of each session, they would have a goodnight kiss. She started to touch Izetta's hands more, eventually moving to her arms, shoulders, chest and finally, abdomen. Every point of contact filled Izetta with joy knowing that since it did not hurt as much as before, her body would ultimately recover and they would be able to snuggle in each others arms for as long as they wanted.

"Finé, can you help me sit up?" she asked one day. Finé paused for a second, thinking of what Izetta's request meant. She would have to push her hand against Izetta's back to support the whole weight.

"Are you sure? Won't that hurt you?" Izetta shook her head and Finé noticed that the motion was more fluid.

"The doctor told me today that I can digest food now. Not solid yet, but liquid food at least. My hand's able to move the full range of motion but I need help. I just don't have the strength to move now. You can try if you want." Finé sat up, grasped her hand and looked to her for a final confirmation. With a nod, Finé slowly brought it to her heart, observing Izetta closely for any signs of pain. When her hand touched Finé's chest she smiled. "Has your heart always beat this fast?"

"Only for you, Izetta," Finé replied, brimming with affection. Izetta flushed slightly in return. She gently put down Izetta's hand and tucked her left hand under Izetta's back. "Remember, tell me once you feel any pain."

"Okay, Finé." She had called her name because she knew how much she mattered to Finé. She would not risk injuring herself, if it was too much to bear she would definitely sound off. Finé had suffered too much ever since she was in a coma so Izetta wanted to get better as soon as possible. Finé started exerting force, pushing Izetta forward. Her face contorted but it was not due to pain, she was trying to use what little strength she had to help herself. Finé knew that this was the case so kept up the effort silently.

When Izetta's back was lifted high enough, Finé used her right hand to flip the pillow ninety degrees and propped it against the bed's head. She then put her right arm under Izetta's leg and carried her back, resting her against the pillow. Izetta smiled, "See? No pain at all." Finé could only nod in content.

A few minutes later, Finé came back with a bowl of liquid food for Izetta. She scooped a spoonful and put it near her mouth. "Say ah..." Izetta complied without resistance and closed her mouth eagerly when the spoon entered. Finé pulled it out and she swallowed, smiling.

"I can finally taste something..." Finé cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh? How about this?" Izetta blinked in confusion as Finé fed herself a mouthful. Finé then dove in, her mouth on Izetta's. Izetta squirmed, or at least tried to, as Finé deftly separated her lips with her own. The liquid then flowed from Finé to Izetta and Finé pulled away, grinning at her befuddled partner.

"T-Too sweet..." Izetta managed to stammer out after gulping and her whole face turned red.

"Eh? You were the one who asked me to kiss you in front of those people," Finé retorted, referring to when Izetta just came back from Britannia. "Why does this faze you?"

"T-That was because I made you c-cry for so long," she sputtered. "I wanted to make it up to you but sorry wasn't enough... so I..." Izetta lost her ability to talk again, her eyes darting around the room in embarrassment. Finé put her right hand behind Izetta's head and her forehead to hers.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything. I love you." Izetta felt as if steam was escaping from her ears, how Finé completely stole her heart would always be a mystery to her. A beautiful mystery that she would forever cherish.

With the death of the Emperor, Germania surrendered and the war was declared to be over. People all over the whole celebrated as peace returned but so did the busyness of rebuilding the world to its former state after all the destruction. Everybody in the palace also became more occupied and there were nights where Finé could only spend minutes with Izetta before succumbing to sleep.

Regardless, Izetta put in her all into her rehabilitation. Her muscles had atrophied so much during her convalescence that she had to start from her fingers, squeezing a ball multiple times a day. She always did way more than the required amount, craving for strength to return to her arms. Now Finé could hug her tightly but Izetta was unable to wrap her arms around her no matter how hard she tried. Her heart ached so she feverishly worked towards her goal of holding Finé close to her again.

Finé embraced Izetta again, preparing to go to sleep. Her eyes opened wide when she felt two limbs holding onto her back strongly. "I'm sorry I took so long, Finé," Izetta apologised as her arms wrapped even more tightly. Finé wept as the heavenly sensation she long forgot came flooding back.

A few weeks passed and Finé was in paradise. She could spend everyday with Izetta, no longer afraid of hurting her. She was no longer bedridden and could go out with with Finé, just like how they were almost a decade ago. Izetta could even get in and out of her wheelchair by herself now and went into town with Lotte to get a present for Finé, both of them unaware of the royal guard in the shadows. Finé did not really care what Izetta got for her, the thoughts that Izetta had for her was already all she could ask for. It seemed like these days would never end and Finé treasured every moment of it.

"Archduchess, the royal guard needs to speak with you," Bianca notified with a knock on the open door. Finé raised an eyebrow at the wording but ushered them in with a wave of her hand anyway. However, she did put down quill when she noticed that every single royal guard entered and stood in formation. She rested her chin on her hands, her elbows on the table.

"What in the world is it?" she asked with a tone devoid of any emotion. All of them half-kneeled, their left foot in front. Their left arm, parallel to their chest, was on top of their left knee, left hand clenched tightly. Their right palm covered their heart and each of them bowed their heads, eyes closed. When Bianca updated them on Izetta's status in Britannia, she had also informed them of what happened at the conference, including Finé's outburst. They then understood that they would never understand how much Izetta mattered to Finé.

They were practically one entity, if either one lost something they would never be whole. Finé herself just blinked in silence, recognising their posture as the one each member did when they were swore into the royal guard, a symbol of their undying loyalty. She just could not think of a reason why all of them were doing this now.

"It is outrageous of us to say this," Bianca begun, "no, to even think this..." Finé stood up from her chair, almost ready to shout at them to spit it out. "But Izetta has to live somewhere else."

A deafening crash resounded throughout the palace as the table hit the floor. The very same table Finé was using to write moments ago was flipped by her in a fit of rage and plunged into the floor, its contents making a din as they scattered around. Not one of the royal guards flinched, all of them holding their position. "What in blazes did you just say?!" Finé screamed at them as she threw her right hand to her side. There was no way in hell that she was going to be separated from her after all this.

"It is for her safety," Bianca quickly explained, "She must go into hiding." Finé heaved with every breath, her hands balled into fists.

"Explain," she spat.

"There was an assassin last night." Finé froze for a moment, clearly remembering waking up to Izetta in the morning. There was nothing out of place at all and her mind started to run wild. "He was caught before he got close to the palace." By caught, she meant had a shoulder dislocated and suffered a concussion when his head was slammed into the ground. Finé let out her breath and visibly relaxed, knowing that Izetta was never in harm's way. "After interrogating him, we arrived at this conclusion." Again, by interrogation she meant throwing water to wake him up, pressuring him for motives, finding out that Izetta was involved and breaking his nose with one swift smash to the table when he refused to divulge any more.

"There are extremist parties that still view magic as a threat." Finé's jaw dropped as her throat made incomprehensible noises. "As long as Izetta, a witch, is alive, they theorise that she will eventually regain control of magic and nobody will be able to stop her."

"Are they retarded?!" Finé exploded. "What part of there is no more magic in the world do they not get?! Do they think Izetta would confine herself to a wheelchair if she could use magic?! Does anything get through their thick skulls at all?!" Finé was erupting like a volcano at this point, unable to comprehend how those people even think of these kinds of things in the first place.

"We do not know, but we do know that there will be more attempts on her life if these groups do exist." All the colour drained out of Finé's face as she fell back into her seat. Her eyes drifted to the ceiling, feeling utterly defeated. "Of course, it is our duty to ensure that nothing happens to you or her," Bianca assured. "But, everybody is more busy than ever restoring the country to its former glory so our resources are stretched. She would also be unable to outrun anybody even if she tried. We know that if anything were to happen to her, it would wreck you and we would have completely failed you. We absolutely cannot take that risk, so we can only ask this of you." All of them took a deep breath.

"Please forgive us, Archduchess Finé!" they pleaded. "We are too incompetent to protect your happiness! We will accept any punishment!" Finé's eyes regained their focus as she registered what was going on. She took in the sight before her, her entire royal guard kneeling before her as if they had let her down although they were just doing their job, an excellent one at that. If the attacks got more severe, they would be looking at a bombing or in the worse case, another war. She slowly stood up, rubbing her eyes with the base of her palm. After composing herself, she gave her command.

"Rise, all of you." They did just as they were told. Finé bowed to them. "I cannot thank you all enough for your service." They saluted back to her.

"We are your royal guard, Archduchess Finé." They thought it was going to be a whole lot worse than it turned out, that she would hit or kick them in frustration. Now they were reminded that she was Ortfiné Fredericka von Elystadt, that she would never hurt her own people if she could help it, much less innocents. They might have sworn to her based on their families but in the end, she won over each and every one of them with her virtues. She would always put her country ahead of herself, like what she was doing now no matter how heartbreaking it was.

"Leave the man on the outskirts, it's up to him if he wants to survive and go back. Begin the preparations for Izetta's new home, once it's finished I have an announcement to make to the world."

When Izetta woke up from her afternoon nap, the entire fiasco was over. Without a clue of anything that just happened, she got into her wheelchair and rolled around to find Lotte to accompany her to take in the scenery of Elystadt. When she returned, she was surprised to see Finé waiting at the table. Lotte pushed her closer and excused herself with a bow. After a few seconds of silence, Izetta makes a meek effort to break it. "Um, Finé-"

"Izetta," Finé interrupts and Izetta zips her mouth at once. "Please, just listen to me. This is very hard for me to say." Finé bites her lips as she tries to force the words out. With every moment Izetta gets more anxious, racking her brain for what she did wrong. However, she keeps her mouth closed, respecting Finé's wishes. "I want you to..." she took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Her hands clench onto each other tightly as she tries desperately to get the rest out. "Go into hiding."

Izetta's jaw dropped as her hands started to tremble. Still, she maintains her silence although every fibre of her being wants to cry out. There was definitely a good reason for Finé doing this and she wanted to hear it. Finé went through the events that occurred last night up until the royal guard came into her quarters. Izetta could not believe that she knew nothing of this until now but kept listening. At the end of it all she relaxed in her wheelchair and smiled. It was not one of resignation but one that showed that she would be glad to do what was asked of her. "Okay, Finé."

Finé's eyes that were looking downward shot up to Izetta's face and widened. "That's it?! You don't object at all?" she questioned incredulously. Izetta shook her head gently.

"At first I did but after hearing everything you said I believe that your decision is the right one. If people are after me then that puts you at risk of getting hurt as well. I can't have that, not on my life, magic or no magic." It was the same as when she asked for an escort to go out, if she fell out of her chair by accident there would be somebody to help her back to Finé. She closed her eyes, beamed and tilted her head a little. "After all, you'll come and visit me, right?"

"Of course!" Finé cried as she threw herself at Izetta, wrapping her arms around her. Izetta did the same, rubbing her quivering lover's back. "It will be erratic so nobody will be able guess where I'm going but I'm going to get whatever time I can with you. Even if I only have enough time to kiss you before going I will take it." Izetta tightened her hold on Finé, nuzzling her cheek into Finé's neck.

"That's all I could ever ask for." Finé held her even closer and they stayed in each other's embrace for a little longer. Slowly, Finé shifted her hands onto Izetta's shoulders and gently pushed away just to lean in towards her face. Izetta understood and lowered her hands to Finé's hips, closed her eyes and parted her lips. Finé closed her own eyes as they touched. Their mouths refused to separate and both of them made soft noises of pleasure. They eventually broke contact, looking at each other with dreamy eyes.

"Do you have any idea where you want to stay? You can live anywhere as long as it's secluded enough." Izetta's answer made Finé blush and her heart flutter.

"Where we first met."

A chain of requests were started for the construction of Izetta's new abode. Even if somebody were to try to trace backwards, they would never figure out that it was for the royalty of Elystadt. While it was being built, Izetta lay low in the palace. She was moved to another room so nobody would know that the Archduchess' room housed two but that did not stop Finé from going to Izetta's room to sleep with her. After a few weeks the hut was complete and Finé stepped onto the stage to deliver her address to the world.

Her speech started with the bravery and kindness of the White Witch, how she joined a war that did not involve her at all. How even when she was wounded, she would not stop fighting. Then it moved on to the suffering she endured, using a stone that hurt her from the inside and drained her life away. Finally, she made the ultimate sacrifice, the extinction of her own kind. Izetta had given the world a chance to start anew, where nobody had to be oppressed by another. Yet, there were actually people that were after her life out of irrational beliefs. She vowed that she would change the world to a better one, to one where peace prospered forever. Mustering all her strength, she roared with tears in her eyes, "To one where a weak and defenceless girl will not be forced to flee from her home from fear for her life!"

While Finé gave her heartfelt oration, Izetta was being escorted by the royal guards to her cottage, Lotte in tow. Only Finé, Izetta, Lotte and the royal guards knew of the location and they made it a point not to let anybody else know. Multiple routes we planned between the lodge and the palace so they would not use one too often and cause suspicion. The car stopped and they got out to set up Izetta's wheelchair before helping her in. As Izetta got closer to her new place of residence, she thought of the person pushing her. Lotte had diligently served her ever since she was assigned to, attending to her every need even when she was in a coma in Britannia. Now she would even live in seclusion with Izetta as her caretaker. "I can't thank you enough, Lotte. For everything."

She just smiled as she continued to push Izetta. "It is my greatest honour." She never regretted a second of it, never finding it a bother to take care of Izetta. "I am your maid, Lady Izetta."

Although Finé and Izetta were separated, they never stopped communicating with each other. They wrote letters to each other that would be delivered whenever the royal guard felt that it was safe for a trip there and back. Supplies were transferred the same way with Lotte adding in her own list of what they needed into the pile of letters. It would be easier if they had a phone but setting up the lines required for a signal was deemed to stand out too much. When Finé knew when a royal guard was making the trip, she would sometimes buy two portions of delicacies and have one brought over to Izetta. She would not eat until the time which the royal guard needed to get there passed while Izetta would dig in right away. This way, they had their meal together, at the same time even if they were apart. A few years passed without anything going wrong and the two of them were content with life.

Finé looked at the inside of the box once more, building up her confidence before she got closer. As usual, Dorothée came out to greet her and she slipped it into her pocket. Lotte came out next, confirming who it was before bringing Izetta out. Finé smiled cheerfully at them as she walked towards them. "Lotte, can you take Dorothée out for a walk?" Lotte did not really need to take Dorothée out, she could have just stayed in her smaller room while Finé wanted some alone time with Izetta. She understood this but wanted to let them have the home for a while so she complied, Dorothée waging her tail in front of her. Finé kneeled and hugged Izetta who returned the gesture.

"Welcome home, Finé."

"I'm home, Izetta." She then stood up and pushed Izetta into the cottage, closing the door behind her. They were in the middle of the living room when Finé stopped holding onto Izetta's wheelchair and walked in front of her. "Izetta, I've been thinking a lot lately and today, I feel like I can finally say what's on my mind." Her heart started to speed up, she felt as if her whole life had been leading up to this moment. Izetta blinked a few times at Finé then relaxed her gaze, looking at her fondly. Finé's heartbeat accelerated even more, wondering why Izetta was making this so much harder than it already was. She took a deep breath, letting her emotions take over for her.

"Izetta, you've given up so much for me, it's only right that I do the same. We don't know how many years that stone took from you but I swear, I will do whatever it takes to make you happy for the rest of your life. You deserve no less." Izetta had the slightest inkling of where this was going but the majority of her mind had no idea where any of this was coming from so she just looked at Finé, eyes wide open. "So, I am going to ask you the most important question of my life now." She went on one knee and took out the box, revealing its contents.

Izetta's hands involuntarily went to her open mouth as exhilaration surged from within her, tears welling in her eyes. "Izetta, will you be mine and will you let me, Ortfiné Fredericka von Elystadt be yours?" Words failed her as she tried to reply. "Nobody will see us get wed, no one will know that we are forever bonded but we will. That's enough for me but I have to ask you, is it for you?" Izetta's her throat was empty as she made an effort to get something out. She had known the answer ever since the broom ride to the mountaintop.

Izetta nodded repeatedly while lowering her left hand for Finé to do whatever she wanted. Now Finé's eyes were filled with tears as she beamed and took out one of the rings and put the box on the floor. She gently held Izetta's hand with one of her own and put the ring on with the other. As it made contact with her fourth finger, Izetta's tears rolled down her cheeks. After it was fully inserted Finé picked up the box and offered it to Izetta who took out the other ring. She placed it on the floor again and offered her hand to Izetta, who shakily put the ring on her.

"I'm so, so happy."

"M-Me too," Izetta managed to sniffle out. She yelped when she was lifted out of the wheelchair and Finé spun around with her in her arms. Her cries turned into giggling soon after and wrapped her arms around Finé's neck. They went into their bedroom where Finé put her down and got on it as well, staying on top of Izetta. They looked at each other affectionately, losing themselves in each other's eyes for a moment.

"I love you, Izetta."

"I love you too, Finé." The brides brought their faces closer and shared the symbol of their eternal love.

A/N: Yuri shall conquer the world, or at least it conquered this world. See you next time.