Love's Answer
Aerie lay quite still beneath the starlit sky. She could barely contain herself, excitement and anguish dwelling inside her, bubbling the butterflies in her stomach. It had been a good few years before Aerie could stare into the sky knowingly, realising finally that she could no longer fly above the treetops with grace and humility. She could only walk on the ground, watching her every step for small animals and trudging along with a band of travellers, all on a very important quest, the likes of which she couldn't and possibly wouldn't comprehend.
However, tonight she was under the stars for a completely different reason. Epiphanies come and go, some are gigantic that just shift your world's boundaries in an instant and yet some are minuscule but enrapture you beyond belief. And tonight, she had received an epiphany, maybe a blessing, from whoever decided she should have it.
It came suddenly, like a breath drawn inside her body. She had been sat next to the fire, watching the flames move across the charcoal and wood, the sticks burning brightly, the sound of crackling fire roasting. All he had to do was sit opposite her and look up, staring at her, then smiling, smiling knowingly at her like he'd anticipated her thoughts and feelings in an instant.
That was why, she suspected, he had sat across from her instead of beside her. He usually draped him arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple while she leant into him, drinking in his presence and relaxing. But he'd sat across, watching her through the dancing fire, watching her take in that one epiphany, breathe in that small gasp of air that surrounded her and watch him intensely, knowingly, patiently.
It seemed to tie in with what he had said earlier. They had been walking together when he had voiced it. "Sometimes you have to take the moment, before the moment is gone."
And to her, the moment had flown by.
"Are you thinking?"
Aerie looked up. The object of her desire was above her, leaning against the tree that she was sat underneath, folding his arms and grinning all the while. She smiled back and made room for him, he sat down and casually put his hand on top of hers, holding it in his, giving it a tight squeeze.
"Just watching," she replied, looking back up at the starlit sky. "The stars are bright tonight."
"Hmm," Aramis replied, leaning against the tree. "They're preparing themselves."
Aerie raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Aramis chuckled. "For a lifetime of watching us as we watch them."
Aerie rested her head on his shoulder, letting her long hair cascade down his back. He rested his chin on her crown, and made her smile and he yawned. She could feel him yawning, even when his hand stiffened. They shared a mutual bond that was more personal that a physical relationship. They spoke to each other on different levels. They could maintain a conversation without saying anything at all.
But, some things were harder to explain without words. Or maybe she just hadn't figured out how to say them.
Nevertheless, like all good things, their time together had to come to an end. Aerie knew that some time in the future, the very near future at that, they would be separated. He would go off an play a God while she would be left to her own devices, alone in the wide world again. Maybe he wouldn't leave her, but she couldn't be sure of that. Was all the waiting and putting off she was doing for nothing? Was it all in vain?
Was she wasting the precious little time she had with him?
Quietly and soothingly, Aerie sat up, taking her head from his shoulder and sat away from him. Aramis followed suit but placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Is something wrong, Aerie?" He asked, his innocence shinning through in his eyes.
She forgot how young he was. Half-Elves didn't live as long as their full- blood counterparts. Twenty years to a half-elf was nearly forty to a moon elf. He was still young, still precious, still dying to live the rest of his life, however long that may be, with her and carry out his quest with her by his side.
Aerie shook her head and turned to him, placing a hand on his cheek. "No, nothings wrong, my love."
Aramis looked concerned but without time to voice his objection, Aerie stood up and held her hand to him to follow. She helped him to his feet and they walked together back to camp, back to the campfire that had started this. Everyone had drifted off to their beds inside their tents, leaving the remaining ashes to burn down and the cinder to dissipate with the morning rain or wind.
"Aerie," Aramis said, sitting down by the smouldering ashes. "What's on your mind? Thinking doesn't usually make you this wrapped up."
Aerie smiled and sat across from him again, repeating his earlier gesture of courtesy.
"I've been thinking about what you said earlier," she said, whispering only slightly, but enough so he could still hear her. "About waiting... and how sometimes we can wait so long for something we want, we end up losing what we already have."
Aramis smiled. "You sound like you've reached a decision."
Aerie nodded. "I have, Aramis. I love you. I want to be with you. Now and forever...
"...But I've realised...I can't control the forever. I can only control the now. May I... may I sleep with you tonight? If... if I haven't already waited too long..."
Aramis stood up and made his way to her, her eyes shinning brightly up to him. In that moment, the moment before Aramis sat beside her, the moment before he pressed his lips to her crown, in that moment of just simple watching, Aerie decided that she had finalised that decision. He was the man she would give herself to. He was the one whom she would take on all the devils and demons in the Nine Hells for.
Aramis sat down beside her. He simply took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "I love you Aerie – with all my heart and soul. If need be, I'll wait an eternity for you."
Aerie shook her head. "I'm ready, Aramis. Ready to commit to you in body, heart and soul. Ready to give myself to you totally. I was afraid before, but not anymore. Whatever the future brings, I want us to make the most of the time we have together."
She leant across and kissed his lips lightly, letting the taste of him linger on her lips for a second. "Starting right now."
"I couldn't have said it better myself, my love," Aramis smiled, but Aerie pressed her fingers to his lips.
"Shhh...the fire is burning low, and the others are asleep. Why don't I snuggle in with you, Aramis? And when the morning comes, I promise I'll still be here. I won't push you away anymore, my love. And I swear I'll never let you go."
Aramis smiled and kissed her again, she took his hand and stood up before him, leading him into his tent, settling down on his blankets with him, kissing him, and wasting no more time. There was no more time to be wasted, love doesn't wait for anyone, love will sneak up on you when you least expect and love doesn't take no for an answer.