Yours Eternally

The Eternal Bonding Ceremony between G'raha Tia and Beth Draconic was to be held in exactly twenty-four hours, and the bride-to-be had become somewhat overtaken with tension. She decided to spend some time alone in Coerthas Western Highlands, reflecting on the past, present and future. She stood atop the tallest mountain, looking out towards the Frozen Wastes thoughtfully, clutching the Crystal Heart pendant.

=====

"Out here all alone in the middle of nowhere," you sighed, sitting down on top of a pile of snow as you played with the pendant around your neck. "Married to Raha... But nothing will really change between us." Your face flushed slightly.

Even though nothing will change, thinking about it makes my heart race. Eternally bonded in the eyes of the Twelve? Our union blessed by the gods? You were never a devout follower of the Twelve, much less a person who actively sought their blessing in anything you did. You believed that anything you wanted and achieved in life was to be done with your own two hands. "...But the ceremony with all of our friends. Everyone will know."

"...Even though we tried to keep it small, I have no doubt that more people than expected will show up," you sighed. "I never thought my path would lead me here... but I couldn't be happier." And more worried. Will my enemies target him? Will he be in more danger because of me? You kept asking yourself strange questions. "I don't know why I'm like this..."

You were always overthinking everything, thinking yourselves into circles and spirals that never seemed to end. But finally, you focused on one single thought:

Will I make him happy?

You thought back on your life thus far; growing up in Anyx Trine and Tailfeather. Eventually you came to Ishgard and learned how to fight, then eventually left to be smuggled out to Ul'Dah, disgusted by the Dragonsong War. Fighting, fighting, fighting--

Your entire life had been fighting so far, and it didn't seem like that fact would change anytime soon. You wondered what Raha wanted for himself, what his ideal life might be like. A life of adventure to be sure, but you wanted him to be happy. To be safe.

Raha deserved the world and so much more...and you wanted to give it all to him.

But could you truly?

It seemed silly to think about it now since you knew that you wanted to marry him more than anything, that being with him gave you a purpose in life that you never knew you could have. 

But at the same time you couldn't help but imagine a different life together.

"Still, if I was only an adventurer, we may have never met." You grumbled and jumped to your feet, kicking the snow. "I think I've just become too whimsical during this time of quiet. I'm...getting too used to the calm. With Raha by my side... I just feel like the world is a different place." You fell back onto the snow, stretching out your limbs as you closed your eyes, the snowflakes falling to kiss your face as you thought of him.

But the me that wants to live with Raha is a different me from the Warrior of Light. Of course they can live in harmony, but I've never had to deal with...having such a sense of self, having things that I want in my life. I always just lived in the moment and followed the flow. Now, it's more complicated. He's there... "Ugh," you could smell a Pudding approaching and sat up, brushing the snow from your head. "Just what I needed, a rotten pudding bothering me."

You thought about slaying it but turned away, taking a walk through the snow. 

Reminiscing, you remembered the night you dined with Aymeric, when he asked what you had planned to do in the future... presumably when your duties as Warrior of Light had ended. Back then, trying to imagine a life where you weren't the Warrior of Light made you anxious, because you could see nothing but emptiness.

The Warrior of Light was your identity for so many years, the safe haven that you latched onto to give your life some semblance of meaning. Eorzea needed you--your power, at least--and that was enough to keep you going. 

You fought to bring joy to others, joy that you could no longer see in yourself. With each death, with each final farewell, the burden on your heart only grew heavier. You hoped for stronger enemies, for impossible battles that forced you to expend everything in order to win. Because of those evils, you told yourself that you were needed and valued.

Because of those things, you wanted to live. But was it really living?

You soon wandered into the Dravanian Forelands, where your story first began.

You still didn't know who you were; a girl found by and raised by dragons, wandering through life for many a summer until becoming the fabled Warrior of Light. You touched the Sasvata armor, thinking of Dallis'Adrasill and the ancient dragons that slept there.

Images of Tiamat flashed through your mind; saving her was still one of your highest priorities, but how could you possibly move her heart away from all-consuming grief? Bahamut was gone, and there was nothing you could do to bring him back.

"If it was me," you murmured, strolling through the woods as you watched a flock of wild chocobos grazing nearby. "I would be just like her. Maybe that's why I want so badly to save her... to give her a reason to live again. Somehow, I see myself in her..."

You wondered what her past might have been like, eons ago, when she lived happily in Meracydia with her beloved. "Would those memories hurt her more? Or would they bring her peace?" You asked yourself the same question, knowing you could not fully empathize.

Suddenly, you heard a familiar voice call out--it was none other than Heimryr.

"Favorite friend, Dawn! There you are. Why have you come without my other favorite friend? Are you not to become a mated pair on the morrow for this 'bonding' ceremony?"

"Heimryr? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Mor Dhona today," you glanced back at him and the little white dragon floated over to you, doing a flip before landing on the ground. "I guess that's what you were doing now?"

"Hmph! Actually, I was about to do something for G'raha, but since you're here... I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

He whipped his tail back and forth, thumping one of his hind legs on the ground--something he usually did when he was anxious. "It's a... secret," he whispered in Draconic. "I made a promise I will not break."

"Okay, then I'll be on my way," you turned away from him, walking in no particular direction.

"Wait. You seem...d...d...distressed," he struggled to find the correct word in the language of mortals. "Aren't you happy?"

"I am happy... but I also feel like my mind is too full of thoughts."

"Then bury those thoughts somewhere." 

"Bury?"

Heimryr jumped up and landed on your head, tickling the back of your neck with his feathery-ended tail. "Take a rock and put the thoughts in them, bury the rock!"

"Hahaha. Stop that! You know I'm ticklish there!" You gently swatted his tail away. "...You always have the weirdest ideas, but fine, I'll do it." You went down to a nearby stream where a few red chocobos were having a drink, and when you approached they stared at you warily. You plunged a hand into the water and picked up a decently-sized pebble.

"Now hold the rock. Tell the rock your thoughts. The rock absorbs the thoughts."

"I can't say it out loud, you're right next to me...unless I should bury you too."

"Definitely not," he growled in Draconic. "It's okay. We're favorite friends."

"Fine..." You closed your eyes and grasped the rock as Heimryr hopped on your shoulder and snuggled in your neck. "...You're so distracting." He held his breath and became completely still. "...Are you seriously holding your breath, Heimryr?"

He did not respond.

You let out a deep sigh and clenched the rock. 

"...I want Raha to be happy. I want to make him happy. More than anything in the world. I don't want him to be in danger, even though danger is all around me. I worry about what I should do...if I can really protect him from everything. For the first time, I feel like I'm actually living...and it scares me. I realize how fragile it all is..." You inhaled, feeling a little better. "...I want to...be happy with Raha. I want to...enjoy life together."

"...I..." you paused, coming to the last string of your thoughts. "I want to free Tiamat... I want to heal her broken heart. And..." You opened your eyes, staring at the hand which held the pebble. "...I want to know who I really am. At least...who my parents were. How they died. Did I have any...family? Did anyone look for me? And what is... Dragon Soul?"

Heimryr could no longer stay quiet; he licked your cheek and cuddled against you more, draping his tail over your shoulder. "Dawn... Even though we are not broodmatesI have always thought of you as my broodsister. I want you to know. I will always be with you."

"I know, Heimryr," you reached back to pat his head before standing up. "Now, where shall I bury it? ...Heimryr, do you remember, generally... where Vidofnir said she found me?" 

Heimryr hopped off of your shoulder and glided through the air. "Hmm... It was in Bandersnatch territory. This way. I remember she said... she found you in the light of morning, near the field of Merciful Dawnflowers. I haven't seen those flowers in over a dozen summers..." he floated off and you followed him in surprise. 

"Wait... Heimryr. No one ever told me about those flowers. Why?"

"Really?" The tiny white dragon glanced back at you. "Vidofnir never told you that was why she named you Aeivre'ire? After the Aeivre'ire Senahr?"

"Heimryr, I've never even heard the name of those flowers until now!" You ran after him and grabbed him, holding him up to your face. "Why? Were you hiding it from me?"

"No," he wagged his tail and bobbed his long ears, flicking his tongue at you. "The Aeivre'ire Senahr were all destroyed a long time ago. Some few summers after you came to Anyx Trine. After the flowers were trampled, they never grew back. Maybe Vidofnir never told you because she thought it was a bad omen... I am sorry. Do not be angry."

Why did it disturb you so badly? The thought of the flowers being destroyed. The mystery of who had done it and why they never returned. "What were these flowers like? Do they grow anywhere else?" Were your parents florists? Alchemists? Adventurers? Merchants? Were they even your parents, or simply guardians or escorts? But surely someone--

Someone must have known you, missed you, searched for you...

But no one did. 

You let go of Heimryr and frowned at him. "Sorry, Heimryr."

"Not to worry," he did a flip in the air. "We're almost there. I'll tell you on the way," he said. "The flowers were there since before I was born, so I never saw them myself. I asked Vidofnir once about your name, and she told me about the flowers. She said that they were ordinary, dull flowers most of the day, but when the dawn's light touched them perfectly, they were the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. Like the most radiant flames."

"But she also said that they were tiny, fragile flowers that often were carried away on the wind, so the field grew thinner over the years."

Finally, you reached a small clearing in the woods, scaring off several Bandersnatch on the way and killing one to roast for Heimryr later. "This is the place?" You looked around at the empty clearing. A dim light filtered in, down from the treetops above, setting the area alight in an eerie, lonely glow. "It's so... empty."

"There used to be a pond here," Heimryr landed on the ground and looked around, sniffing. "This is definitely the place. The soil still has faint smell of water. If we dig, we can probably find a spring..." He flexed his claws and looked up at you with a toothy grin. "Bury it here."

"All right," you stooped down and Heimryr began to dig a small hole and you helped him with your free hand, making a small indentation in the ground. You placed the pebble inside and covered it with dirt, sighing. "There, it's done."

"Now let the thoughts stay in the soil. May good things bloom from the endless gloom."

"What?" 

"Say it with me. In Draconic. May good things bloom from the endless gloom."

"...Did you come up with this yourself?" "I did! Aren't you proud of me? My favorite friend G'raha was. He said it made him feel much better, and so I think it will help you too! My favorite friends should be happy for their mating ceremony. I want nothing more than to see you happy."

"I-It's not a 'mating ceremony' what are talking about?" You frowned at him, blushing, and he wagged his tail expectantly, pointing at the soil. "Umm..." You stared at the burial site. "...May good things bloom from the endless gloom. Okay. It's done."

"Do you feel better?" He looked at you with wide, hopeful eyes and you squeezed your lips together, unable to say no--regardless of if you felt better or not.

"Y-Yeah. I do." Truthfully, you did feel a little better, but mostly because you told Heimryr what was bothering you, rather than telling the rock. "You're the best, Heimryr," you said, patting his head affectionately and he squealed, jumping backwards. "What?'

"D-Do not treat me as though I am a whelp! It is not as though I enjoy having my head pat!" But despite his words, his tail wagged happily. "Now then. I must be off, and you should return as well. No doubt my favorite friend G'raha is looking for you--his mate-to-be!"

"Heimryr, it's NOT a mating ceremony!"

"Yes it is! Besides, you already performed the Rite of Aeon's Verse. Are you not already a mated pair? Hmm?" The young dragon tilted his head and gave a toothy grin.

"Why are you so obsessed with this?" You picked him up by the scruff of his neck, but he didn't stop smiling. "STOP SMILING!" You blushed deeply. "You're so embarrassing!"

"Hehehehe. Favorite friend G'raha had the same reaction."

"Ugh. You were teasing Raha about that too? ...What did he say?"

"You're interested, aren't you? He said... that he wanted to mate with you soon."

Your face turned completely red and you dropped Heimryr flat on the ground and stomped off, feeling steam erupting from your ears. "I'm going back to Mor Dhona. See you tomorrow at the ETERNAL-BONDING-NOT-MATING CEREMONY."

Heimryr stretched his wings and watched you leave, waving a talon as you ran off.

=====

You returned to Mor Dhona in a hurry, teleporting yourself directly to the Aetheryte to save time. The town was abuzz as usual, but thankfully not about your ceremony, which you hoped could remain 'lowkey' as possible. When you returned to the Rising Stones, everyone was gone--as expected, they were most likely preparing for your ceremony on the morrow.

Returning to your chambers, you collapsed on your bed and dropped an arm over your eyes, pulling the covers up over your body after you lazily removed your armor and got more comfortable. "Raha... What are you thinking...?"

As though summoned by your words, the door creaked open and G'raha poked his head into the room. "Ah, Beth! I thought I saw your door ajar," he smiled as he freely entered your room, closing it behind him as he approached. "I was looking for you earlier."

You didn't move.

He knelt beside your bed and kissed your arm. "Are you all right, my love?"

"Mmm..." You moved your arm aside and turned towards him on the bed, coming face-to-face with him. "Raha..." You caressed his face and he rubbed his cheek against your hand, his ears wiggling happily. "I just had a lot on my mind...but I'm better now."

"Might I... join you in bed for a spell?" He touched his hands to the edge of the bed, his tail wagging back and forth as he hoped for a snuggle.

"I'm naked."

His face immediately went completely red. "O-Oh... S-Shall I fetch you some clothes?"

You threw back the blankets and he closed his eyes. "Just kidding. I was wearing some light clothes underneath my armor. I don't mind if you come in." You moved aside, giving him some room on the bed and he pouted at you.

Sighing, he soon pulled himself into your bed, slipping off his shoes before snuggling under the blanket against you. He curled his tail over your back and softly kissed your neck as his ears tickled your face. "...I missed you." He murmured, wrapping his arms around you gently.

"I...I missed you too," you hugged him with one arm, stroking his head with your other hand. "Raha..." You kissed his forehead and his ears wiggled. He slowly brought his head to rest on your pillow, gazing into your eyes with a curious expression. "What is it?" 

"Tell me what is on your mind, Beth."

"Nothing but you," you said, lightly brushing your fingers across his cheek. "I just...want to be with you..." You pressed your lips against his, squeezing your body against him.

G'raha embraced you tightly, leaning into your kiss, making soft sounds of pleasure as his lips touched yours again and again. "Mmn... Ah... Warrior of Light, it seems I...cannot resist you," he opened his ruby eyes slightly, captivating you. "Pray allow me this moment of desire..."

He kissed you deeply, slowly rolling onto you as he slipped his tongue between your lips to steal a passionate kiss. You moaned softly, moving your hands down to his hips as you opened your mouth freely, allowing him to taste you as he pleased. "Nn..." You sighed as he licked a thread of saliva from his lips, leaning down to trace the edges of your mouth with his tongue.

"Is it shameful of me... that I am quite looking forward to... t-tomorrow night...?" He propped himself up over you slightly, watching you with a bashful expression.

"...Me too, Raha. But," you slid your hands up to his back which made him lurch towards you with a purr, and then you pressed him down onto you. "We don't have to wait. We could go to another inn somewhere...and..." You smiled softly. "...Mate."

Though you said the word in Draconic, G'raha could understand--and you knew it. His ears pricked up and his cheeks flushed a deep red; he wasted hardly a moment before hiding his face in your neck. "...'Tis true. I've already prepared for that moment..."

"Hmm?" He moved up slightly to whisper in your ear.

"...I have already consumed the Unbera." He closed his eyes after making this proclamation, his ears drooping as he adjusted himself slightly, then laid his head down on your chest.

"Oh..." You ran your hands through his hair, gently undoing his ponytail and braid, loving to see his hair flow down his shoulders. "Heimryr told me you were...looking forward to it," you touched a finger to his lips when his eyes widened. "Listen, Raha... there is one other thing on my mind. Have you ever heard of... Merciful Dawnflowers?"

The Miqo'te raised his head slightly. "Hmm... I am no botanist, so my knowledge of flora is rather thin. I have not heard of them, but... 'tis quite similar to your name."

You explained to him what Heimryr told you about the flowers and G'raha moved himself off of you, sitting beside you as he crossed his arms thoughtfully. "So you have a strange feeling about these flowers... Aye, 'tis mysterious indeed, especially that Vidofnir refrained from mentioning this detail. Though I suppose if she saw it as a bad omen after the flowers were destroyed..." He looked up at the ceiling. "Perhaps we should investigate it further."

"But how? Who would we ask?"

"Perhaps the elders of Tailfeather would have seen these flowers? It could be that one or more may have been preserved by a gardener. If that does not avail us," he continued. "Our search could stretch to Falcon's Nest and Ishgard. Surely someone might have information, no matter how little. We could even go now," he glanced at you with a smile. "If I could be of use helping you learn about your origins, as you have so helped me..."

You crawled onto his lap and wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing your head against his stomach. "I'm glad I asked you. I started overthinking it so much that asking around Tailfeather didn't even cross my mind...and definitely not investigating in Falcon's Nest or Ishgard. Hehe... Thank you, Raha. But for now, I want to stay here with you."

"Beth... All right," he smiled softly as you placed your hands on his shoulders and lifted yourself up, gently pushing him against the bed post as you leaned in to kiss him deeply. "Mm..." You felt his body grow limp as you embraced him, and slowly his arms wrapped around you, holding you tenderly as you opened your mouth, inviting his tongue inside.

You enjoyed his hot breaths as his tongue reluctantly slithered against yours, losing yourself in the taste of his sweet kisses. "Raha..." you breathed his name between kisses, quickly becoming addicted to the caress of his tongue.

Neither of you remembered that the door was unlocked... and neither of you heard it slowly creak open. All you heard was Alisaie gasp, followed by the door slamming. Your heart jumped nearly out of your chest as both of you snapped your attention to the door. Filled with embarrassment, your eyes slowly moved to one another and you quickly wiped the saliva from your mouths with a sigh. "A-Alisaie..." G'raha stammered.

"Haha... We seem to have forgotten to lock the door," you smiled awkwardly at him. "I'll talk to her. Wait here for me," you left the comfort of G'raha's lap and hopped off of the bed, slipping a light gown over your clothes as he brought himself to the edge of the bed to watch you leave. "Don't worry. I'm just going to apologize and see what she needed."

You left your room and searched the Rising Stones for Alisaie; when you failed to find her, you went outside and saw her blasting the training dummy G'raha had gifted her during the Starlight Celebration. "Alisaie," you said her name and she paused. "Sorry."

"I'm not angry!" she cried, putting away her weapon. "The two of you are...getting eternally bonded tomorrow, after all. Something like that is to be expected I suppose." You could almost hear her grinding her teeth. "Though you could have remembered to lock the door." 

"Hehe... Sorry. Did you need something?"

She glanced back at you, hand on her hip. "Nothing in particular. Just...wanted to talk," she smiled faintly. "I'm happy for you. Really. You and G'raha make a good pair. A good team."

You approached her and she looked up at you, her cheeks slightly puffed. "I'm lucky to have such great friends and companions like the Scions. I never would have made it this far without all of you. I cherish my relationship with each and every one of you."

The young Elezen blushed faintly. "It's better than going it alone, I suppose," she smiled softly. "Ah, well, as for what I wanted to talk to you about... I asked Ga Bu to come to your ceremony. After that... I was hoping the four of us--G'raha included--could go to that confectionery in Limsa Lominsa together before you depart for your ...honeymoon."

"Oh, you got Ga Bu to come? I'm really glad you invited him! Of course, I'd love to go there with you, Alisaie. I know G'raha will be excited, too... I wonder what kind of sweets he likes?"

"We'll just have to feed all of them to him until we find out his favorites, heh heh..."

"Hehehehe... You're right. I'll bet he never treated himself to anything good when he was the Exarch. I don't want to make him sick, though! We'll have to be careful."

"If G'raha is worth his salt as my rival, he definitely won't get sick from a little sugar!" Alisaie said with a giggle. "But I suppose telling him to try everything might be a stretch."

"Alisaie... Thanks," you said, hugging her suddenly. "You know I'll always think of you like a little sister. I'm glad to have you by my side, and Alphinaud too."

"Hmph," she crossed her arms, trying to hold a frown, but it gradually melted into a smile as she blushed a little more. "If I did have an elder sister, I do imagine she would be something like you, Beth." Alisaie glanced away. "But you'd best be getting back to him. He's probably worried. You know how silly he can be. Oh, I'm sure he'sdying of embarrassment, too."

"Hahaha... I almost died, myself, but I am a little better at hiding it."

"Hehe." Alisaie placed her hands on her sides. "And Beth," she said. "Take it easy, all right? I want you to enjoy yourself for a while. It's not every day you have an eternal bonding, hm?"

"I will. In fact, I'm going to enjoy myself so much that maybe I'll actually forget about being the Warrior of Light for a few moments and just be...me. Thank you, Alisaie."

The red mage waved to you as you returned to the Rising Stones.

G'raha was startled when you opened the door to your room, his ears wiggling, but he relaxed when he realized it was you. He was still sitting on the edge of your bed, but now he had a book cradled in his lap--a familiar one. "Raha, you keep that with you still?" "Of course," he said, placing the book on the table. "Your diary... I was saddened upon leaving my body behind in the First, realizing that I had left it behind... but upon waking up, I found it right beside me. Ah, how relieved I was to see it safe and sound..."

"Hm... So that old diary now exists in two places. Tell me, Raha... are both diaries identical?"

"Aye. Precisely identical, down to the tiniest of strokes. Though the one in the First is quite worn now..." He nodded, his tail slowly moving on the bed. "Besides that," his eyes wandered to you. "Was... Was Alisaie angry with me?" The way he looked at you with such sincere concern made you almost want to tease him, but you decided against it at the last moment.

"Not at all," you sat beside him on the bed, leaning against him and running one of your hands down his back to touch his tail. He jumped as you began to stroke it gently, his ears drooping down. "In fact, she invited us to come with her and Ga Bu after our ceremony."

"Ahh, so Ga Bu was able to come! Full glad I am that he is doing better now," G'raha shivered slightly as your hand glided down his tail. "B-Beth... You know when you do that, I--"

"Mm, sorry... Your tail is just so fluffy, I can't help myself," you leaned and kissed his cheek before standing up. "Shall we eat dinner and relax here after? I wanted to ask about this 'secret' groom's costume Tataru has made for you. Actually, she won't even let me see the dress she made for me until tomorrow... but I'm more curious about what you will wear! She wouldn't even give me a hint, you know? Do you know how it looks?"

G'raha stood up slowly, his tail swaying thoughtfully. "Hm... So she didn't tell you..." he murmured before smiling slightly. "I'm afraid I don't know a thing, Warrior of Light. Alas... it seems you will have to remain patient until the morrow--and me as well. Quite interested I am in seeing my beloved bride in all her glory... I know you will be beautiful beyond words..."

"R-Raha... Stop saying that," you touched your hands to your face, blushing deeply. "You know it's embarrassing for me. I never wear dresses... I always feel awkward in them."

He sidled up to you, his tail caressing one of your legs as he looked up at you with a playful grin. "You wore one during Valentione's," he reminded you. "A veryprovoking one."

"Shhhh!" You glared at him, to hide your face with your hands and he wagged his tail, his ears waggling. "Stop teasing me like that! I only did it because that lady really wanted me to!"

"Hm hm... But you kept the dress, did you not?"

"At her request..."

"Come now, do not hide your face from me," he slipped his hands up to your neck and started to tickle you. You tried to resist, but your neck was your onlyweakness, and so you were forced to grab his wrists and stop him. "Ah... and there you are again." He stood up on his tiptoes, his tail raising upwards as he stretched himself taller to be able to kiss you.

"Raha..." You let go of his wrists and ran your hands gently over his ears and through his hair, then over his cheeks, neck and down to his shoulders. "...I really love you so much." You leaned down and pressed your lips to his, taking one of his hands into your own.

After sharing a few more sweet kisses, you went to Mor Dhona's tavern to eat dinner. You talked about your diary, the mysterious flowers that were your namesake, and about your first meeting. You conversed until the sun set and stars dotted the heavens, finally leaving the tavern to perch upon the highest point of Mor Dhona to watch the stars.

"Beth," G'raha said as you leaned against him, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the gentle breeze. "Pray forgive me this sudden request, but might I borrow the Heart Crystal until...our ceremony?" He nudged you softly when you did not immediately reply.

"Mmm..." You were drifting off. "...You can. Are you still going to...make it a ring?"

"Aye... I am," his voice soothed you further. "I've finally perfected the glamour. 'Tis one you can change at will--to a pendant or a ring. I pray it will be to your liking...Beth."

You cuddled against him a little more, sliding one hand onto his lap. He placed one hand over yours as he gazed up at the stars. "I want to fall asleep against you like this right now. Just like I did that time...long ago. And then you carried me back to my bed... Nn... Raha..."

"...Thank you for giving me something to truly live for, Raha..."

G'raha caressed your hand with his fingertips. "That is something you have given me as well, Beth. Thank you...for giving me a place I can truly call...home." He lowered his lashes, smiling warmly. "...Then fall asleep against me like you did that night. I promise I will carry you to bed tonight, and every night from now on if you'd like. My only wish is to be by your side..." 

And so you stayed together like that as the night wore on, until you finally drifted off to sleep. G'raha carried you back to your chambers in the Rising Stones as promised, and slipped into bed with you, snuggling closely against you before falling asleep as well.

=====

Although you were having the most perfect sleep of your life, it was short-lived as Tataru came knocking even before the sun had risen. "Rise and shine, lovebirds!" she called, opening the door. The smell of fresh bread, sausage and freshly-brewed tea wafted into the room and into your nose as you opened your impossibly heavy eyelids with a groan.

"Wh-What time...is it... It's still dark..." you dragged your heavy arms away from G'raha and rolled onto your back as he murmured something, caught in a dream. "Tataru..."

"Today's the big today! Your eternal bonding ceremony!" The energetic Lalafell cried. "You can't expect me to let the stars of the day roll around in bed until noon, do you? Besides, we have SO much to do! Beth, you must try on the dress I made for you! After that, we should make our way to Gridania and settle our final preparations. And also, 'tis bad luck for the bride and groom to be together just before the Eternal Bonding, you know?"

"Huh..." You only heard approximately three of the many words that had tumbled out of Tataru's mouth, two of them being 'bad luck'. "...No bad luck today."

"Here! Breakfast!" She set the hearty breakfast tray on your bedside table with a smile as bright as the sun. "Eat up. Make sure you save some for G'raha! Hehe, I made ten servings, but I know sometimes you can eat twelve all by yourself! I ran out of eggs-- Sorry!!"

"Hrmmm..." You scratched your head, slowly blinking the sandbags that had replaced your eyelids. "Thanks..." Then, it hit you like a brick: today was THE ceremony. The ETERNAL BONDING CEREMONY. Your eyes widened. "....." Feeling a wave of anxiety strike you suddenly, you reached for the loaf of bread and tore into it.

"When you're all done, meet me in the main room! G'raha should be fine on his own, but you're the bride! We need to do your hair and make sure everything's perfect. After that, you'll be travelling with me to Gridania~ You won't see G'raha until the ceremony!"

You continued munching on the loaf of bread, imagining hundreds of eyes watching you. "I'm a little nervous..." You glanced back when G'raha finally began to stir.

"Mmmhh... Beth..." The Miqo'te slowly opened his eyes and sniffed. "...Something smells delicious," he sat up, resting his chin on one of your shoulders as his tail curled towards your side and his ears wiggled. "Ah... Tataru. Good morning, my friend."

"Morning G'raha! I've made breakfast, but you had best get your share before Beth here eats her fill! You know how she is when she's hungry!" "Haha... Aye. But if she wishes to eat it all, I am certain I could fend for myself. Thank you for your kindness as always, Tataru," he smiled sleepily at her, yawning. "And don't worry, I have not forgotten your instructions. I cannot wait for the ceremony to begin..." He wrapped his arms snugly around your waist--it had become commonplace for G'raha to be even more affectionate with you in the mornings, especially if he was particularly sleep-deprived.

But it still surprised you, especially when he wasn't at all embarrassed about doing so even if someone else was watching. "M-Me too..." You wondered if he was as nervous as you were. "And of course I wouldn't eat it all myself, Raha!" You stuck your tongue out at him.

After Tataru had left, you shared the meal with G'raha. He was always more perky in the morning than you, but neither of you slept all that much last night. You struggled to keep your eyes open but were hopeful that the food would give you some energy.

Once the food had been demolished--courtesy of you--G'raha gave you a sweet, fleeting kiss. 

"Well then," he said playfully. "The next we meet... It shall be in front of the altar. I look forward to receiving you," he lifted one of your hands and kissed it. "My bride." His ruby eyes seemed to shimmer with kindness and love as his beautiful smile melted your heart.

"Hmph... Were you planning on saying that this whole time?" You smiled shyly at him.

His face flushed as his ears bobbed up and down. "M-Mayhap I was. ...Ahem. W-Well then..." G'raha got out of bed, his tail wagging uncontrollably as he turned away from you. "Until later...my love." You stood up and hugged him from behind, kissing one of his ears.

"Until later... Raha."

=====

You left G'raha alone, wondering if he would slip away from your chambers through the window and disappear on some secret mission given to him by Tataru. You tried to imagine what kind of outfit she made for him, but the lady herself broke you from your thoughts.

"There you are! I was wondering when you were going to be done," she said. "Luckily the sun hasn't risen yet, so we've plenty of time to prepare! Come along now, over here, over here! I've prepared a dressing room for you! I made not one, but three wedding dresses! I want you to pick your favorite one. I had so many ideas, but in the end I settled on three!"

"Th-Three? Oh, Tataru... you didn't have to-- Oh... Thank you..."

You spent a lengthy amount of time trying on all of the dresses; they were all equally beautiful, but in the end one stood out as your favorite. It was metallic turquoise with wonderful embroidery that left you breathless.

"Tataru, I love this one," you told her, walking out of the dressing room. "D-Does it look good on me?" Tataru stared at you with her mouth agape. "U-Umm... is it bad...?"

"You're simply stunning! Ooooh, G'raha's going to faint when he sees you! Hehehe! I've really outdone myself this time, and you deserve it, Beth! I want you to be the most beautiful bride in all Eorzea! Now, we'll use this dress... but before we do anything else, you must let me fix up your hair! I found a wonderful hair stylist in Kugane who travelled specially here for you!"

"T-Tataru... You're going to make my eyes watery. Really, you didn't have to... You're so..." You pressed your lips together, kneeling down to hug her.

"Hey now! You'll dirty the dress! Hehe... But I'm so glad you're happy! Of course I had to do this for you. You're not only the Warrior of Light, but you're also my dear, dear friend! Now come on, the hairdresser is waiting! We've a long day ahead of us~"

You spent the morning with a hair stylist, a makeup artist, a dance teacher and several other people Tataru hired to make your ceremony absolutely perfect. With her encouraging you at every turn, you began to feel your worries slowly melting away.

Finally, it was time to depart for the Sanctum of the Twelve in the East Shroud. Once you arrived, you would have to turn over the Eternal Bonding ring you had specially-made for G'raha Tia. You carried it with you every day since purchasing it shortly after his proposal, sometimes looking at it wistfully. Even though you were nervous, your heart was light.

There was no one you'd rather be with in all the world.

No one else you'd rather have by your side.

You traveled by means of a chocobo-driven carriage, the ends of your long dress whipping in the wind as the Sanctum of the Twelve came into view. Soon, the ceremony would begin.

Although you helped choose the color of the decorations and had a generally idea of the proceedings, some things were left a mystery to you. Tataru insisted to take care of most of the planning--with some input from you and G'raha--so you happily left it to her.

You were the first to arrive at the Sanctum, greeted by a woman named Claribel, who had been heavily involved in the planning of your ceremony. She smiled and offered her compliments, then brought you into a waiting room.

She soon presented you with the veil you were to wear. It was a beautiful, long veil lined that had a crown of yellow roses. She also brought your bouquet that was filled with blue, red, yellow and white flowers, although there was one tiny flower in particular that caught your eye; it was unlike any other flower you had seen before, and when the light hit it at just the right angle, it seemed to glow and give off aether. 

You stared at the window, hearing murmurs from the chamber nearby--the guests were arriving one-by-one. You thought of all the friends you invited, hoping that nothing would go wrong. If your enemies wanted to attack, now would be the prime time... and yet, you were hopeful that everything would be all right. An unknown amount of time passed that you spent pacing the waiting room and looking at yourself in the mirror. 

And then, at last, Claribel returned...

...It was time for the ceremony to begin.

Claribel gave you directions to the interior of the Sanctum, and you nearly left the room without your bouquet. Smiling, she pointed at the bouquet and you bashfully ran to grab it, taking a deep breath and heading out into a long hallway, where you turned and...

...came to the breathtaking view of the inner Sanctum. You froze up, your eyes taking it all in as you realized all of this was for you, for G'raha. "Wow..." You swallowed slowly, taking leisurely steps as the open gates of the chapel beckoned you nearer.

Soft piano music started suddenly, startling you as you gripped your bouquet, squeezing it against your waist as you tried to force an awkward smile.

You took another breath; the altar was in clear view now, but G'raha was not in your field of vision. "This is it," you mumbled to yourself. "Raha and I..." You imagined all the faces of your friends in the pews and closed your eyes, smiling. "...Thank you, everyone."

As soon as you stepped into the chapel, there was silence--save for the sound of gentle music. G'raha walked into few, moving in front of the altar, waiting for you to approach. 

The priest of the Sanctum awaited you behind the altar, but when you laid eyes upon G'raha in his wedding outfit, you nearly stopped. He looked so handsome that your heart skipped a beat, and you fell in love with him all over again as you were charmed by his sweet smile.

"Raha..." You whispered his name as you approached the altar, trying to keep yourself from running at him. You glanced at everyone gathered in the chapel: the leaders of the cities, your dear friends Nayia, Youko, Riallian, the Scions, Heimryr, Vidofnir, among many others.

You saw some faces that were unfamiliar, but all of them watched you with the same smiling faces. The heat rushed to your face when you realized the the chapel was nearly entirely full with guests and you slowly blinked, returning your gaze to your beloved.

Finally, you reached his side before the altar...

"You are so...beautifully radiant, Beth," G'raha said, standing close to you. "Would that I had the proper words to explain what you make me feel... a boundless joy. Ah..."

The priest nodded at both of you, smiling as he asked for your Eternal Bonding rings. G'raha handed him the Heart Crystal ring, and you held out the platinum diamond ring you crafted for your groom. Both of the rings took on an aetherial form--two floating balls of light.

G'raha smiled at you as he held out his orb to you, and you raised your left hand as your heart raced. The orb flew to your ring finger and materialized as the Heart Crystal ring, and then you passed the other orb to him as he held up his left hand.

When you saw the diamond ring appear on his finger, your eyes widened as his smile deepened. You could see his eyes welling with tears as the priest spoke a prayer to the Twelve, and then came the moment to eternally bond you together: the kiss.

G'raha stepped towards you, reaching up to pull back your veil. He tenderly touched a hand to your face, watching you with a loving gaze as he wrapped one arm around your waist. You leaned down, still holding your bouquet, and closed your eyes as he whispered.

"I love you, Beth. Now and forevermore..."

A moment later, you felt his soft lips touch your own, giving you the sweetest kiss imaginable.

"I love you too, Raha... Always and always and always."

The priest announced that the two of you were now eternally bonded in the eyes of the Twelve, and all the guests present began to cheer as G'raha kissed you again, embracing you and lifting you up into his arms suddenly. "R-Raha...! 

"Ah... I believe I shall be taking the Warrior of Light--my beautiful wife--with me now. I trust that none of you have any objections?" G'raha smiled sweetly, casting his gaze out over the massive crowd. "No? Then let us be off, Beth... my love." He leaned in to kiss you as the crowd cheered, gently cradling you as he walked out of the chapel with you, leaving you speechless.

As he carried you down the long blue carpet, you reached to wipe the tears from his face and kissed his forehead. "Oh Raha... I didn't even throw the bouquet yet! Wasn't I supposed to do that?" You giggled quietly, stroking his face.

"Aye... Perhaps I was a little too overzealous. Shall we return to the chapel?"

"No," you leaned to touch your forehead to his, approaching the exit of the Sanctum. "I'll do it at the after party. Let's spend a little time together like this, Raha."

"Mmm..." he smiled tenderly and took you to the gates, pushing them open to flood the Sanctum with light. Your dress reflected bright blues everywhere as G'raha brought you outside. "Before the after party, there is somewhere I've been wanting to take you..."

"Where is that, Raha?" You turned your head slightly when you heard the sound of a chocobo. Much to your surprise, Sprite was standing there, dressed in a fancy white barding. "Sprite?! Raha, did you do that?" He smiled and shook his head.

"It was Tataru's idea," he said, Sprite walking over to you with a chirp as he lowered himself onto the ground. G'raha placed you on the ground and hugged you gently, holding Sprite's reins. "After you, Beth." You giggled at him before hopping onto Sprite's back, and then he mounted the bird afterwards. "Haha... I think reality has not quite caught up with me yet."

You carefully stored the bouquet away in Sprite's saddlebags, then pat him gently.

"Me too..." You murmured, slipping your arms around his waist as Sprite stood up and began to trot down the stairs leading away from the Sanctum. "But really, nothing changes."

"Mmm... Eternally bonded in the eyes of the Twelve, and the eyes of men," G'raha mused as you looked back at the Sanctum. "My heart feels lighter than ever before, Beth."

"So does mine..." You closed your eyes as you rested your chin on his shoulder, and Sprite took off into the air. "...Seeing all of our friends there made it like a dream come true. I'm glad that everything has been peaceful. I have to admit... I could get used to it."

"After all you have done, you deserve a moment of respite...and someone to relieve your tension besides. I-I pray that I can do just that, starting ...tonight," he said shyly. "I want to give you much and more, to take care of you and grant your every desire..."

You opened your eyes slightly and nipped the exposed part of his neck. "Stop that," you breathed in his ear and he shuddered slightly. "You're making me nervous." "Hm hm... The Warrior of Light is nervous? I pray I can...satisfy you. Every...single...need."

"Stop it!" you whined, squeezing him tightly as he laughed. "Don't tease me!"

"Ahh... I cannot help myself, Beth," he glanced back at you and you could see that his face was flushed. "For so many years I've longed for you...and now, here we are together."

"...I want you too, you know," you whispered sensually into his ear. "More than you can imagine." You playfully nipped his ear and he sighed deeply. "So where are we going?"

"Hmm... We should be there soon... Ah, there it is!"

G'raha brought Sprite down to land in a secret field of flowers in East Shroud. It was a heavenly, colorful place that reminded you of Il Mheg. A sparkling stream cut through the heart of the field, and the trees surrounding the glade were among the tallest and oldest in the area. "I've never seen this place before," you breathed. "How did you...?"

He hopped off of Sprite and held out his arms to you with a playful smile; grinning at him, you jumped off into his arms, nearly knocking him onto the ground. He set you down and took one of your hands in his own, gesturing ahead. "'Tis a place I once discovered long ago," he said, walking with you along the stream as a flowery breeze brushed past. "When I was still a child I would often wander alone to find a peaceful place to read..."

"...and this glade is one such escape I stumbled upon. I have not been here in many a summer," G'raha murmured, Sprite running along to the stream to drink. "I thought it was fitting to come here with you after our ceremony." He squeezed your hand. "Also... There is something I wanted to show you. Something our 'favorite friend' helped me with."

You stared at him curiously, but he only smiled.

The two of you walked hand-in-hand for a long time, until you reached a circle of rocks that spread out into an open clearing. Within the circle was nothing but grass and shoots, but when the sunbeams hit a certain way, something tiny caught your eye--

A small flower not unlike the one you saw in your bouquet.

"Raha... What's that flower?"

He picked up his pace, walking briskly, then running, the wind rushing through the folds of your dress as you came to stand in front of the flower. "This... is a Merciful Dawnflower."

At a glance, it looked almost like a yellow daisy, but upon closer inspection there were a few unique differences. The Dawnflower had few petals, and its pistil was pure black. There were barely-visible markings on each petal, and every petal had a unique shape and marking.

When the light touched it, the markings gave off a glow and the petals turned ghostly white.

"But... But how?"

"You would have to ask Heimryr for the details, but he said they were cultivated from a stone you planted with him. He mentioned using Revernite for the process, but I know little and less of how he succeeded. The mystery remains, however...ever deeper now, in fact--these flowers seem to be intrinsically linked to you, Beth."

"So it seems..." You stooped to study the flower as the wind picked up and it bowed towards you. You touched a finger to it and were hit by a wave of nostalgia, though for what you did not know. It felt almost like you were about to have a vision, but it subsided before you saw anything. "...I'll talk to Heimryr about this later. For now...I want to enjoy this time with you."

"Indeed," he helped you to your feet and walked with you to a massive wisteria tree. "Make yourself comfortable in the shade. I'll return in a moment." G'raha beamed at you and turned away, running off and climbing up a distant tree.

Sprite approached and curled up under the shade beside you, and you began to scratch his head affectionately. He squeaked happily and placed his head on your lap, ruffling his feathers. "What do you think he's up to, Sprite?" The chocobo chirped softly.

G'raha returned a short while later with a very old-looking lute. He strummed a few notes and smiled softly at you, beginning to hum. "Not only did I come here to read often in solitude, but I also practiced singing and playing the lute and harp."

"Hmm... I wonder what you looked like when you were a little boy. I bet you were extremely cute," you stuck your tongue out with him when he blushed and sat on your other side, snuggling against you. "You should tell me more of your childhood, Raha."

"Mm... There is not much to tell," he smiled sadly, strumming again. "But this was my first and only lute. 'Tis an artifact of Allag, said to be imbued with the power of hope," he went on to say, touching the lute wistfully before gazing at you. "There was one man who was sympathetic to my plight of having been born with the Allagan Eye, and it was that man who gifted me this lute. I knew nothing of him, of course... and I never met him again."

"...But playing a melody on this lute always filled my heart with a gentle serenity," G'raha sighed. "And so for many long hours did I come here to curl up in the sun's rays with a book, and long after the sun set I would practice the songs passed down to me."

"Will you sing to me, Raha? I love your singing very much..."

"Haha..." His ears drooped and he blushed. "...Aye. I will sing for you, the Song of Eternal Wind." He closed his eyes and sighed softly, playing a soft tune on the lute that gave you goosebumps. The melody went on for a while until he began to sing beautifully.

The wind seemed to pick up as he sang, although summoned by the melody. You felt as though your heart had been swept away in the air, dancing like the petals carried by the breeze. It was a song of freedom, hope, love and togetherness.

You closed your eyes as well, lulled by his voice and the sound of the lute, so relaxed by G'raha's serenade that you nearly fell asleep. When the song came to an end, you felt his lips touch your own and you saw his ruby eyes aglow in the sunlight as he smiled warmly.

You wrapped your arms around him as he set the lute aside, pushing him down into the field of flowers and kissing him again and again as he hugged you and smiled. You undid his braided ponytail, combing your fingers through his scarlet locks as he blushed.

"I love you, Beth..." G'raha said quietly, tears beading in his eyes as he stroked your back.

You rolled off of him and cuddled closely against him, gazing directly into his eyes as you leaned to kiss him tenderly. "And I love you," you brought your left hand over your mouth, smiling as the Heart Crystal reflected the sunlight into his eyes. "I wish there were more words to tell you, Raha. I wish I could truly...truly tell you just how much you mean to me."

G'raha touched his forehead to yours, closing his eyes as he clutched your body against him.

"I know, Beth. Trust me... I know," he murmured, touching his lips to yours. "Without you, I would not be here at all. Without you, all those precious memories of the First would no longer be. You protected everything...for me. You've given me everything, everything I've ever wanted...and more. You have shown me so much kindness..."

A few tears rolled down his face, tears that you kissed away. "Hehe. I've only just begun..."

Slowly, he opened his eyes with a sigh, captivating you with his smile--the smile that you would give anything to protect. The smile that you wanted to live for from now on.

And together you remained in that secret garden until the sun began to set. . .

=====

A curious breeze drifted through the garden, whirling around the lonely Merciful Dawnflower. An ancient whisper was carried on the wind as it settled on the ground.

"...At long last, I've found you. My sister..."