With You

---Katherine---

Whenever Martha finished the household chores, she would bring a rocking chair and a book outside. There, she would sit and rock, spending more time watching her grandchildren train than reading her book. Matthew was very happy that we were teaching Christina and Charles. He kept telling them how lucky they were to be taught by "Crystallea's best fighters" and told them to "listen to Aaron and Katherine, and be good children".

"Oh, you put too much pressure on us," Aaron would say modestly. "Now I'm scared of failing to meet your standards."

"We're really not the most qualified teachers," I would add. "We're only teenagers."

"Nonsense." Matthew refused to listen, dismissing all our replies as humility. "You can't be one of the chosen seven and not be one of the best fighters in Crystallea. No matter how much my grandchildren will actually learn, I'm still very proud to have you two as their mentors."

Day by day, Christina and Charles improved their abilities. Both Aaron and I were very proud of our pupils. I found that the children's carefree laughter and wide smiles chased the darkness away; I no longer had nightmares and could actually get a good night's rest. I looked forward to being with them every day.

Life in the Wymond Paradise—as I named the place—was peaceful. It wasn't the life of a typical swordswoman, but it held much more appeal to me after the suffering I endured during the quest. I wanted to stay here forever, living my life with the Wymonds and Aaron. This was the type of life I began to imagine for myself when I grew old, when my days of walking the land as a great swordswoman were over. I had half a heart to ask Matthew and Martha if I could some day return and live here. But I never got the chance.

* * * * *

Aaron's and my favorite activity, besides being with the children, was to go stargazing after dinner. The stars blanketed the night sky as if someone had knocked over the salt shaker on a black marble countertop. They were so bright and seemed so close that I could practically reach out and touch them. I loved to lie down on the grass and look up at the night sky, enjoying the peaceful nighttime sounds and the mesmerizing beauty of the galaxy. The stars changed every night, and I never tired of the activity.

"Stars don't shine as bright at the Academy as they do here," I mentioned to Aaron one night as we were lying side by side on the grass again.

"No, they don't," he agreed. "There's too much light from the buildings."

"Why have we never noticed the stars, Aaron? Even when we were camping?"

"Probably because we were too busy trying to stay alive. You know, when someone's trying to kill you, stargazing kind of becomes a lower priority."

I chuckled. "You're right."

"Of course I am. I'm always right; how dare you doubt me?" Aaron feigned offense. I laughed softly and shook my head at him. Aaron was smart and funny. Not prankster-funny like Lucian and Jason, but nerdy-funny in a way only he could be. He was always able to make me laugh with his jokes and sarcastic comments.

We gazed up at the twinkling stars in silence for a few more moments. I spoke up once more. "I love this place, Aaron. I love the stars, the waterfalls, the grasses, everything. I love the quaint cottage that Matthew built, and the garden that Martha planted. I love being around Christina and Charles. I never want to leave this place."

"I know. Me too." Aaron agreed. Then he paused. "But we both know that's not possible, Kath."

I let out a sigh. We sank into silence again as the mood dampened slightly. A burst of childish squeal came from inside the cottage, mixed with Martha's gentle scolding and Matthew's deep baritone laugh. Life here was so peaceful and so happy. I knew we still had a quest to finish and a prophecy to fulfill, but I wanted time to stop so that this moment would never end, so that I could forever be under the blanket of stars with Aaron by my side and the warm glow of the cottage illuminating a path back home.

Although it was only early-autumn, I could feel the dampness of the grass as dew began to form. I shivered and instinctively shifted closer to Aaron. "Are you cold?" Aaron asked as he turned his head to look at me.

"A little," I admitted, "but I don't want to go inside yet. I want to stay out here for a bit longer."

Aaron nodded and shifted closer to me, letting me use his body heat for warmth. Our bodies touched. In the dark, I felt my face warm.

"I don't want to leave either." Aaron said quietly. "I haven't never felt this happy and safe in so long. I've nearly forgotten how it felt to wake up and do whatever I want to do without having to worry about being attacked. Here, Lord Victor and the Evils seem to be just a bad dream. I don't want to have to face them again."

"Me neither. To be honest, I would do anything to be able to live the rest of life out here." I paused, then added hesitantly and softly, "With you."

For a minute, all I heard were the crickets in the cool night air. I thought maybe Aaron didn't hear me.

But then he answered quietly, "Me too, Kath."

We stayed out there for a long time that night, lying close to each other and looking up at the stars, thinking of a life that could have been.

* * * * *

One day, when we were training outside again, I heard honking up in the sky. Looking up, I saw a skein of wild geese fly across the blue sky in their telltale V-formation. Another group soon followed. I stared at them, suddenly lost in thought.

"Wild geese…" Aaron murmured, coming up to me. "Kath, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I nodded slowly, not tearing my eyes from the disappearing geese. Aaron continued to speak quietly. "It's mid-autumn. We should set off for the Northern Mountains."

"I don't want to." I knew I was being childish and unreasonable, but this was how I felt. "I don't want to leave this place. I don't want to have to face Lord Victor again."

"I know. Me too, Kath, me too." Aaron placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned and looked at him—actually, looked up at him. When did he get so tall? And when did the leaves of the trees in the distance turn yellow and brown? I had tried to ignore the signs, but the changes in weather and vegetation indicated that it was time to go.

"It's our destiny, Kath. We have to accept our fate. There's a reason why we didn't die when we jumped off that cliff. The world is depending on us, and we have to uphold our promise to the people."

"I know that. I know how heavy the burden we're carrying is. I'm just saying…" My voice trailed off, and I sighed. We must accept our fate. No one can change what Fate has decided. "I guess it's time to say goodbye."