Days and weeks and months went by and Dmitri certainly had his hands full and so did Saira for often times he needed her help quelling small rebellions or during the appointment of new officials to replace the corrupt. Most of these didn’t go down without a fight. The worst being when they found demons that had been released from hell.

But with each passing week Saira grew more restless. Sure she was still traveling but it wasn’t for herself and she yearned for it to be.

Dmitri could sense her urge to depart and did many things as he could to get her to stay. One night he went around and found her in her usual open room sparring with her Water Elf friends.

They kept at her but Saira was relentless.

"She’s been at it for hours straight and she aint even wearing the jewel. Girl’s got stamina" Evangeline said looking exhausted.

"That I know" Dmitri said unable to hide his smirk

"Yeah we all know"

"What?" he asked a little embarrassed

"We’re all keeping eyes on Saira. Everyone is after her so its not hard to notice when she spends the night in your room or vice versa"

"Oh..."

"She’s been cooped up for too long"

"What do you mean?"

"Too close to the royals"

"Meaning?"

"Look at her. Anywhere in Niath would you find a royal like her"

"Nowhere. But it wont matter much longer. She wont have to deal with the royals"

"How do you figure?"

"Dmitri!" Saira called and Zehn tried to use such an opportunity to get the best of Saira but she bent over as he kicked and she kicked up stopping just before she’d hit his groin. Zehn stopped trying to keep his balance. Saira lifted barely but Zehn flinched so much he fell. Saira stepped out of the way letting him fall. She turned around and looked down at him. "What did I tell you?"

Zehn groaned and Jaik sighed as they quoted in unison. "‘All people but me have a blindspot’"

"And why?"

"‘Because I can see spirit and that doesn’t limit my sight straight’"

"That’s right" she smirked walking over to Dmitri

"Do you really need to practice so much? I mean the war is over"

"There’s no such thing as over. Especially not for me" Saira said as her friends gathered round.

"Come with me. I have a surprise for you" Dmitri said holding his hand out.

Saira took it and all her friends followed close behind trying not to snicker at the unofficial couple. Dmitri led them past the usual royal hallways to a wing Saira didn’t remember existed

"What–?"

"Remember when I asked what your dream room would be?"

"I remember telling you that I didn’t need any favors"

"And a gift?" he said stepping in front of two double doors.

"You’re kidding me right?"

Dmitri smirked and opened the doors and every last one of them had their eyes wide. It was like Dmitri had taken the picture in her mind and made it reality. The catwalk, the balcony, the spiral stair not to mention a bar off her very own kitchen. Everything was big and open giving as much space as possible.

"Jeez, Saira, if this is your room, I aint leavin’" Zehn said

"This...is..."Saira tried to speak but found it rather difficult to formulate words.

"Boys time to go" Evangeline said practically having to drag Jaik and Zehn out of Saira’s new place. She just gaped her mouth open as she looked around.

"This is your personal project? Why you’ve been sending me out on random errands?"

"Maybe" he smirked strolling around but suddenly Saira pulled him back and kissed him.

"This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me, But–"

"No, no buts"

"Dmitri you know I’ve never felt more at home anywhere else and these past few months have been quite memorable but–"

"No–"

"Dmitri, please don’t make this harder"

"You’re leaving" he said knowingly

"Not yet. But soon. I just cant stay yet"

"Why not?"

"I’m 23 years old Dmitri and everything I’ve ever done started out that way on someone else’s plan. But I want...I need to see the world on my own terms"

"How long?"

"However long it takes, but I promise you I will return"

"That’s not exactly comforting"

"We’ll make use of what time we have and then we can have forever when I get back. Promise you’ll wait for me?"

"Yes"

"Don’t" Saira said quickly. "I cant be sure of anything and I refuse to make you wait"

"Isn’t that my decision?"

"There are hundreds and thousands of women out there, some smarter than me, more sarcastic than me, even prettier than me. Don’t just settle, understand. Make no promises to me, except one"

"What?"

"Live"

---

"You’re not coming" Saira said for the hundredth time since Jaik and Zehn found out she was leaving.

"We are whether you like it or not" Zehn said

"No, this journey is mine to take and learn from my own" Saira replied. "Not to mention you lot have responsibilities being Water Mages"

"Saira–"

"To Drionell" she cut off

"What?" Jaik asked confused

"My first stop is Drionell. You can accompany me that far but rom there I’m on my own, agreed?"

The two nodded happily and rushed off to their rooms. Saira bet it wasn’t so much her but their eager will to travel. She smirked and propped her foot up on the table in her bedroom and slipping a dagger under the buckles and tightened them.

"Nothing you can say will convince me to stay" Saira said rolling her pant legs down knowing Theo was standing in the doorway.

"I’m not here to convince you to stay as much as I wish you would" he said limping into the room.

"You never told me"

"Told you what?"

"About your daughter. That’s why me leaving saddens you, isn’t it? After all you know I can take care of myself"

Theo sighed and nodded

"It’s the real reason you took me in"

"You’ve been practicing" Theo smirked. "Our spirit holds all our secrets and of all the people in the world, you can see them"

"Huh, yeah" Saira said her mind elsewhere but Theo read her expression.

"It’s strange?" he said as more of a question

"It’s the feelings that helped me maintain that I never needed any friends other than you"

"So this is still about Tir"

"Actually this time its about Dmitri. I don’t really want to leave him but if I don’t go out and do this now, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life"

"Then best leave quick. Absence makes the heart grow fonder Saira"

"It also deepens wounds in the heart"

Theo stopped Saira from strapping on her sword and lifted her chin up

"Now I know that one was about Tir. He’s where he should be finally reunited with the woman he loved. You cant be selfish now with all I’ve taught you"

"I know that. Honestly though, I thought if anyone was going to kill him it’d be me"

"What?"

"You know, like a final request sort of thing"

Theo chuckled and he pulled Saira into a loving embrace before kissing her cheek and saying his goodbyes..

She finished getting ready and put on the finishing touches before closing the door of her room and placing a magic barrier to keep anyone from entering it no matter what

"Planning on leaving without saying goodbye?"

Sara tensed and turned slowly

"Actually I was coming to see you first"

"A little warning would have been nice"

"But if I’d given you any warning you would have tried to stop me"

"No I– okay yeah I would have tied you up or something"

"We already tried that, remember?" she smirked

"Heh, yeah. So this..."

"Is a temporary goodbye"

"Is there such a thing?"

Saira smiled and walked up to Dmitri closing the gap before she traced the chain around his neck and pulled up the necklace she’d give up while her other hand slid her bracelet off her wrist. She slipped the chain into his hand and made him look down.

"Saira what–?"

"I cherish this more than anything I own for it was the first mark of a friendship I ever had. It’s helped me out of some difficult situations where I doubted myself."

"That possible?" he teased. "Alright I’ll be serious" he added as she gave him a stern look.

"I’m trusting you to hold onto this for me. I’ll be back for it one day and it better be well taken care of"

"You trust me with this?"

"Is there any reason I shouldn’t?" she questioned

"You leave this with me that’s a promise"

"I don’t make promises I cant keep" she smiled before leaning in and kissing his cheek and pulling away. "Don’t forget me"

"As if that were an option" he said as they walked down to the stables together.

Jaik and Zehn were saddling up three horse ready to go

"I thought you said you were going alone"

"They are tagging along to Drionell and then we’re parting"

"I keep telling myself this cant be happening that I’m just stuck in a dream"

"Better you dread the waking" Zehn smirked watching as Dmitri helped Saira onto her horse.

"Promise me something else too" Saira said as she situated herself

"Hmm?"

"Don’t come looking for me"

"What?"

"I know you travel around but don’t expect me to meet up with you"

"I’ll try"

Saira muttered an Elven goodbye and then rode off telling herself not to look back and she didn’t until she was well away from the palace and Acthea itself.

"So where are you headed?" Zehn asked as they made came that night sitting around a crackling blue fire.

"Don’t know. I’ll start in the northern areas, work my way down and then overseas"

"From what I hear there aint nothin’ over there anymore"

"Yeah, that’ what I heard too" Jaik added

"That’s what I want to find out"

"Curiosity killed the cat you know"

"Do I look like a cat?"

"No, but you sure as hell act like one sometimes" Zehn smirked ducking from a pebble thrown at him.

"What are you going to Drionell for?" Jaik asked starting to cook.

"I haven’t talked to Tir in awhile"

"And you can only talk to him in Drionell?"

"No, but it feels like I can when I’m near him"

"Who knew he’d leave such an impression on the ice queen"

"It’s always who you never expect" Saira said lighting up a smoke as Zehn passed around a flask they all drank from.

"The stars are so beautiful" Jaik sighed

Saira looked up and smiled in agreement

"I know I’ll never get sick of them" Zehn sighed clouding his vision with smoke

"I guess you cant appreciate them as much when you’ve always had them to look at" Saira said.

"There are so many wonders in the world. Really think you can see them all"

"I’m sure as hell going to try"

---

Saira enjoyed traveling with her Water Elves but she hated that she still couldn’t be quite herself around them. There was just so much they didn’t understand.

In Drionell, she was greeted like royalty course now that Dmitri had reinstated the Mage status, it was equivalent of royalty and as she was the daughter of two famous Mages, she technically was. As usual upon her visit, the citizens pestered her for blessings, the Council begged her to join and peace was hard to find for prying eyes followed her every move.

Saira eluded the lot of them finally and made her way to Tir’s tomb where thick vibrant trees had grown around providing shelter at every angle, just like Tirant Forest. She wondered if ti was Tir that helped the forest along.

She found a spot to sit under the columns and smiled at thunder clapped overhead and rain began a light drizzle through the trees.

"You always liked the rain, but hated water" she said aloud. "Guess it fit your personality. Dark but with an odd serenity...Gods I hate you. Do you know that? You left me when I needed you most. Especially now. I’m too stubborn to learn on my own and no one else has the patience to help me. You left me hanging in the middle of a lesson"

Saira finished her little rant and heaved a sigh. She could just imagine the look on Dmitri’s face if he’d heard her.

"I wish you were here again" she added before standing up to go. But at that moment a familiar shiver ran up her spine.

"You should be careful what you wish for"

Saira stopped in her tracks. "You bastard"

---

Epilogue:

Without any warning Saira summoned a dagger of ice impaling him through the chest. Then she walked up to him and just stood scowling.

"Give me one good reason not to send you off for the second time" she hissed

"Because, Saira, you need me" he replied circling around her.

"You lied to me"

"How so?"

"You said you couldn’t die"

"Oh right" he said as though that just dawned on him

"So it was like Dmitri said? A big hoax to give me motivation" she asked angrily.

"Actually no" Tir replied. "I died"

"And yet here you are before me"

"It’s paradise up there, you know? The Gods truly have made it with craftsmanship. Everyone can do anything. No restrictions since everyone’s alreayd dead"

"You were bored out of your mind?"

"Gods yes" he said quickly dropping down to sit. "Don’t get me wrong just being with Cia again made it heaven for me, but the life I led has seen for too much wonderment to be impressed by the boringness that is perfection"

"So how are you back?"

"I’ve been watching you. You never cease to amaze me"

"Careful, don’t want Acialinde to get jealous"

"I assure you that while you may indulge my chaotic nature, Acialinde will always be my one and only."

"Aw how sweet" Saira replied sarcastically

"Anyway, Acialinde decided to point out my ability to bring out the best in people while being my vindictive self so she suggested that I be allowed access to the mortal realm visiting lives as I see fit influencing them for the better"

"For the better?" Saira laughed. "Sadly I know exactly what she’s talking about"

"Well the life I plan on influencing now is yours"

"Did you ever stop?"

"I suppose not since I barely anticipated the dagger of ice you sent at me"

"There’s not much to do at the palace but train" Saira shrugged lighting up a smoke.

"You have a long journey ahead of you and there will be a whole new adventure awaiting upon your return"

"How do you know?"

"The Gods aren’t terribly talented at hiding their secrets"

"You’re spoken with the Gods?"

"A few unwillingly" he grinned. "I saw this because you’re going to need my help with issues on an inward level"

"If you plan on working those out then you’ll be at it forever"

"Forever I have"

"We’re to travel together?"

"You’ll never be rid of me Saira" he whispered into her ear

"That I know but just one thing"

"Hmm?"

"You pull another stunt like that and no pact with the gods will keep you from hell"

Tir stared at her for a moment before they both smirked

"Things are about to get very interesting"