Chapter 62: Strength of Love

Nera

I looked up at my boyfriend. Furrowed eyebrows and a frown dotted his usually calm face. I had to help him get out of this situation.

"I'll help you, Goerld," I said, my voice determined. He looked down at me, surprise flickering in his eyes. 

"Nera, this isn't..."

"No. Goerld, this isn't your fight alone," I said, my gaze never leaving his. "This is my fight too. We're in this together, remember?"

A soft sigh escaped his lips, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't want to drag you into this, Nera. It's dangerous."

"And I don't want you to face this danger alone," I countered, my grip on his hand tightening. "We'll figure this out together, Goerld."

He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. I could see the conflict in his gaze, the fear, the worry. But behind all that, there was also a glimmer of hope.

"Alright," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "We'll do this together."

A small smile tugged at my lips. It wasn't a victory, not yet, but it was a start. It was a promise, a pact between us. We were in this together, and we would face whatever came our way, together.

"But first," I said, pulling him towards our home. "You need to eat. You won't be able to think clearly on an empty stomach."

Goerld let out a soft laugh, the sound echoing in the quiet night. "You always know how to bring me back up, Nera."

"That's what I'm here for," I replied, giggling.

As we walked home, hand in hand, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. We were up against a massive force, against odds that were stacked high against us. But we had each other, and we had love. And I believed, with all my heart, that love was the strongest force there was.

Goerld leaned in and landed a surprise kiss on my cheek.

My face reddened.

"Goerld!" I admonished, playfully swatting his chest. "What was that for?"

He shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Just felt like it."

I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress the grin that was threatening to spread across my face. "You're impossible."

"Say, Nera. Would you like to marry me?"

I gasped. "O-of course, but we barely started dating."

He gulped. "I know, but I was thinking, I might go to far off. It occurred to me, I'll like to leave you something to remember me by. Should I die."

Something to remember him by? My face heated up as I realized what he meant. He wanted to impregnate me, to leave behind a tiny legacy that wasn't connected to war.

"Goerld..." I muttered.

He turned away, face red. "Sorry, dumb idea."

"No, Goerld," I said, pulling him back to face me. "It's not a dumb idea."

He looked surprised, his eyes wide as they searched mine. "It's not?"

I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. "It's not. It's just... it's a big step, Goerld. And it's one we should take when we're both ready, not because we're afraid of what might happen."

He nodded, his expression thoughtful. "You're right, Nera. I... I just don't want to leave you with nothing."

"You're not leaving me with nothing, Goerld," I said, my voice soft. "You've given me so much already, and not all of it is tangible. You've given me love, happiness, a sense of belonging... Those are things that can't be taken away, no matter what happens."

Goerld looked at me, his eyes softening. He reached out, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I love you, Nera," he said, his voice low and sincere. "And I'll do everything in my power to come back to you if I cannot find a way out from my predicament."

"I know you will, Goerld," I replied, leaning into his touch. "And I'll be here, waiting for you if it comes down to that."

We stood there for a moment, lost in each other's gaze. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us and the promise we made to each other.

"Yes, I'll marry you Goerld," I said finally, a soft smile gracing my lips. "But not because I'm afraid of losing you, but because I want to be with you, for as long as I live."

Goerld let out a sigh of relief, pulling me into his arms. "Thank you, Nera," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I love you."

"I love you too, Goerld," I said, my voice muffled against his chest. "And I'll wait for you. No matter what happens, I'll be here, waiting for you."

We held each other close, our hearts beating in sync. It was a moment of peace, a moment of love amidst the a difficult situation.

Goerld kissed me again, this time on the lips.

I hugged him and kissed him back, tasting the salt from his sweat after a long day of training.

"Come on, let's get you home. You smell of sweat," I said, pulling away.

He gave me a slight smile. "Alright."

As we approached Goerld's home, the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air. I had left some baking before going out shopping for ingredients for tonight's dinner.

Pushing the door open, we stepped inside, only to be greeted by the sight of Goerld's younger sister, Lyra, sprawled on the sofa. A plate of cookies sat on her lap, crumbs scattered around her like confetti.

"Hey, you two," she greeted, a cookie halfway to her mouth. "You're late. Went on a date or something?"

"Training ran long," Goerld replied, dropping his keys on the counter. "What about you? Shouldn't you be doing your homework?"

Lyra shrugged, taking another bite of her cookie. "Finished it already."

I smiled, ruffling her hair as I passed. "Good job, Lyra."

She grinned up at me, crumbs sticking to her lips. "Thanks, Nera."

I moved towards the kitchen, throwing a glance over my shoulder. "Goerld, go take a shower. You stink."

He laughed, a deep, warm sound that echoed throughout the house. "Alright, alright. I'm going."

As Goerld disappeared down the hall, I turned to Lyra, a smirk on my face. "So, how many cookies have you eaten?"

Lyra blushed, quickly brushing the crumbs off her lap. "Just a few."

I laughed, pulling out the ingredients to start dinner.

"I'll overlook it if you help me out here. Okay?"

She nodded and jumped out of the sofa.

It was moments like these, moments of normalcy and peace, that I cherished the most.

We were a family, and no matter what happened, we would stick together. We would face the challenges that lay ahead, and we would overcome them. Together. After all, love was the strongest force there was.