Heart & Blade

"Hey," Ultear said as she saw Strider approaching. She frowned as she saw how red his eyes were.

"Good morning Ultear. How're you?" Strider asked.

"Well. Are you alright?" She asked quietly.

"About as well as I could hope to be," Strider sighed. He quickly filled her in on what had happened.

"I see," Ultear said, shifting a bit. "That must be difficult for you."

"It's necessary, I suppose. While we're entitled to our secrets and privacy, I suppose it's give and take in a guild. I trust them enough to know," Strider said, running a hand through his hair. As he sat down on a tree stump, Ultear thought he looked older than he seemed. He seemed to guess what she was thinking.

"War adds on a few decades," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You've nothing to apologize for," Strider said kindly.

"I've plenty to apologize for," she mused, sitting beside him. Strider gave a mirthless laugh.

"We live interesting lives in interesting times," he said.

"Way too interesting. I'm a proponent of boredom at this point," she sighed. She leaned a bit closer to him, gasping a bit as she touched his shoulder. "CRAP! I'M SORRY!"

"Hmm? Oh. That's my right shoulder. It's the left one that gives me trouble," Strider laughed.

"Oh. The apology stands," she said.

"So, Ultear…" Strider began.

"Hmm?"

"Found anything interesting?"

"About what?" Ultear asked, raising a brow.

"Me," Strider said with a knowing smile. "I imagine after what Jellal told you and Meredy, you've done some digging. Am I every bit as amazing as you thought I'd be?"

"Less amazing, actually. Barely any news about you," she giggled. Just as quick, she got serious. "You're not upset?"

"That you looked into me? Not at all. As meticulous as you three have been in eradicating dark guilds, I'd be surprised if you just took Erza at her word to trust me," Strider said.

"We had to make sure," Ultear said.

"I understand," Strider said placatingly. "But come on. You must've learned something interesting."

"Just that the few jobs you've been on have been extremely lucrative. When we tried talking to Valmar villagers, though, we couldn't find anything. The man who posted the monster job in the Blue Mountains was pretty praiseworthy of your entire team. And we've heard some rumors about a flying wizard donating a heavy sum to the refugees from Alvarez. But that's about it. You're strong and apparently generous. Little beyond that."

"Ah, that was the perfect ego stroke. Thank you," Strider said cheerfully.

"Anytime," Ultear said with a laugh. She brought out her orb and rolled it around for a couple of seconds in her hands. "Shall we get started?"

"Lets," Strider said. He readied himself for what he imagined would be excruciating pain.

It was worse than he had imagined. Ultear suddenly felt the air around them still. She spoke out loud and it was audible only to her. She grimaced as she saw Strider on his knees, grasping at the ground. His eyes were wide open in pain, blood vessels popping. His right hand flew to his shoulder and his head hit the ground. As much as she wanted to know, she knew that she couldn't stop. She saw his mouth open in an infinite scream, but no sound came out.

After the excruciating minutes had passed and she stopped casting her Magic, Strider collapsed on the ground.

"Strider!" Ultear shrieked, rushing to his side. She pushed him on his back, grimacing as she saw how pale he seemed. Shuddering violently, he sat up at last. She put an arm around him and hugged his head to her chest, whispering comfortingly to him.

"It's ok. It's ok. It's over. Just relax," she said softly, rocking him a little.

"Right," he said quietly. "Forgive me."

"I do," she said, although she wasn't particularly sure what she was forgiving him for. "Just rest."

"Right," Strider said, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes and leaned into Ultear a bit more. The throbbing was intense, and as it radiated down his arm, he wondered if he had made the right choice. Concentrating a bit, he felt another sensation in his stomach.

'Interesting,' Strider thought. Immediately, however, the pain overcame his discovery. 'I'll try it later.'

"Do you feel any different?" Ultear asked, helping him onto the stump.

"A bit," Strider said. "Although it could just be the pain. I might have to be careful in testing it out, however. Seeing the others Second Origins, it seems as though it amplified their powers to some extent. I don't want to go overboard."

"That's probably a good idea," Ultear said. She crossed her arms over her chest and deadpanned. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea."

"Ha. I'll be careful," Strider chuckled. "Is that all?"

"Yeah. You ought to go get some rest now," Ultear said.

"Care to escort me?" Strider asked.

"Ha. You're a big boy. I'm sure you can make it," Ultear laughed, ruffling his hair before taking her leave. He smirked as he watched her go before heading back.

-o-

As he woke up, his shoulder was still throbbing. Strider clenched and unclenched his fist multiple times, wondering exactly how amplified his Magic was now.

'Beleriand…' Strider thought. 'No. I need more power for that. Much more.'

As he headed out to the balcony, Strider saw that Mira, Erza, and Bisca were already awake and deep in conversation. Wendy and Asuka played near the edge, laughing as Wendy tried to evade all of Asuka's shots.

"Hey," Mira said, leaping up and hugging Strider.

"Good morning. Talk about a greeting," he said cheerfully..

"How do you feel?" She asked, leaning back and cupping his cheek.

"Well, actually. I think speaking last night was at least a little bit cathartic," Strider said. He heard the door blow open; looking back, he saw that Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray were making a beeline for his breakfast of champions.

"That's good to hear," Mira said. She piled on some food for him. "Here. You need your strength."

"Why do I feel like you're babying me?" Strider grumbled.

"You're so adorable. Can you blame me?" She giggled, pinching his cheek.

"You're speaking to a warrior of renown here," Strider said in a mock-haughty tone.

"Mr. Warrior of Renown better eat his breakfast before we have to scold him," Bisca said with a smirk.

'If the orcs had seen me like this, they would've died laughing,' Strider grumbled to himself before acquiescing.

"STRIDER!" Natsu exclaimed.

"What's up, Natsu?"

"We gotta get another job when we get back! A BIG ONE, ALRIGHT?!"

"Will do. You know, you guys really impressed me against the dragons. The fact that you managed so long - and with minor injuries - makes me think that we can probably try an SS-Class after a little more downtime. What do you think, Erza?" Strider asked.

"It'll need Mira and Masters stamp of approval, but I think it sounds fun," she said.

'An SS-Class request? Hmm. I think only Gildarts has ever tried in the last couple of years. We should be able to pull it off,' Erza thought. "Mira?"

"I'll think about it. Natsu, Gray - do you really think you're ready for that?" Mira asked.

"Of course we are!"

"The Seis were definitely closer to SS-Class, I think," Erza said.

"That's true," Mira said. She leaned back, deep in thought.

'Erza and Strider should be fine, but I'm worried that Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Wendy might not be able to pull it off,' she thought. As Lucy walked in, Mira posed the question to her, "What do you think, Lucy?"

"What do I think about what?" Lucy asked.

"Taking an SS-Class request," Mira said.

"WHAT?! WHEN DID WE SAY WE WERE GONNA DO THAT?!" Lucy asked, terrified.

"Just before you came in," Natsu said nonchalantly.

"We need some bigger jobs, Lucy," Gray mused.

"B-b-bu- ERZA?!" Lucy asked shrilly.

"It sounds fun," Erza said, smiling.

"STRIDER?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'll make sure you stay safe," Strider said.

"You don't have to if we just don't go! Why can't we do a nice job, like finding a lost puppy or something?!" Lucy whined.

"That's no fun," Erza, Gray, and Natsu said at the same time.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm sure it'll be fine," Mira giggled.

"Waaaah," Lucy cried, collapsing on her arms and bemoaning her team.

"I wonder if they have a job board here? It should be the same everywhere, right?" Strider asked.

"Yeah, I think there's one in the lobby," Bisca said.

"Mama!" Asuka cried out.

"What is it, sweetheart?" BIsca asked as she scooped her up.

"When can I go on a job?" Asuka wondered.

"You're a few years to young," Bisca said, tickling her.

"Aww," Asuka grumbled. "But I wanna go with Wendy!"

"Maybe we can find an easy job for her to do?" Mira suggested.

"Think so? Maybe when we get back home," Bisca said thoughtfully. Finally, she smiled. "We'll look for one when get back home. How's that sound?"

"Yay!" Asuka exclaimed. "Papa, will you come too?"

Bisca turned a bright red as Asuka yelled for everyone to hear. Mira, Erza, and Lucy smiled, but Strider sensed something behind their smile.

"Sure, Asuka. You'll need a bodyguard, after all," Strider said with a little laugh.

"Like a princess!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Like a princess, my lady," he said dramatically. Asuka giggled and ran across the table, tapping him on the head as though to knight him.

"Come on, Wendy! Let's play some more!" Asuka exclaimed, jumping down a few feet.

"Something tells me she's well on her way to becoming an excellent mage soon," Strider said.

"Are going to train her in Gun Magic, Bisca?" Erza wondered. Strider, Mira, and Bisca laughed as they saw the stars in her eyes as Asuka left.

"I think so, although I think I'll train her in more than just rifles. She's alright with her toy gun for now and I'm not letting her near live rounds yet. But I think something that feels a bit more real would be helpful," Bisca said.

"I don't think I started learning my Magic until I was at least seven or eight," Lucy said thoughtfully.

"I was around the same age," Erza reminisced, recalling when she first held a sword.

"I think most of us were that age," Mira said softly.

"What about you, Natsu? Gray? Gajeel?" Strider wondered.

"Igneel started teaching me when I was pretty young," Natsu said, thinking back on it. "I was like five or six, I think."

"Same with me," Gajeel said gruffly.

"Think I was seven," Gray added.

"A blessing and a curse to start so young," Strider said softly.

"Blessing?" Mira asked.

"There's a chance you all might not have ended up in the same place at the same time if things didn't pan out as they did. Perhaps you would've been mature enough to not join such a troublesome guild," Strider said with a laugh.

"I'd tell you that you were wrong if you weren't so right," Lucy grumbled. "S-Class requests and two teammates that wreck everything!"

"Would you change it if you could?" Strider wondered.

"Of course not!" Lucy said, finally smiling again. "Fairy Tail was always my dream! I'd have wanted to come here no matter what!"

"It's lucky you met Natsu when you did," Mira said. She remembered Lucy's joining vividly - to her, it seemed less than a year ago.

"No kidding. I'm lucky he's such an idiot that he thinks that no one would notice a dragon in a port town," Lucy said fondly.

"HEY! WHO'RE YOU CALLING AN IDIOT?! SOMEONE SAID SALAMANDER WAS IN HARGEON, REMEMBER?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Natsu… it's a dragon. Who'd miss a dragon?" Lucy asked.

"It's a good thing he's such a flamebrain," Gray agreed.

"Says the guy who can't keep his shirt on. Speaking of which, Gray," Lucy deadpanned, pointing.

"Gajeel's seems to be the most normal. Relatively speaking, of course," Strider said.

"HE KEEPS BREAKING OUT INTO SONG!" Natsu exclaimed.

"I PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT! ALL YOU DO IS SCARF DOWN THE FOOD!" Gajeel yelled back, scarfing down the food.

"Ugh, they're at it so early," Cana groaned as she came in. She kissed Strider atop his head before winking at the others and quickly hitting the bottle.

"Cana! I saw that! Are you alright, my love? She didn't get you drunk already, did she?" Juvia asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Juvia," Strider said, patting her on the head. Juvia let out a delightful sound before happily digging into her food.

"So, Strider - would you change coming here if you could?" Mira wondered.

"Kidding me? Of course I would. I can't even recall all the crazy things I've got caught up in since coming here," Strider said with a laugh. "Let's see - there's that time I tamed a huge bird, that time I had to kill a magic resistant monster, that time that we had to fight two angry deities, the time I met a dragon, the time I had to fight a dark guild, the time I had to fight a dragon, the time I was trapped in an alternate dimension for two months of real world time - don't think I've forgotten that, Lucy - and most recently, the time where we all had to fight off a bunch of dragons. Suffice it to say that if a supreme being exists, we're not very well liked."

"No kidding. Crap, and that's just since you joined. Before that there was the time we had to fight a demon from the Book of Zeref, the time we had to fight Phantom Lord, when we had to fight the Seis, when…," Lucy continued, rattling off many other events.

"Seriously, though," Mira asked, smiling.

"I think you know. I wouldn't change coming here at all. I'm having the time of my life," Strider said.

-o-

As Strider entered Jenny's dressing room, he was greeted with a wonderful sight. Jenny was leaning over desk, staring at herself in the mirror as she applied a luscious red shade of lipstick, wearing precisely nothing. She smiled and winked at Strider in the mirror, beckoning him to come over.

"Mercy. How angelic," Strider said.

"Hey. I'm glad you made it," she said.

"So am I," Strider said, leaning against the wall. "Shall I join you?"

"That'd give people the wrong impression if they walked in on us," Jenny said.

"I'm not certain that this is better. Besides, I never half ass anything. Always go the distance is my motto," Strider said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure. But I could be called out at any moment," she said, fine tuning the lipstick.

"Not like they can get in. Simple telekinesis. We want our privacy, after all," Strider said, locking the door with a sweeping motion. Jenny giggled and hugged him tight. She buried her head in his chest, her hands slowly descending his back. She led him to the sofa and sat him down, taking her seat in his lap. She gave him a soft kiss before moving to his cheek and down his neck before finally resting her head against his, twirling his hair around a finger.

"How do you feel? Last night couldn't have been easy," she said softly.

"Alright, more or less," Strider said, running a finger up and down her thigh. "I don't think I've ever talked about what happened there in such a way. Definitely not to anyone here."

"Do you want to stop?" she asked.

"Do you want me to?" he countered.

"I don't. I want to know more about you," Jenny said quietly. She continued "but I don't want you to force yourself. It's not like you owe us - any of us - an explanation. I mean, you and I haven't spent much time together, for one."

"True. But I do happen to like you," Strider said.

"Feelings mutual," Jenny said, smiling. "But… I dunno."

"Perhaps some quid pro quo, then? Tell me about you," Strider said.

"Like what?" Jenny asked, surprised.

"Whatever you want," he said.

"It's not that interesting of a story, really," Jenny sighed. "Normal family, normal kid. Normal upbringing, then I got scouted."

"Wow. Really?" Strider asked, aghast.

"Yup. Surprised?" Jenny giggled.

"You've no idea. That's the most normal upbringing I've heard of since coming here. You're even more special now," Strider said.

"That's because Fairy Tail is a bunch of freaks," Jenny said fondly. "Demons, Warrior Woman, Dragon Slayers, you."

"Ah. I'm glad I'm just you," Strider chuckled.

"You should've come to Blue Pegasus," Jenny sighed, nuzzling him. "Could've spent a lot more time together and it would've been normal."

"Yeah, but Hibiki, Ren, and Eve are a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen. I'm not sure I want to be around when that goes down," Strider said.

"That's rich coming from you," Jenny deadpanned.

"I resent that. That's mostly false," Strider said.

"Mostly?" Jenny asked.

"Mostly. I mean, you're naked and sitting on my lap right now. What exactly am I supposed to do?" Strider asked, giving her an intense look. "Well - besides the obvious."

"Don't get any funny ideas," Jenny said, blushing.

"Your wish, my command," Strider smiled, leaning back. Jenny got a bit more comfortable on him, tapping against his chest. It wasn't long until they heard a knock on the door.

"Jenny!" a woman voice called out.

"Yeah?" Jenny shouted back.

"That asshole is here again!" the woman replied.

"Hey, I resent that," Strider grumbled quietly.

"Not you," Jenny giggled. "Some other guys been hounding me since Day Two of the games. JUST SEND HIM AWAY!"

"What happened?" Strider wondered.

"He got this idea in his head that I looked at him while I was wearing that dress and that means that I want to marry him. He's been coming by our hotel since then, and now here," Jenny sighed.

"That's not good," Strider said.

"He's harmless. Not the first time, either," Jenny said.

"Ah. Miss Popular?" Strider wondered.

"Yup. Mira and I both," Jenny smirked.

"I bet," Strider chuckled. "I believe I ran into one of Mira's admirers one time. Not a good guy."

"Oh. Arthur?" Jenny asked.

"Something like that," Strider nodded.

"Yeah, he's an asshole. Rich family and he thought that that would give him everything he wanted. They went out a couple of times, but I don't think it ever really went anywhere. I do remember her telling me about him stalking her, though," Jenny sighed.

"Tried to corner her, as I recall. She took care of it pretty quickly, though," Strider said.

"Mira can be scary when she wants," Jenny mused.

"Wouldn't want to get on her or Erza's wrong side. The women of Fairy Tail are all scarier than the men," Strider said.

"No kidding. Jerk, I still haven't forgiven you for leaving me that night. I thought Mira and Erza were gonna kill me," Jenny said, punching him on the chest.

"You made it out alive. There's that," Strider said.

"Barely," Jenny said. She cuddled closer to him, resting her head against his, biting her lip.

"What is it?" Strider wondered.

"Nothing," Jenny said, suddenly kissing him. As she pulled back, Strider stared intensely at her. She wasn't one to feel self-conscious, but as his eyes pierced hers, she couldn't help but turn away, blushing madly.

Strider ran a finger down her back, his mind wandering.

'Anairë. She was blonde, like Jenny. Beautiful too. Kind, caring,' he thought.

"What is it?" Jenny finally asked in a soft voice, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Hmm?"

"You seemed really intense for a bit," she said quietly.

"Forgive me," Strider said, with a weak smile. "I should be focusing on you right now."

"Aren't you?" she wondered.

"You remind me of her," Strider admitted.

"The girl you were telling us about?" Jenny asked, surprised.

"Yes," Strider said quietly. He caressed Jenny's face and for a moment, he thought she was her - but it soon passed. As Jenny came back into view, Strider couldn't help but be a little disappointed. "Forgive me."

"I do," Jenny said softly, hugging him. She rubbed his back gently, unsure of what else she should - or could - say. Finally she settled on "She must've been really special to you."

"She was," Strider said, almost immediately.

"How far did you two get?" Jenny asked softly.

"Far enough," Strider said with a pained smile. "Not a day goes by…"

"I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do," she whispered.

"It's not your fault," Strider said.

"Still, I don't like knowing I can't do anything about it," she said forcefully. Strider smiled and kissed her on the cheek, which she happily returned.

"Jenny - time to shoot!" Jason shouted from outside.

"Out in five!" Jenny shouted back. Sighing, she cuddled closer and closed her eyes.

"I kind of want to spend the day like this," she sighed.

"I'd be happy to oblige," Strider said, happy for the change in topic.

"Duty calls. And to bad we can't do anything," she whined.

"I don't know about that. I can work pretty quick," Strider laughed.

"I don't want to go out wet," Jenny grumbled.

"Oh? Speaking of which…" Strider said, running a finger down her stomach.

"Oh, don't you even think about it, asshole!" Jenny said, quickly grabbing both hands for good measure.

"Ha. As you wish. We'll save that for another time, then," Strider smirked.

"Ugh. Now I'm starting to regret inviting you," Jenny said.

"More or less than inviting me in naked?" Strider wondered.

"Oh, shut up," she whined. "Hey, there's something else. Mira mentioned you're going on a Century Quest?"

"That's right," Strider said.

"Are you insane? There's a reason why no ones ever completed one!" Jenny hissed.

"Ye a little faith, Jenny," Strider said placatingly. "I'm sure I'll be able to handle it. Besides, someone has to compelte it sometime, right?"

"They're legit dangerous," Jenny said worriedly. "Ichiya and Master Bob both went on a Decade Quest once and they weren't able to complete it. A Century Quest is way harder than a Decade Quest."

"That's what I've gleaned thus far. It seems as though Gildarts is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that's completed a Decade Quest and tried a Century Quest," Strider said.

"And that's because he's stupidly strong. I think you can do a Decade Quest, no problem; but I don't think you should try this," Jenny said, frowning.

"If I can take on dragons, don't you think I can handle this?" Strider asked.

"Still…" she trailed off. Strider smiled and brought her in for a gentle kiss.

"I'll be fine. I promise. I'm not going to take any unncessary risk. I'll be in and out before you know it," Strider said.

"Let me know when you go. I'll come out to Magnolia," she said.

"Will do," Strider said.

"JENNY!" Jason called again.

"FINE! Let's go, Mister Champion," Jenny said, throwing on a robe.

"I will regret this for the rest of my life…" Strider sighed, steeling himself to fulfill his duties as champion.

-o-

"We look amazing," Jenny giggled, looking at the cover. In addition to her nude photo shoot, the cover was of her and Strider, holding on to each other as they looked deeply into the camera.

"Fiore's Best," Strider sighed.

"Could've had a better title, but it works," she said happily.

"I'll take your word for it. I'm never doing one of these again," Strider grumbled.

"Come on, don't be like that! Hey, let's go show this to the others," Jenny said. As though fate heard, they soon came across Mira and Erza.

"Hey, what's up?" Mira said, hugging Jenny.

"Just got finished with my photoshoot," Jenny said.

"Oh yeah. How was it?" Mira smirked.

"I think I won out," Jenny said, returning it.

"How so?" Erza wondered. As Jenny showed them the cover, Mira and Erza both shot a look at Strider.

"This is your fault, actually," Strider declared.

"How do you figure that?" Erza demanded.

"If someone else could've beaten me, I wouldn't have had to do such a thing. I'll never live this down," Strider whined.

"Your fault for being a freak of a wizard," Mira said.

"No kidding," Strider said.

"Come on, admit it - we look hot," Jenny said, clutching his arm. Mira and Erza looked on with stony faces as they looked at the cover yet again - as much as it pained them, the two made a good looking couple. Strider held Jenny close with an arm, her hands and head resting against his chest.

"Moving on. About tonight," Erza said uncertainly.

"Ah. Right. Yes, we'll continue," Strider said.

"Are you sure?" Mira asked worriedly.

"I am. As I said, I'd tell you as much as I can," Strider said, rubbing the back of his head. "Until then, though, I'm going to take a walk. I'll see you ladies tonight. Excuse me."

As he made a quick exit, Jenny, Mira, and Erza watched him go uncertainly. There wasn't much to say amongst them that they didn't already say - they felt guilty, but couldn't bring themselves to stop. With a look at each and an unspoken conversation, they did their best to forget about it until the night.

-o-

As Strider sat under a tree, his thoughts drifted to Anairë.

'Not a day goes by,' Strider thought to himself.

'You exacted your vengeance,' Anglachel whispered to him. The intrusion into his psyche made Striders' hair stand on end. Anglachel continued, 'Ah, the blood you spilled those days; the orcs, the giants, the trolls, the wargs, the spiders. Fallen men and women; the Black Númenóreans, the Haradrim. And the remnants of those aged lizards. The Tevinter, the Qunari. So many, Dúnedan. So many.'

'Silence,' Strider thought harshly, letting out a low growl.

'It is the truth, Dúnedan. Ah, and we are not done yet. You are young and the world still has so much blood to spell. A new age is coming. You can feel it; I know you can. Ah, we shall greet it with such a vigor. There's much work for us to do. You are not done. We are not done. Death will come to all.'

"I SAID QUIET!" Strider roared, his magically suddenly erupting. The trees around him snapped at the roots, stripped of their leaves and branches. The river nearby smashed against the bank, flooding it slightly. The wind stopped, briefly, before resuming to billow through the forest again.

'Damn it,' Strider thought, looking at the damage.

'See?' Anglachel whispered. 'There will be opportunities to vent your anger. This I swear.'

-o-

"It appears we run into each other often," Kagura mused as she came upon Strider in the forest, taking a stroll. He quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave her his usual, pleasant smile.

"So it seems. I hope you're not stalking me with your senses," he joked.

"Of course not!" Kagura exclaimed. "What were you doing here?"

"Just talking a little walk. Places like these… it's where I'm most comfortable. Fewer people, fewer distractions. Fewer everything, save what calls it home. Peace incarnate," Strider said, taking a deep breath as he looked around. Brisk movement could be heard throughout the forest, mixing with the songs and cries of unseen birds and animals. A soft wind whistled through the leaves, taking some for a dance through the forest. Kagura joined him and smiled; she hadn't paused to simply enjoy nature in a while.

"You're right," she said quietly, not wanting to disturb anything.

"What brings you here?" Strider asked.

"Nothing in particular. I simply wished to go for a walk," she replied.

"Care to join?" Strider asked.

"Certainly," Kagura agreed.

"A quick question. What's this rumor I've been hearing about an exchange between the guilds?" Strider asked.

"It's an interguild event that's held from time to time. Representatives from each guild are sent to neighboring guilds to foster a deeper relationship. They might go on a job together, or help around the guild, or something else. It's much more relaxed than it sounds," Kagura explained.

"That sounds pretty fun. Besides Jura, Jenny and you, I don't think I've really spent much time with any other guilds members," Strider mused.

"The norm, rather than the rule. Guilds partner up sometimes, and we certainly have friends in other guilds - but mostly, we stick to our own devices," Kagura said.

"Doesn't it get boring?" Strider asked.

"Not at all. Just the opposite. Besides, with Master Yoruichi, it's almost never boring," she sighed.

"Ha. I can understand that," Strider chuckled. "She has quite the presence."

"I know what you mean. I just hope it doesn't get her into trouble one of these days," Kagura mumbled.

"Yoruichi seems pretty intelligent. I'd be more worried for trouble, I think," Strider said.

"Perhaps," Kagura said. "Will you be participating in the exchange?"

"I'd like to, I think. It sounds as though it could be interesting, if not entertaining. Does each guild just choose envoys?"

"For the most part. Sometimes, up to half a guild participates and they rotate the envoys between guilds, so there's always someone to show them around. It is voluntary, for the most part."

"For the most part?" Strider asked.

"Some masters are very serious about it. The events been going on since they they've been around," Kagura said.

"Will you be participating?" Strider asked.

"Likely not. I usually hold down the guild while Master and Soi Fon are out," Kagura said.

"In that case, I hope to see you when I rotate to Mermaid Heel. I'm curious about the members of your guild," Strider said. Kagura rolled her eyes as he smiled, eliciting a happy laugh from him. "Kidding. But really, I hope to see you. I imagine my team would come along with me, so perhaps you and Erza could settle your differences again."

"Now that I look forward to," Kagura said with a competitive smirk.

"On that track, though - how did you feel about seeing Jellal again last night?" Strider asked. Kagura frowned, unsure of how to answer - mostly because she didn't know the answer.

"I don't know," she finally said, her voice soft. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Why would it?"

"On one hand, he killed my brother. I should want to hurt him back for that - for Simon," Kagura said. "But I don't want to become a murderer - especially if he was being controlled. But then I should want to kill Ultear - but she seems to have turned a new leaf. But if I don't, wouldn't that make me a terrible sister?"

She looked at Strider intensely, hoping that he might have the answer. He could, however, only offer her a blank look.

"I don't know myself," Strider said quietly.

'You lie,' Anglachel whispered. 'Ah, you would've slain him so quickly. You've done so already, Dúnedan. Remember your promise to him - even a semblance of impropriety and you will break him.'

"Violence is rarely the answer," Strider added.

'Bloodshed is always the correct answer. Our land knows peace now, does it not? The orcs, the Uruks, the lizards, the trolls, the giants, the Haradrim - all that which would be considered evil is hardly a threat any longer. The land knows peace. The people know peace. This you cannot deny. Death is the beginning of peace,' Anglachel continued.

"If you killed Jellal, you'd regret it for the rest of your life," Strider said, gritting his teeth as Anglachel became louder and louder.

'The only regret I sense from you, Strider,' Anglachel said, using his name for the first time in years. Strider felt a terrible chill run down his spine as his heart began to pound, 'is that you didn't slaughter enough of them earlier. Fret not. Evil abounds in the wider world. Take it to task'

"I don't know myself," Strider finally reiterated.

"Are you alright? You look pale," Kagura said worriedly.

"Ah. Forgive me. Just feeling a bit off. I'm going to go back and rest, Kagura. Forgive me," Strider said.

"It's nothing," she said quickly. With an awkward hug, Strider quickly shot into the air and towards the city. With a sigh, she continued her lonesome walk.

-o-

Strider stood under the cold water, letting it run over him. Anglachel was resting against the wall. As much as he wanted to, as often as he wanted to - he couldn't bring himself to part from the sword; it was like having a limb removed.

'A country of slaves,' Anglachel whispered to him. Striders arms hung limp at his sides. As he turned to the sword, he could tell what it was thinking; he had had the same thoughts.

'Don't be a fool,' he thought back to the sword.

'I will be sated,' the sword said before finally falling silent for the rest of the day.

-o-

"Hey. Feeling alright?" Bisca asked softly as she joined him on the balcony. They were waiting for the others to arrive.

"I am," Strider said. "Sorry for last night. I didn't mean to spring that on you."

"You've nothing to apologize for," she said, rubbing his back. "If anything, we're the ones that should be sorry."

"It's fine," Strider said. He smiled as Asuka ran at him, trying to climb his pant leg. He scooped her up and levitated a bit. Asuka cheered delightfully as she hugged him and began to imitate flying. Bisca looked on with a smile; he looked just like a father.

"Papa!" Asuka exclaimed.

"What is it?" Strider asked, smirking as he saw Bisca blush.

"Can we go flying tomorrow!"

"Of course. How high do you want to go?"

"To the clouds!"

"To the clouds it is, then. But you'll only have fun if you're well rested. That means you're going to have to sleep right now," Strider said gently.

"Mama! Let's go! I need to sleep for the clouds!"

"Let's go, sweetheart," Bisca said, taking her to their room. Strider smiled sadly as he watched them go.

-o-

Finally, as everyone had gathered there, Strider stood near the balcony again and overlooked the city. By now, he had forgotten how much time he spent like this - looking over the rest of the world. The others waited quietly for him to begin.

-o-

"Have you been enjoying your time here?" Anairë asked with a beautiful smile. She and Strider were take a stroll through the ridges in the valley, stopping here and there to take in the beauty of the city and the waterfalls.

"Very much. It nearly ails me that I could be called away at any time," Strider said softly. "It's been a long, long time since I've felt this carefree before. It's surreal."

"Rivendell is magical," Anairë said.

"It's not just Rivendell - of that I'm certain," he said, flashing her a charming smile. Anairë returned it but didn't say anything; they continued their walk.

As they reached more narrow areas, Strider began to lose balance. Anairë giggled as she saw him slow down considerably, as though nervous of falling.

"I thought your Magic could hold you aloft?" Anairë asked, gracefully spinning on the spot, unafraid. Strider grumbled and steeled himself.

"It can, but it seems to put some pressure on my wound. I've been slowly getting used to it, but it's still quite painful," Strider sighed. He looked down, frowning. "Besides, I can't always rely on my Magic. Aragorn doesn't, after all."

"You're not Aragorn, though," she reminded him.

"An insult or a compliment?" Strider wondered.

"Both and neither," she laughed. "You're still a child by all our estimates. You're younger than the little ones, younger than the elves, younger than the dwarves, even younger than all the other men here. A baby!"

"I'm a man!" Strider whined.

"A man wouldn't make such a face," she giggled. "Don't be so eager to grow up. Youth ought to be enjoyed."

"I assure you I'm enjoying every second of it," he said. Anairë smiled, holding out her hand. Strider gently took it, gritted himself, and crossed the distance. He stumbled but caught him at the end, sighing at his good fortune.

"Where are we going, exactly?" she asked as they continued.

"I thought you were leading me!" he exclaimed, bewildered.

"What gave you that idea?"

"You're the one who knows this place best!"

"Hmph. And here I thought you were a man."

"Ugh. Fine. I'm sure I'll find something," he sighed, rubbing his head.

"Now that I think about it, however, there is a nice spot near here," Anairë said.

"That was just to tease me, wasn't it?"

"Of course," she laughed. Holding his hand, she quickly led him along. Strider wanted to protest at some narrow points, but he decided to shut up and trust her. To his surprise, when he didn't think about the crossings, it was as though he was walking along a vast plane. He easily crossed them with her help; and as she smiled back at him, he returned it.

Finally, after a silent hour of walking, she had led him through a small thicket of trees and uphill to a peak that looked over the entire valley. Strider was stunned; he didn't think that such a beautiful place could exist. There was a roaring waterfall nearby that she led him towards. The two sat at the edge, looking over the city below.

"This is amazing," he whispered.

"Isn't it?" she asked.

"But don't you ever get bored here?"

"Not really, no. Mmm… I enjoy reading a lot, so I've done that in my spare time since I took up my position in the library. It keeps me occupied. But even if I didn't have that, I don't think that I'd get bored here. Are you?"

"Not yet, no. I don't know, though - I feel as though a place as beautiful as this should be taken in short doses. I know if I were offered the chance to stay here forever, I'd take it in a second. But I don't know how long I'd last," Strider mused.

"Shouldn't the world be as beautiful and peaceful as Rivendell?" she asked.

"It should. I wish it would be. But I know it won't," Strider sighed.

"It may yet," Anairë said gently. "Your war will end soon, Strider. Then, you may live here in peace."

"Is that an offer?" he wondered.

"It is," she said, smiling. "Will you accept it?"

"I will," Strider said. He leaned in closer and kissed her gently on the lips. He heard her give a tinkling laugh. She brought a hand to the back of his head and pressed him closer to her. As she stroked his hair, he felt a pleasurable shiver go down his spine. He laid her down gently and induced more and more passion into the kiss. As they broke apart and stared at each other, Anairë brought a hand to his face. She gently stroked his cheek, smiling at him lovingly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just pleased, is all," she whispered.

"I never knew an elf to be coy," he said.

"You've obviously never known an elf, then. We live so long, we have to have our fun where we find it," she said.

"I can think of a few fun things," Strider said, resting his hand on her stomach. Anairë brought him down for another kiss, taking his hand and locking it with hers. She pushed him on his back and mounted him, sighing as she saw him grimace. Gently, she removed his shirt and leaned down close to the black mark, frowning at is. To his surprise, she suddenly kissed it; and even more surprising, Strider hardly felt anything at all, besides a warm touch.

"How does that feel?" she asked softly, her forehead against his.

"Warm," he answered simply.

"And this?" she asked, kissing him.

"Warm," he answered again, their lips just an inch apart.

"And this?" she breathed, her slender fingers running down his torso slowly until they reached their destination. She paused for a second, taking a moment to give him a smoldering, loving look.

"Warm," he answered for the third time. She found the answer to her liking; gently locking lips with him once more, she slipped a hand inside and set him at ease.

-o-

Strider lay in bed, Anairë alongside him. She wore a thin, sheer cloth, smiling gently as she dreamed of things he couldn't.

Making sure not to disturb her, he quietly got out of bed and went to the balcony. He had a beautiful view of some waterfalls and he enjoyed it every chance he could. He had to; he didn't know how soon it would be until he were called away. Looking back at her sleeping form, Strider smiled.

'This is paradise,' he thought. His time in the valley had been nothing short of peaceful. It was as though war and strife didn't exist; and here, they might as well not have. The elves and their visitors got along well; no fights, no scuffles, nothing. Merriment and cheer were to be had all around, at all times. It was a paradise he never wanted to leave.

It was a paradise he knew he would have to.

-o-

As Strider got back to his room after the Council of Elrond, he found Anairë dozing off in his bed. He smiled and kissed her awake; obviously pleased, she gently tossed the blanket and brought him on top of her. As she did whenever they met, she exposed his black mark and kissed it, setting him at ease.

"How was the Council?" she asked softly, resting forehead against his. She enjoyed spending these moments with him, but knew they would soon be coming to an end.

"You know I can't tell you that. This is a secret mission we're on, after all!" Strider exclaimed.

"So secret, that even I - uninvited as I was - knew about it. Not a very well kept secret," she laughed.

"Give it until the end of the day, and I guarantee you that Pippin will have talked about it so much, that Sauron will know," Strider said. He sighed and kissed her again.

"I know," she said.

"Know what?" he asked.

"That you'll have to leave me for a while," she said.

"I might decide not to go," he said. Anairë smiled sadly and sat on the edge of his bed. Strider wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently. She brought his hands to her cheek, kissing them softly.

"I know you well," she whispered. "I know that you'll go. You're noble. You want to help people. Rivendell is to peaceful for you."

Strider was quiet. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong; that she didn't know him at all and that he'd stay if she gave him the order. But he couldn't; it would've been a lie.

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked.

"More than I've wanted anything," she said softly. As she turned to him, she had tears in her eyes. Strider felt his heart crash; gently, he wiped them away, giving her a kiss on either cheek. Anairë hugged him close, stroking his hair as she enjoyed doing so.

"I want to stay. But…" he trailed off.

"I know," she whispered. "It's your calling, isn't it? To help those in need. I won't ask you to promise me anything."

"You can ask me for anything, Anairë," Strider said. She looked at him, her light blue eyes drilling into his.

"Stay safe," she ordered him.

"I will," he accepted.

"Stay noble," she ordered him.

"I will," he accepted.

"Come back for me," she ordered him.

"I will. Happily," he accepted.

-o-

"Strider," Anairë said.

"Hmm?" Strider hummed. They had only a couple more nights together.

"How has your mark been?" she asked.

"Better. Much better, actually," he said, moving his left arm around. While it still stung, the pain was severely diminished.

"That's good. You may have to endure it, but as soon as you're back, I can start treating it again," she said.

"I enjoy your treatments quite a bit," he said with a smirk.

"I'm sure you do," she giggled. "Remember to not do anything to risky."

"Of course. I play it safe," he said.

"If that were the case, we'd have met under more auspices circumstances," she sighed. "Remember to not do anything to risky."

"You just said that," he said.

"I have to make sure you heard," she said. "Remember that you're a good and just man."

"I will," Strider said, giving her an odd look. Anairë looked almost worried as she said that.

"Please remember that for me. It's important," she said, her voice harder. Strider nodded.

"I will," he repeated. As he finished, the two went back to bed, kissing passionately and happily. They intended to enjoy these last few nights together as much as possible.

"Anairë," Strider whispered as he got her on the bed, breaking the kiss momentarily.

"Hmm?"

"Marry me," he said. She looked surprised. For a moment, she didn't do or say anything. Finally, she brought her hands to his cheeks and kissed him again, gently.

"Say it again," she said.

"Marry me. When I see you again, when this is all over, when all of this is done. I love you. Marry me," he said passionately. Anairë paused for a moment before smiling.

"I will. Happily. Now show me that you love me," she ordered him. Heart soaring, Strider obeyed.

-o-

Strider recalled the stories to them - as he remembered them - and he remembered them well. As he ended, the girls saw that tears were falling like waterfalls, pooling at his feet. None of them dared to say anything; they gave him this moments reprieve as his eyes affixed on a particular star in the sky.