ONLY, AND ONLY...

White, winter snow had, for the first time in eons, doused the formerly known Eastern Wastelands in its subtle beauty. Red roofs were now mere patches of white among the field of it, and surrounding hills had been drowned knee-deep from bottom to top. Cold days had invaded the homes, causing chimneys to spit out thick smokes into the sky, and the entire scape of Skyfire Paradise to attain surreal beauty it lacked before.

Even the Palace, in all its glory, now stood white, leveled out with its lesser counterparts. Winter had come, and it was here to stay. Nearly a year had gone by since the Parsia’s Crowning and his marriage to Thalia, during which Skyfire Paradise only grew further out, slowly filling up Eastern Wastelands toward North and South, becoming the second largest Kingdom on the entire Alloy Continent. Besides the memories, the only reminder of the past King was his statue, presented as a centerfold in the Palace’s courtyard. It stood nearly twenty meters tall, his face carved out into a familiar, faint smile of his, hair ruffled backward as though gallantly carried by the wind, mimicked by his white cloak. A necklace hung sideways around his neck, a reflection of his path. His eyes were peered upward to the sky, with one of his arms stretched sideways, holding a massive scythe whose edge loomed over the Gates which divided the Palace and the rest of the city. Heroic air shimmered around the sculpture, giving way for tales of the figure’s greatness to arise from time to time.

While Lynne’s figure slowly turned into a jaded, fading memory, upheld by ever-increasing myths, Parsia donned the role of the King and heralded the Kingdom into a new age. His presence slowly eclipsed Thalia’s, who, with each passing month, grew more and more withdrawn, until the public eye barely ever saw her. She remained in her chambers, as was the case today, looking solemnly up into the sky, as though a beam of light would descend and bring him back. She wore rather light clothes, despite cold, harsh weather, but her expression gave no sign of it bothering her. A sigh escaped her as she withdrew her head from the window and walked back into the room, sitting onto the bed and picking up the opened book strew on bed’s surface. A mere moment later, faint knocks on the door could be heard, causing her grunt before replying.

“Come in.” as the doors opened, familiar face walked through, smiling faintly. Unlike his usual, adorned, kingly clothes, Parsia dressed in light leather and cotton, with white, woolen scarf wrapped around his neck. His golden hair fell backward, tied into a tail by the end. “Oh, hi.” Thalia said, forcing a smile on his face.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Parsia said.

“… I’d rather not.”

“It’s beautiful,” Parsia ignored her no and took her arm, pulling her up onto her feet. “And I know that the bears are known to hibernate through the winter, but the exceptions can be made, right?”

“Did you just call me fat?” Thalia exclaimed in protest as the two locked each other’s arm by the elbow and walked out. “I may have gained some weight, but I’m by no means fat.”

“I never said you’re fat. I said you’re a bear.” Parsia said.

“Yeah, that’s better.” Thalia chuckled faintly as they quickly left the Palace itself and entered its backend garden. Once donned in spectacular colors, it was now purely white, broken only with small passageways running through it and a faint glimpse of green here and there. “You weren’t lying when you said it’s beautiful, at least.” she added as she flicked her hair behind her ear and took a deep breath of fresh air.

“Kingdom’s doing great, by the way,” Parsia said. “In case its Queen is interested.”

“Hardly.”

“Good thing our beloved citizens aren’t here to hear it. It probably wouldn’t be doing so great then.”

“Seeing as you’re spinning me in mundane circles,” Thalia said. “You really just wanted to go for a walk, huh?”

“… it’s only been a year Thalia,” Parsia said, his smile disappearing. “It’s too early to say anything.”

“You’ve been saying that at three month increments this entire time, Parsia,” Thalia said. “I think we can conclude some things with fair certainty.”

“… just because we haven’t heard from him doesn’t mean anything,” Parsia persisted as the two continued walking through the snow-filled garden. “We’re being kept in complete dark regarding the situation over there, and it’d be foolish to draw conclusions on, well, nothing.”

“… you don’t have to do it, you know?” Thalia said.

“Do what?”

“Defend him.”

“I’m not.”

“You are,” she continued, slowing the pace down. “Because you don’t need to, you really don’t. I’m not angry with him, or even disappointed. I’m just… sad, is all. Sad I probably won’t ever see him again.”

“You will.” Parsia said. “I don’t know how I know it… but… I do. You’ll not only see him again, but the things will all go back to the way they used to be.”

“… hah, I very much doubt that.” Thalia said, chuckling bitterly. “Love is merely a happenstance at its core,” she continued. “And ours was no different than anyone’s. And I think it’s high time I let go.”

“Thalia---“

“It’s fine,” Thalia interrupted him, shaking her head lightly. “He’d not want to see me like this anyway. And I know it sounds as the worst of excuses, but I truly believe it. I very much doubt he fell in love with a self-loathing woman who’d rather revel in pity than move on.”

“… in the end, it’s your choice,” Parsia said. “And all I can do is support you.”

“Thank you.” she said, glancing and smiling at him. “You might be a better friend than you are a King, actually. And you’re quite a King.”

“Hah, you only say that because I only show you my good sides,” Parsia said, chuckling. “I’m very much hated, actually.”

“Oh, really? That’s news to me.”

“No, really,” Parsia said. “Just yesterday, I was taking a casual stroll through the city when some kid threw a scone at me and told me ‘Eat that, King!’. It broke my heart.”

“… ha ha, wasn’t he just, you know, asking you to literally eat it? You do look rather pain and thinly.”

“… now that you mention it…” as the two broke out into laughter, alarms in their head rung as they leapt backward, both drawing out their weapons, creasing their brows. A moment later, space in front of them tore open as faintly familiar figures walked through.

First one to cross it is a menacing-looking youth donned in black wholly, carrying a cold and indifferent expression. Following him was a beautiful woman bejeweled in fiery, red dress, and immediately after was a pale-looking woman adorned in white as snow dress, with a monkey stationed on her shoulder. Thalia’s eyes and expression grew expectant, but no one else came through the tear, and it slowly closed up. Her eyes moved back toward Y’se and met latter’s; reading her expression, Thalia felt her already thinly-held-together heart collapse and break as though it was a dam finally overrun by river.

The curtains of hope were rolled back, and all that was left behind them was truth and reality. Thalia’s knees slowly gave out as she fell down, feeling tears she held back for so long pile up against the corners of her eyes and trickle down slowly, like a gentle stream. The world, much like the earth beneath her, froze as images and memories flashed past her thoughts, piling on onto the agony she suppressed deep down. It all happened in a flash, yet all her hopes crumbled down into pieces, and all her doubts surfaced. Then and there, while her knees grew cold, inched next to the freezing winter’s snow, and while her arms hung listlessly against her body, and while tender snowflakes melted on her rosy cheeks, she had felt her heart break like never before. It was silent, unheard by anyone outside herself, yet it hurt more than any wound or scar she bore. Only then did she truly realize how unwilling she was to part with at least the hope of him. Only then did she truly realize and looked past all the lies she’s been telling herself. And only then, when her whole being cried out in silence, did she realize she will never see him again. Not his eyes filled with wonder and glee, not his smile filled with cynic streak nor the warmth only they could convey, not his voice which had often pulled her back from droves of nothingness. She realized she’ll never feel his warm, tender touch, never hear his mountain-bounding laughter, and never feel his fingers ruffle her hair. The cold of winter suddenly seemed infernal, yet far from enough to thaw her slowly freezing heart, desperate to close up all the holes so the pain would not be felt.

Without her having even realized it, everyone except Y’se had already departed. The latter merely stood there, her eyes fixated onto Thalia’s kneeling body. Tears trickled down without a stop, her lips slightly agape, breathing growing slower and dimmer by second. This scene here was one of the reasons she delayed her return for so long; she had hoped it would merely hurt, rather than break. But, even she knew, hope is a strong, almost indestructible thing. If it happens to grip your heart with its tender notions, it will scarcely leave unless forcibly broken and torn. And, Y’se knew, Thalia’s just was. Ripped like tendons of the muscles, like cords and wires. There were no words to say that would either heal the wound, nor restore the hope. Only tender, ticking seconds that slowly passed by. As with all, time tends to heal wounds – whether those naked eye can see freely, or those hidden deep inside one’s soul. For some, it takes a day… and for some it takes a decade, or much, much longer. But, it was inevitable that Thalia would walk again, and that her lips would once again don a smile worthy of her beauty. For now, though, she had to grieve. Her eyes had to bleed until they dried out, and her heart had to break until there was nothing to break anymore. Only, and only then, would the time’s warped hands crawl within her being and begin healing her wounds. No words, acts or faces could speed it up or help it along. Only time, and only time alone.