Ch4: Whoever finds love, shall be eternal

Bewildered, elated, confused. The half elf stood for what seemed to be an eternity. So obviously confused at what transpired, he had no response. The woman had simply walked in, lifted him up, made him dream and then walked out the door. As the door closed, and she was gone, he slowly exhaled. He felt his heart beat, not fast, but loud, it almost deafened him. Then after what seemed like a lifetime, he was snapped back to his senses by the old woman clearing her throat. As he haphazardly fumbled for the correct amount, the woman looked at him and said, “Be back in a few days.”

In Falros’ account of time, he would say “I have never bought more bread than that time with your mother.” Clearly, something has happened that has changed his life. And he knew that no matter what happens afterwards, he never wanted it to go back.

Young Saoiltá received many shipments of food, as Falros had no need of what he was buying. The young Moogle could see her boss’s attitude and would give her “womanly” advice. Of course, this was all laden with tales of princesses and princes. Nonetheless, her words stoked his heart. When would he see her again?

Almost a month later, as he finally gave up on seeing this woman again, he chanced upon her again. This time the event was not as innocent. In her capacity as prosecutor, she also had the duty to see executions committed. In the middle of the town square, the gallows were erected for several criminals awaiting their day in execution. A large crowd had gathered to see the deed done, and it happened that Falros was there on that day. Ordinarily he would not be there, but a duty to his station called for him to be in the city that day.

As he walked from shop to shop, setting orders for the resort, he heard a voice that haunted him for the past month. At first it was plain to hear, then divulged into yelling a proclamation. “Hear ye, hear ye. The high court of Lyrandar has found the defendants guilty of …” and as he listened as charges and names were rolled off, he inquisitively looked out the window of the shop. That is when he saw her. The same girl he met in the bakery. It was a full three minutes into her speech that he realized that she was in the courts, and then by that, who she was. The thought filled him with terror. She could not be the person that he saw before. She was innocent, was vibrant and beautiful. This woman was a tyrant, she hated, she loathed.

He found himself now walking back to the bakery. Something was inexplicable. As he walked in, he heard the snapping of wood and the drop of bodies in the gallows. He shuttered to the floor. His life was peace, he did not have the thought or feeling that life meant so little that people could cheer the way they did. As the crowd outside cheered, he slumped to the floor and wept. In life, there are times these things need to happen, and he had always avoided the hangings. Today was perhaps the worst day he could have imagined. As he thought back on that day, and seeing her eye to eye, he thought again, that he would never see her. He knew he would not, could not ever see her. His life was better without that. That feeling in his heart.

At that moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the old woman who ran the place. She had come out during the episode and asked him several times if he was ok. He had never heard her. She pulled a stool from the back side of the counter and set it in front, so he could sit. She returned and started talking to him. Her words were comforting. She knew how he felt but offered the solace that the people that were hung had killed many others before. While their crimes were for taking the lives of ordinary people. If they did not die, then others would die in their place. No one would be cheering for their deaths, in some cases, no one would even know. By this, others will be saved.

At that moment something unexpected happened. The door from the outside opened, and in stepped the half elf woman that he had been pining for. Her demeanor is caring and considerate. She quickly approached the counter and looked directly into Falros’ eyes. As tears fell from his cheeks, she drew him to her breast calmly stroking his hair. As she looked off into the distance, she began to cry.