Oh how he hated that worried look. Cecil hated that his physical well being in jeopardy caused such a powerful distress in her. Yet, his heart swelled with the knowledge of her love so plainly evident in that expression. Silence hung between them after he had expressed his true feelings for her. This heartache was different from before, the pain of which he knew she would not understand what he had laid bare before her. Chartora had found the loophole of his curse, and now it serves only to widen the gap of language barrier between them.

Nelanna's next words seemed to sail over his comprehension as he frowned with confusion at her. Yes, he just spoke, just as he had before the debilitating pain spike coursing through his head. What was different now versus then? "Yes… I know…" Cecil responded as she all but shook him with excitement. The baffled expression did not lessen as she threw her arms around him, holding him tight. It was all he could do to reciprocate with his own embrace, holding her as if she were a gentle flower he did not want to break yet did not wish to lose.

She spoke, her words muffled from the closeness of their bodies. Slowly, realization sunk in. Nelanna understood him. Before, she could not, and now, she could. Overwhelming pride and joy spilled over from his connection to Gahara, beating against his psyche. Could it be? Was it broken? As she expressed her love, Cecil tightened his grip, burying his face in her hair, hiding his smile while trying to contain his own tears. "You did it, Nelanna… You broke the curse." Home… She welcomed him home. Ever since his mother died, Cecil did not have a home. So many years…

All at once, so many things flew into his mind. The thousand frustrations of poor communication. Hundreds of unspeakable topics now free to be conversed. Where would they start? Yet, as strange as it was, he wanted nothing more than to sit here in silence, content in her embrace. Slowly, the fae pulled back to gaze lovingly in her face, an idea of where to begin forming. "From the moment I first saw you…" Gods, was that truly his voice? Deep and husky. It had been far too long since he was able to hear it outside of the lilting fairy language. "You look like a goddess. Nelanna… Nelanna. Even your name sounds like heaven on the tongue." For the first time, he felt pride in the barely sustained patience, instead of rushing anything with her. Nelanna was worth every moment.

He seemed confused at first, and Nelanna figured he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he not only spoke, but used a language she could understand. This meant they could finally talk, carry on conversations, make jokes and pick fun, and possibly even have their first argument. Everything couples could do. It was true that actions spoke louder than words, but who would have thought that being able to speak would bring them that much closer. It was apparently the next step in their relationship, and it could only grow.

And he used his voice again, saying she had broken the curse. Nelanna wasn't sure what to make of it, she didn’t quite understand how she could have broken it. All she did was kiss him. Was that really all it took to bring his voice back? Could Oberon have made it so simple? It was hard to believe, but it was true. It had to be. Nelanna smiled and started stroking his hair once again, perhaps as an excuse not to let go of him. But he pulled back, though she somehow wasn’t disappointed as much as she thought she would be. He gave her a look that made her feel weak again. It was so soft, so full of his love for her. She could only return it with a matching expression of her own. Her smile had softened, her eyes gazing longingly and lovingly into his as if those jade pools were priceless gems.

Then, he made her heart skip a beat. Never in her life had she thought she had any resemblance to a goddess. She never thought that title would be fitting for her- no, she felt she wasn’t worthy of it. Yet, that is what he called her, that was how he thought of her. Unaware, Nelanna’s face, as well as the tips of her ears, turned red to show how hot she was suddenly feeling. “O-oh,” she stammered, placing her hand on her flushed cheeks while averting her eyes to the side briefly. “I appreciate the compliment, but I assure you I am no goddess,” she chuckled a little sheepishly, then looked back at him with a gentle expression.

A goddess, huh? No, that name wasn’t fitting for her at all. She wasn’t even fit to be a champion for a real god; she couldn’t even manage to protect herself. Images of Cecil’s grief came back to haunt her, causing her chest to squeeze and her gaze to drop. “Cecil,” her voice cracked a little, trying her best to fight back a new wave of tears as her pain grew. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. If I wasn’t so weak…I never would have been taken away. My memories never would have been lost, and you never would have thought I was dead. I’ve caused you so much grief…so much pain and agony…when I saw you in that dream, I…I…” she shook her head as she lost her voice, burying her face in her hands with shame and clenching her jaw with self-hatred. A sniffle, and then a tear finally strayed. She wasn’t worthy of being a champion, a protector. And she most certainly wasn’t worthy of Cecil. He loved her so much, he would do anything for her, even defy his own cruel father. Yet, she couldn’t return the favor. She couldn’t protect him…she couldn’t keep from hurting him…

It was adorable the way her blush extended all the way to the tips of her ears. Cecil reached out, lightly caressing an ear, feeling their warmth, with an all-knowing smirk. "Nevertheless, that is what I thought in my pain-addled state. But now? Now, you're a goddess among the timeless mortals. Your beauty, your soul, none can hold a spark against you, Nelanna." He spoke softly, fingers lightly trailing strands of her silky, fiery hair. To have this woman alive and well, to see her and hold her, and most importantly, to love, was the happiest moment of his life. It was so emotional, tears threatened to well up in his eyes once more.

The past didn't matter any longer. Now was the time to move forward, and prepare for whatever the future holds. Nelanna's gaze dropped, her voice cracked on his name. Concern raced through him as he saw the hurt so plainly upon her beautiful face. Cecil pulled her hands from her face gently, trying to see her in the eye. "Shhh, my sweet breath of life. Don't dwell on Ifs and could have been's." He drew her into his arms in a comforting embrace. "All that matters is you're alive, and I am here now. We'll be fine." What could he possibly tell her that would help her not regret what had transpired. It was not her fault that a man far older than she could overpower her so easily. There was absolutely no way to prepare for something such as that.

"You did not hurt me, Nelanna." He tightened his embrace as he pressed his lips into the top of her hair, continuing to speak without moving his lips too much. "It was the pain of the sudden loss of you. There is almost no preparation for a man such as he. But worry not, for he is contained now. We can get stronger, together, Nelanna. Just, don't shed any more tears on the ordeal, please…" Cecil gently rested his chin on her head as he gazed up at the sky, wanting nothing more than to move onto happier moments of time. A stray thought came to him. Since when had he become his mother?

She welcomed his embrace, sniffling while loosely wrapping her arms around him. As he spoke, explaining how it wasn’t her fault she was taken, Nelanna couldn’t help but realize that those words weren’t as comforting as he had meant for them to be. She didn’t entirely believe those words to be true. All she could see is how much things could have changed if she wasn’t so weak. Even if she had managed to get taken anyway, she would have been able to fight, and prevent having that stupid spell cast upon her. She would have been able to fight, find a way out of the cage Oberon had trapped her in, and perhaps help defeat him so that he would never be able to hurt anyone again.

Her grip tightened around Cecil, and she buried her face into his shirt. Her sniffing had finally stopped, tears no longer falling as her self-hatred was redirected. Perhaps this whole time she was too soft to admit who was truly at fault. Yes, she had been taken because she was weak. But she wasn’t the one who caged herself, mocked her and used her as bait to lure Cecil into a trap. She wasn’t the one who had been chasing Cecil everywhere, so much so that he had no place to call home, left to live on the run from his cruel father. Yes, Nelanna was still disgusted by her weakness, but Oberon was to blame for everything that had transpired, for her pain and Cecil’s.

She breathed in a deep breath and released it softly to calm herself. Then, she pulled away, offering Cecil the most loving smile with matching eyes. “Thank you, Cecil,” she finally replied. “I don’t know what I would do without you. That’s why I’ve decided to train hard, to build my strength so that Oberon cannot interfere and hurt you again. I…I can’t lose you.” She leaned in to place a brief and light kiss upon his soft, warm lips, then took his hands in her own and stood.

“Are you hungry?” She asked, deciding to change the subject. “Kohaku should have breakfast ready by now. Won’t you join us?”

As Nelanna kissed him, his heart soaring at the revelation of her need of him, Cecil had to remind himself to let her set the pace. He didn't want to push her into anything, for risk of pushing her away. No, he would be content with what he had now. The light kisses, hand holding, soft touches. Nelanna changed the subject to food. Cecil smiled softly at her as he stood with her.

"Not particularly…" "Even if you have to tie him down and force-feed him, please make him eat, Nelanna. I'm tired of seeing him eat almost nothing. He's close to malnourishment, and dehydration." The fae cast a glare in the griffin's direction. But he couldn't argue with him. Instead, he gazed apologetically at Nelanna. "The loss had not been easy." Gahara gave an irritated sigh as he noticeably rolled his eyes. "The love drunk fairy is failing to mention that you're his first love." Ever since the griffin claimed Cecil, not once had he ever said something so bluntly. He had always been respectful of Cecil's privacy, and the choice of his wording. Until now.

It was Cecil's turn to blush crimson to tips of his ears. Falling back into old habits, the fae gestured toward the house, put his arm around Nelanna's shoulders and began to guide her towards it. There was so much for them to be able to convey to each other now. So many, two-sided conversations that were interactive on both sides were opened up. Much of it was going to be his turn to be one-sided as he caught her upon himself and his past. This included his vast brothel experience and his true birthing as a female. That was actually the first thing he wanted to cover.

Before opening the door, he turned toward her and began the very revealing topic. "Nelanna, you know I wasn't born… As I am… Right? But before you were… I found something. If you want, I can… Be this way… forever." He was extremely self-conscious as he tried to put the idea into words. After spending so long learning to express himself with pictures and gestures, words were not quite as easy, especially when he's embarrassed.

Nelanna couldn’t keep from giggling at Cecil and Gahara, but her eyes saddened just a little once she heard how little Cecil had been eating. After seeing him suffer so much she didn’t know why she was at all surprised that he neglected to take care of himself. Most people sunk into a depression that made them lose their appetite when they feel they’ve lost someone. Cecil was no exception, and Nelanna could see that now as she looked over him once more. My, he’s gotten so thin. “Well, we will fix that right up for you,” she jumped in while offering the two a reassuring smile. “Kohaku enjoys making large meals. You’ll be fat in no time.” She giggled again, trying to keep the mood light.

Then Gahara’s last statement caused her eyes to blink with slight surprise. But Cecil’s expression, his beat red face and ears, the embarrassment plastered across his face, it made her smile. “Is that so?” She replied with a hint of surprise in her tone. For some reason she automatically assumed he had been in other relationships before her. Perhaps it’s because he’s so easy to love, it only made sense she wasn’t to first to fall for him. But, somehow, knowing the truth allowed her to feel…relief. She had been worried she might do something wrong due to her lack of experience with relationships as well. So knowing that the both of them lacked experience offered her some comfort. They can learn together. “It’s alright,” she finally added, offering him a sweet, understanding smile. “Cecil is my first love as well.”

Obligingly, she followed Cecil’s lead as he guided her back to the cottage with his arm around her. Unknowingly she was smiling uncontrollably the entire time, doing her best to keep from staring at him to get a good look at his handsome face, soaking in every line, every edge and turn from the shape of his nose, to the sharpness of his cheekbones and the color of his lips. Crap, she was staring at him! She turned her face away swiftly as if nothing had happened, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

Then, they stopped. But Cecil didn’t open the door for them to enter the cottage. Instead, he turned to face her. She tilted her head curiously as she tried to comprehend his following words. It didn’t take long for her to figure it out.

“O-oh,” She stammered, blinking as she was taken aback by the drastic change of subject.

In all honesty, she hadn’t put much thought into his true gender and how that would make an impact on their relationship, until recently when her memories had returned. She often caught herself wondering just how much of him was actually male, and what parts remained the true gender that he was. Did the male go as far as appearances? Was he really just a woman wearing the appearance of a man? It was confusing to say the least, and a little frightening once she really thought about it.

“I…I, uh…” she cleared her throat nervously, her gaze meeting his. “I love you the way you are, but…it would certainly give me some assurance if I knew exactly which gender you really are. Because…well, right now…I don’t know if you can…y-you know…” Her gaze dropped, face reddening. “What I really want is a family,” she added, shaking her head to clear any naughty thoughts, and looking him in the eye. “Can you give me that?”

Cecil wrinkled his nose at her little joke about his lack of eating recently. He wondered if she understood that he was a woman just as she was, and like most females, did not like the idea of excess weight or being called out on it. Yet her giggle pulled a smile to smooth the facial wrinkles. The fae watched her reaction to the truth of his heart, feeling genuinely surprised to find she was his first love as well. One would have expected her to have had several romantic interests in her lifetime. Somehow, that just made him blush deeper.

When he told her his option to change for her, Cecil carefully gauged her expression. At first, he was confused as she faltered in her words. His mind instantly filling in the blank with the intimacy of the bedroom. Cecil felt a little guilty and shame about the naughty images when she was asking about something far more deeper. Several times, his mouth opened and closed as a gaping fish, stopping before the first syllable was uttered, changing his mind each time on his response.

"Nelanna, I don't think I can. Not as I am now," he finally answered. But with the potion, even that should change. Cecil would do anything for her, even defying the way he was born. He tucked a strand of hair out of her face. "But, I would learn to fly if you asked me to. Same with that potion, to give you a chance at your family." Then he pressed his lips into her forehead and gave her a reassuring hug. In her arms was where he wanted to be forever. Just breathe her in, and never lose her again. Reluctantly, Cecil released the elf and finally opened the cottage door for her, allowing the mouthwatering aromas to waft into the faces. Cecil hated to admit it, but Kohaku was a decent cook.

He was so willing to do anything for her. It was touching, romantic. Yet, it also made her feel bad. He shouldn’t have to do any of that for her…it was his happiness that mattered to her the most. If he was happier being the way he is, then she should respect his decision and accept him for what he is. But, if he really wanted to do that for her, then she would respect that decision as well. She smiled softly and accepted his embrace by briefly wrapping her arms around him. “I think you should do whatever makes you happy,” she whispered in his ear. “Your happiness is all that matters to me.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek as they parted.

He opened the door for her and they walked into the cottage, the lovely aroma of Kohaku’s cooking filling her nostrils. “It’s about time you two came inside,” Kohaku said as he finished setting the table. A full breakfast meal was presented with plenty for all three to share. Biscuits and gravy, eggs and pancakes topped with a slice of butter with bacon and eggs on the side. Jams, syrups and cheeses were available for toppings, along with many other condiments and extras. Kohaku knew well that not everyone has the same tastes in food, and so he made many possibilities available in case Cecil preferred something different.

“It all looks wonderful, Kohaku. Thank you very much for the meal,” Nelanna said as she took a seat, Cecil and Kohaku following suit. The three ate together for the first time with Nelanna and Cecil chatting away, while Kohaku remained mostly quiet the whole time. It was the first time the three got a real chance to spend some time together and just bond, without Oberon or arguments getting in the way. Hearing Cecil’s voice and seeing him smile after witnessing him falling apart in that dream of his made Nelanna happier than she’d ever been. Words still couldn’t explain just how happy she felt. This time, nothing would tear them apart. She would make sure Cecil will never suffer like that again. And he would never have to run from Oberon, either. Finally, he can stay in once place without any more fear of being chased away.

Cecil finally had a home.