Work Text:
"What would they have wanted me to be?" Emmrich asked, his expectant expression highlighting the subtext of his question to Herja. He wanted to know what she wanted for him, for them, in light of the revelations he shared of lichdom and his own impending induction to the order. To her, it didn't matter whether he was still amongst the living or something other, as long as he continued being the kind soul she fell in love with.
What did concern her was the severity of the ritual undertaken for such an honor. Herja wasn't afraid of death as she had been surrounded by it since she could remember, every stage laid bare and exposed in its intricacies and perils. But to have prepared for something so intensively like Emmrich had and to have that end in failure… Regardless if it was by ritual or the Evanuris, death was a major possibility for them both. If they could wrest a little happiness from the dire circumstances, it was worth it.
Herja held Emmrich's searching gaze, taking a steadying breath as she prepared to make herself vulnerable again, clinging onto the hope it didn't end in hurt and rejection like her last romantic endeavor.
"Happy with someone who cares for you." Herja replied, the words sending a shockwave of nerves through her. What if she read the situation incorrectly? Her heart pounded, and the cool air of the Memorial Garden was barely a comfort against the burn of her increasingly flushed cheeks. It was a pure show of the practiced grace she'd cultivated that she was able to maintain such a natural, relaxed grin—
One that broke into a full smile as Emmrich's expression softened, the pure joy evident in his sparkling hazel eyes. His utter inability of concealing his emotions was one of his most charming traits, the sincerity completely irresistible. He wordlessly turned toward Herja, offering the crook of his arm to her. Her stomach flip-flopped from exuberance, and she readily placed her hand there, his warmth welcomed against her chilled fingers.
She wasn't sure where Emmrich was leading her, and she really didn't care. She only looked away to ensure her foot falls fell perfectly in line with Emmrich's, looking up at him for approval before repeating with the next, and another. He kept looking forward, though she did notice him steal a downward glance in her direction at least once, the gesture stoking a brand new, fluttery feeling.
Their short walk ended in front of one of the most ornate and popular displays in the Memorial Gardens, Love in Life and Death, and one of Herja's favorites. Eternal love was the ideal kind to pursue in Nevarra, and what could be more representative of a ceaseless bond than a pair of skeletons stripped of all pretense, and swept away in each other's embrace?
It was beautiful and poignant, but… it was also a popular date spot for the apprentices, and Herja could see why with how secluded the spot was, the abundance of plants providing privacy. She was about to comment on the location as the silence since her confirmation of Emmrich's feelings, while comfortable, was beginning to wear on her. Before she could however he pulled away gently, her hand released to the cool chill of the garden again, though she more mourned the loss of direct contact with him.
Emmrich approached grouping of beautiful flowers snaking their way up the side of the ornate statuary base, vibrant blue stamen peeking out from the center of the crisp white petals. "Shroud's Kiss," He said, carefully plucking one of the flowers and turned to face her, gingerly handing it to her, "I've always loved the legend around this flower. They say it grows on lovers' graves, and that one moves closer to the Fade simply by inhaling its fragrance."
Herja listened, his voice a welcome relief from the silence, enraptured by his explanation and she brought the flower up to her nose and gently sniffed it, the honey sweet fragrance filling her senses. "Is that true?" She asked, cocking her head to the side while holding Emmrich's gaze, full of warmth—for her—the heady combination making her dizzy.
"It is when I will it, my dear." Emmrich said confidently, as he elegantly waved in front of the flower, the soft green glow of his magic flowed out of his hand in a circular pattern between them. In but a moment the flower was transformed, its petals becoming softly fluttering spectral butterflies, the wisps of magic that summoned them dissipating into tiny sparkles. Herja watched in awe, just as she had when he shared the wisps of souls that were left behind whenever he corpse whispered. His control was nothing else she'd seen but rarely at her rank in the Mourn Watch.
As spectacular as this was, she found herself more caught up in his voice and how it made her feel strange, a rush of excitement that wasn't wholly unfamiliar but never this intense. The low tone of his voice, his steady gaze, unwavering kept on her like there was nothing else in the world. No one had ever looked at her like this without hesitation; Emmrich was enthusiastic, unabashedly into her. She wasn't a second prize for some exchange student or whatever had happened with Lucanis.
Taking a steadying breath, Herja found herself again enough to say words. "What else?" She asked, the built up excitement making her voice strained as she looked up at Emmrich expectantly. He slightly turned away and, just as gracefully as before, glided his hand in front of the creeping vines of Shroud's Kiss that covered the statue's base, a whoosh of magic accompanying the movement.
This time, the misty garden air was filled with green hued sparkles, like a collection of tiny wisps flying around them. Herja gasped, taking in the beauty just for a brief moment but she had other, more pressing desires that needed attention. Hesitantly, she reached out and took hold of Emmrich's hand, the remaining tendrils of his magic snuffed out as they entwined their fingers.
It felt so right, they felt right.
Another shot of elation ran through Herja as she carefully stepped back toward the statue, gently pulling him toward her. Emmrich wasted no time in closing the gap between them, holding her gaze until her eyes wandered down to his lips and lingered for a brief moment before she closed her eyes, eagerly awaiting their lips to meet and—
Boop.
Herja jerked back in surprise as the kiss failed to connect, landing instead on the tip of her nose. Emmrich looked at her with the same amount of shock as he pulled away slightly, but she was too caught up in the excitement that his lips had touched her skin! Even if it wasn't how they planned, what mattered was that she hadn't read the signs wrong, that she wasn't going to face sudden rejection again.
It was wonderful! It was silly!
It was both.
She giggled, a release after what felt like an eternity of uncertainty, though it was cut short by Emmrich beginning to pull away. "No, no, wait!" She cried, squeezing his hand to keep him from pulling further. "I'm fine. More than fine."
"Are you sure? It was such an amateur mistake." Emmrich asked, groaning as a blush crept across his cheeks and nose, the vulnerability just making her want him more.
"It happens." She said, shrugging her shoulders slightly. When you were a dwarf raised in a human society you just got used to the awkward interactions that came with being this short, and that was with 'normal' height humans which Emmrich certainly wasn't. It was one of the things she found so attractive about him even if it was proving to be an inconvenience at times. "We can try again."
Lightheaded from the flurry of excitement—their lips almost touched, that totally counts—she looked around to find maybe something to climb up onto or sit on to close the height gap. Emmrich's quizzical expression as she looked for solutions quickly shifted into light amusement before he pulled away just long enough to bend to one knee, taking her hand back into his.
"Oh, you don't have to kneel—"
"Darling, I want to." Emmrich murmured, leaning in again clearly ready to resolve the mistake with their last kiss, and she followed his lead.
There were no fumbles or misses this time, and anxious feelings that had dominated Herja in the lead up to this moment were quelled. She instead lost herself in the delicate and measured movements Emmrich's lips made against hers, and for the first few moments she was so overwhelmed, her technique flawed and clunky compared to the refined expertise Emmrich exuded in everything, it seemed.
As the deep fears that had clouded her mind began to recede, she just focused on how natural this felt even if she was a fumbling mess at times. She never wanted them to part, but eventually they both needed to come up for air. Herja's lips remained parted, the warmth of his lips quickly leaving them as she barely resisted the urge to pull him in again.
"What a day of unexpected splendor." Emmrich murmured, eyes soft and half lidded as his gaze drifted over her. In his desire, he wasted no time to nuzzle against her neck, her sensitive skin ticklish. She hovered on the cusp of it being too much for her and Herja tensed, trying to keep herself from laughing out loud. She was relieved as he didn't linger overlong, instead leaving a trail of kisses from the base of her neck back to her lips.
She couldn't believe he was just so, so taken with her, but as he deepened their kiss any remaining doubt was burnt away from his passion. His bracelets softly clinked together as his fingers wove themselves into her hair, his thumb trailing across her cheek to rest just below her earlobe. Soon, she remembered her arms and hands could be touching Emmrich, and she hesitantly brought a hand up to caress his cheek, and he broke their kiss at her touch, resting his forehead against hers as it felt like time has stopped around them. She hoped it never would end.