Work Text:
Sky was there for Prince Hríd, ever since she lent him her strength in battle. On that fateful day, something stirred within her to jump into combat recklessly and rescue a bloodied and burnt handsome stranger, who just so happened to be the firstborn Prince of Nifl. The Summoner even took a scolding from her supervisor for her risky maneuvers. She figured it was well worth the trouble. Hríd didn't have visitors in the infirmary until the Summoner herself arrived to heal his wounds. In those days of recovery, he vowed to repay her for the rest of his life.
Labor was excruciatingly painful, yet Queen Sky joyously brought Hríd's children into the world one by one, sometimes two at a time. He was there not only to witness their births, but to aid his wife in each delivery. Soothing her with words of encouragement, handling her tenderly throughout the process, the King helped his Queen hand deliver all their immediate descendants. The couple rebuilt Nifl together, with seven daughters and three sons to inherit their parents' paradise. Sky herself was thankful that Hríd stayed true to his word. He repaid her, always, and loved her unconditionally, flaws and all.
Their marriage was happy, long and stable. Yet Sky's final days felt even longer for the King of Nifl. He tended to her wounds, cooling off each bone-deep burn on her body that mirrored his own from thirty years ago. Tears quietly streamed down his cheeks. Sky's suffering also happened to be his own. Once a young, spry Summoner full of energy, Sky couldn't fight off the burns that mysteriously plagued her aging body. It was the price she paid for healing Hríd. She lent him her strength and saved his life. This time, he failed to return the favor.