Epilogue
“YOU SHONE BRIGHTEST of anyone today, Leia.”
“Thank you. But you were beautiful too, Eric.”
“Haha, thanks.”
We were in a palace room, snuggled up against each other. Moonbeams streamed through the window as Eric and I occupied our own little pocket of time just for us…
Sharing each other’s warmth, we reminisced over the past.
“Eric, do you remember the day we met?”
“I could never forget it, even if I wanted to. It was the day I took the most shamefully immoral action of my life.”
As I’d feared, the day we met still remained a painful memory for him. But he was trying to move past it.
That’s what made me fall for Eric in the first place. He didn’t hide from his sins, yet he hasn’t let his sins chain him down either. He always believes in himself, and that’s what made me admire him…
I could never see my first encounter with Eric as a bad memory. To say I wouldn’t be where I am today without him would’ve been no exaggeration.
Eric saved me. It was a conviction that grew stronger by the day.
“Well, to me…the day we met is a beautiful memory. I’m better off having met you, Eric, and I know it with all my heart.”
“Leia, your mercy is my salvation. Thank you…”
Eric rose, opened the window, and gazed up at the night sky. I joined him, beholding the beautiful stars filling the sky, twinkling like gemstones in a giant treasure chest.
“I can stand here now at an open window, leisurely gazing at the stars without fear of assassins because of you, Leia.”
“Hee hee! Well, I’m sure you and I will have plenty of beautiful things to look at together from now on.”
“We sure will.”
I gently hugged Eric’s arm, and he softly drew me to his chest in turn. “Leia…I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you too, Eric.”
Dear God—would you forgive me for feeling like a heroine all day just this once?
Not a tragic heroine, but a blessed heroine.
I want to share my life with this man…forever and always.
I pray that this happiness might last forever.
This warmth—this was what I had wanted the most. What I had been longing for all this time.
This is my story, no one else’s.
I made the choice to walk life’s path into the future with Eric, no one made that choice for me.
And no matter what hardships await us, we can fight them to the end without giving up.
As the night breeze caressed us, we dreamed.
Dreamed of our happy future together.