Chapter 1488: Embrace

Aurdis had already been waiting for him in the palace garden just as they had agreed. Earlier, Erend had contacted her through their telepathic connection to tell her that he wanted to see her before leaving again.

She accepted immediately without hesitation. She had not asked how long he could stay or why he suddenly wanted to meet. Simply knowing that he wished to see her had been enough.

That had made Erend’s heart feel a little lighter.

Moonlight bathed the royal garden in a soft silver glow. Ancient trees swayed gently beneath the quiet breeze, countless grass and flowers bloomed beneath them.

Erend spotted Aurdis standing beside a stone pathway beneath one of the trees.

The moment their eyes met, neither of them said a single word.

Erend began walking toward her.

Aurdis did the same.

At first their steps remained slow, almost hesitant, but with every passing second they unconsciously walked faster.

The distance separating them rapidly disappeared until there was nothing left between them at all.

Aurdis threw her arms around him without holding anything back. Erend embraced her tightly as well.

For several long moments they simply stood there, holding each other in complete silence as if trying to make up for all the time they had spent apart.

The warmth of her body, the familiar scent of her hair, and the steady rhythm of her breathing immediately eased the loneliness that had quietly accumulated inside him during his travels.

Neither of them wanted to let go.

Then Aurdis slowly lifted her face.

Erend lowered his head.

Their lips met in a gentle kiss.

It lasted only a heartbeat before it deepened naturally into a far more passionate kiss.

The flowers, ancient trees, and quiet grass beneath their feet became silent witnesses to their reunion after what felt like an eternity apart.

Erend poured every ounce of his longing into that kiss. Every lonely night spent traveling through unfamiliar worlds, fear he had hidden behind calm expressions, and moments he wished she had been beside him.

Aurdis answered with the same intensity. She had missed him just as much.

Their kisses continued one after another without either of them caring how much time passed. The soft sounds of their breathing and quiet laughter blended with the rustling leaves overhead while somewhere deeper within the garden insects sang their nightly songs.

Neither of them noticed any of it.

At that moment, their world consisted of only each other.

Everything beyond their embrace simply ceased to exist.

—

Much later, they sat together beneath a towering tree overlooking the palace garden.

Aurdis rested her head comfortably against Erend’s shoulder while he wrapped one arm around her waist. They watched the slender crescent moon hanging peacefully above the kingdom.

The night remained calm. No alarms or enemies threatened the walls. The world allowed them a brief moment of peace.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes. They simply enjoyed the silence together.

Finally, Aurdis broke it. "I missed you," she whispered, her melodic voice barely louder than the breeze passing through the leaves.

Erend lowered his eyes. "I’m sorry. What I had to face... it was incredibly dangerous." He paused before letting out a quiet sigh. "But honestly... anything I say now will probably just sound like an excuse. So I won’t make any. Just... consider it my fault."

Aurdis slowly looked up at him.

Her bright blue eyes reflected the moonlight as she studied his face for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"Good," she said teasingly. "At least you’re aware of it."

Erend couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He leaned closer and gave her another brief kiss. This one was slow and gentle.

"I’ll have to leave again after this," he admitted.

"I know." Aurdis sighed softly before returning her head to his shoulder. "I accepted this fate the moment I decided to fall in love with a Dragonborn."

Her words were calm. There was no bitterness or complaint, only acceptance.

Erend remained silent.

He felt grateful that Aurdis understood him so well, just like his mother and Arty did. They all accepted the responsibilities he carried without trying to chain him to one place.

But somehow, that understanding only made the guilt inside his heart even heavier.

No matter how much they accepted his duty, he still couldn’t give the people he loved the time they deserved.

"I promise..." Erend said quietly. "I’ll find a way. A way to make all of this work somehow."

Aurdis turned toward him once more. She smiled with the same unwavering confidence she always carried whenever she looked at him.

"I’m sure you will."

That single look strengthened his heart more than any words could have.

—

Later that night, Aurdis opened a small portal that led directly into her own private chamber inside the palace.

It was far easier than slipping through the palace corridors and avoided drawing unnecessary attention from the royal guards.

The room welcomed them with warm candlelight and the gentle fragrance of flowers drifting through the open balcony doors.

Once the portal closed behind them, the outside world no longer mattered.

Weeks of longing that neither of them had been able to express finally surfaced.

They held one another close. Soft whispers gradually gave way to lingering kisses. The distance created by countless worlds disappeared little by little as they surrendered themselves completely to the quiet embrace of the night.

Beyond the palace walls, the kingdom slept peacefully beneath the moon while the stars watched silently overhead.

Inside the room, only two hearts entangled together.

—

Morning eventually arrived. Golden sunlight slipped through the curtains and illuminated the quiet bedroom. Neither of them moved immediately.

Aurdis remained comfortably nestled within Erend’s embrace, her head resting against his chest while listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Erend gently stroked her hair. He found himself wishing time would simply stop. He did not want to leave. He did not want another journey.

He wanted this morning to last forever.

After several peaceful minutes, Aurdis spoke without opening her eyes.

"You have to go."

Her voice remained slightly hoarse from sleep.

Erend closed his eyes for a moment. He already knew. That was exactly why he had remained silent.

Several more moments passed before he finally let out a long sigh.

"...You’re right."

Reluctantly, Erend slipped out of bed.

He looked back at Aurdis one last time before quietly putting on his clothes.

Every movement felt heavier than the last.

No matter how much he wanted to stay, a Dragonborn still had a duty that only he could fulfill.

And once again... Duty came before his own happiness.

—