Heirs of Nowhere (Centaurworld Fanfic)

Chapter 20: Feeling Guilt

Adalie walks alone to the flower field and she sits down, sighing. She lays in the field, feeling the soft petals flow with the breeze against her face, and she closes her eyes. The sound of hooves were heard and she sees Elk, and she smiles at him, "Hey." He lays next to her and she touches his cheek, "I see you shaved part of your beard." Elk chuckles a bit, "Yeah, I think I liked my old one better." Adalie turns over on her side and she smiles at him and he holds her hand, then Adalie speaks, "How are you feeling?... Especially after... what happened?..." Elk looks up at the clouds and he sighs, "Honestly... I don't know... I feel.. guilt." Adalie sits up, "Why do you feel guilty?" She rests her head on her had as she looks at him, and Elk continues looking at the sky before speaking again.

"I sometimes wonder if I never touched the key to split myself apart... I never became the Nowhere King... Then everyone wouldn't have lost their loved ones..." Adalie touches his chest, "Hon, we can't change the past... and we sometimes do things that not only hurt others but also hurt ourselves.." Elk sits up, "I know that... yet what would my life had been like if I never split myself?... Would our relationship be different?..." He looks at her and she gently kisses him, and lays her head on his shoulder, "I don't know honestly... But I do know one thing for sure." She makes him look at her, "I'm happy that I had met you. And even if we did go back in time, I would've been happy to meet you still." 

Elk smiles at her words and gently kisses her hand, making Adalie smile. She gently rubs his ear, "I know it's a lot... and you still feel guilty of everything you caused in the past, but you have managed to show everyone that you have changed, that you were willing to sacrifice yourself to protect the ones you love, that you are no longer the centaur you once were." She sees him look down and she holds his head gently, "I know you can't take back everything you did or bring back all those lives... including Keres's brother, now some people have forgiven you, even Keres has learned to forgive and she is set free. You set her free, Elk..." Elk holds her hand, "But was it enough?..." Adalie hugs him, "You gave her what she truly wanted, and that was to be put to rest and be reunited with her family." 

Elk stays quiet, and now that he thinks about it, Keres did want to be reunited, and all she had to do was let go and learn to forgive again. He wraps his arms around Adalie, hugging her back and she runs her fingers through his hair. The two centaurs smile and then a voice was heard near them, "Mom? Dad? You two alright?" They turn to see the twins standing there and Elk chuckles, motioning them over, "We're perfectly fine." The twins join them and Elk gives them both a hug, and the family laugh together, whole once again.

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