It felt only like yesterday when Ceony shook Tagis Praff's hand. It felt only like yesterday when Ceony said yes to Emery's proposal. It felt exhilarating, to say the least, as she glanced at the gold ring that situated itself around her left ring finger. It was made by a Smelter, as the metal in the ring would change in size if Ceony's finger increased or decreased in size. It was also resistant to the elements, so it was durable. When she showed the ring to Magician Aviosky, she recalled her speaking about how every Smelter's ring has several magical properties that made it different from regular engagement rings.
"It increases and decreases by size, if your ring finger gets too small or too wide." Mg. Aviosky explained, "It also bears against the elements well. Though, it will start to crack if your marriage starts to fall apart. The ring can detect the malice in your heart and can tell you if you two are truly for one another. If the ring becomes separate pieces, it believes you aren't compatible at all."
"How do you know all this?" Ceony asked, knowing that the magician wasn't married or ever 'opened her heart to someone.'
"I had a colleague who married with a Smelter ring. She was a Smelter herself and explained the properties to me." Mg. Aviosky explained, frowning.
"What happened to her then? You speak about her in the past tense." Ceony pointed out.
"Her marriage crumbled apart and so did she."
"She crumbled apart?"
"She was never the same ever since. Left her life and ran off. When you lose the one you are sure you love, it does things to you, Ceony. Whether it be death or just simply life taking its toll, they're both equally as bad." Mg. Aviosky looked at her dead in the eyes, "Don't be like her. She didn't talk it out with her fiancé. Don't let the anger build up, don't let it break you two apart."
Ceony never found herself in the thought of losing Emery, not by death, but by arguments and such. The married life seemed so nice, considering what she witnessed with her family. Her father and mother were able to pull together what they could and they may not have a Smelter's wedding ring, but their ring wouldn't have too many cracks.
She frowned and started to think of the positives. She wasn't going to lose Emery to arguments. He had only yelled at her during several occasions, and she deserved it. It was her recklessness that got the job done, but worried Emery greatly and led him to shouting at her.
But would he yell at her again? What would be his reason?
She shook her head and decided to think about something else. No good thinking about 'if' situations.
It had only been two months. Two months, finally moving out her bedroom and into his. Emery was still a gentleman regardless and only allowed her to be beside him in bed. Even if she didn't hold the title of 'apprentice', he still refused to go beyond a sultry kiss. She sighed and returned to folding laundry, thinking of these past few years.
It amazed her how she progressed so far at her age. She gained and lost. She gained Emery's favor, she gained the ability to change her bond, she gained friends in different places, but at the same time, she lost so much. Anise still haunted her memories, as well as Delilah and countless others. Ceony didn't regret losing Lira, Grath, and Saraj as much, but it amazed her that in the span of three years, so much blood was shed. How much of it was innocent? How much of it wasn't?
"You've been folding and unfolding that shirt for the past two minutes." A voice pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up, seeing Emery leaning against the door frame, newspaper in one hand. His arms were crossed and he had a playful look in his eyes.
"Oh." She looked down at the shirt and folded it properly, placing it beside her. She picked up another shirt and Emery walked towards her, stopping her before she could continue on.
"You're thinking again." Emery's smile faltered, as if he knew what she was thinking without having her say anything. "Ceony, how many times do I have to tell you-" he crouched down, hands in hers. "That they aren't a threat anymore. Everything is peaceful."
"I know but... I can't help it. I keep thinking about Delilah, how I couldn't help her. Anise still remains in my memory. Everything that's happened is still in my memory." She frowned, looking into Emery's concerned eyes. "It haunts me in my nightmares. I don't wake up to them, but they still hurt equally as much." It wasn't like the dream of Delilah a few months ago when she was still an apprentice. They've never been that violent, not anymore, ever since she started sleeping in Emery's bed.
"That's in the past Ceony and you know it." Emery paused, before adding on, "I know that you shake in your sleep and hold onto me tightly." He revealed. Ceony stared at him, mouth slightly agape. "It happens frequently, actually. I planned to ask you about it, but I wasn't sure it would be a good idea to do so."
"I do?" Ceony asked, slightly confused. She never thought of the possibility of her nightmares leaking into the present.
"It's been happening for a month now." He sighed, rubbing her knuckles. "How bad are they?"
"It's just memories, going back and forth, switching between the worst. It always starts so wonderful." She closed her eyes, recalling the dream in which she and Emery were taking care of their children that she wanted to have. "Then it warps, into something terrible." The dream shifted in which Lira, Grath, or Saraj would steal the childrens' hearts from their chests and laugh the same way they had did before. She shivered at the thought.
"I'm here for you Ceony. I'm not leaving you, not ever. I'm not going to lose any more." Emery said, the last bit more to himself rather than her.
"I know." Ceony murmured, running a hand through his short hair. It was still short and it honestly bothered her a little bit, but it made him handsome and gentlemanly nonetheless. He smiled softly at her and stood up abruptly.
"Now! I think dinner is in order to calm the tremors of your thoughts." Emery said, leading her away from the stuffy bedroom. He made his way to the kitchen and said, "I'll cook this time."
"Oh, Emery." Ceony chuckled, "You? Cook?"
"You made the food better here, but I can still cook." He said, letting go of her hand and stood in front of the stove.
"You would have died without me cooking for you." Ceony teased, gently pushed him out of the way.
"Is that a challenge, Miss Twill?" Emery asked, pure child-like excitement in his eyes.
"Mr. Thane, I believe I'm the cook here." Ceony said, "I'll challenge you anytime."
------
The cooking challenge ended up turning to a large mess. They gave up in the first half and decided to collectively cook something together, to avoid making a bigger mess. They ended up eating some rosemary chicken they both worked on together with some bread Ceony had made. They also had a friendly debate determining which magic was the most useful or interesting to learn. Emery had stuck to paper and ultimately ended it with, "Can metal, rubber, fire, polymaking, or glass make beautiful items, or perhaps bring to life paper creatures?" Ultimately, he got her there. He did make an impressive argument. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, commenting that she needed to brush up on her debate skills. He cleaned the dishes and told her to rest. She considered arguing, but Emery would probably have none of it.
Fennel followed Ceony through the cottage and to the bedroom. Emery promised that he would join her in a bit, but Ceony knew he would turn in late. He always did, but she always knew that she would see him in the morning, arms wrapped around her protectively. She washed her face and changed into more suitable sleeping wear. She slipped into bed, Fennel sleeping near her feet, and fell asleep.
-----
The first thing she felt was how cold it was. She could feel the ice cold air hit her bare skin. She rubbed her arms, trying to rid herself of the gooseflesh creeping up on her.
This dream didn't hold any sort of happy beginning, it was just straight to the point. She blindly led her way through the darkness, stumbling occasionally. Finally, for what felt like forever, she heard a voice. The darkness warped to Mg. Aviosky's office, Mg. Aviosky sitting down and Ceony standing in across from her.
"You're being transferred, Miss Twill." Mg. Aviosky's voice rang through the darkness. "You failed your magician's test and the mandate regarding opposite sex apprenticeships passed already. I'm sorry."
Her throat hitched. She stopped walking. That was just a fear when she was having during her final. It didn't happen anymore. She was a magician regardless and a simple mandate was not a problem to her. She walked away from the memory, stumbling into another.
Her home in the Mill Squats. It was burning, smoke coming out of the windows. Policemen lay dead on the floor. She ran to it, only for the door to swing open. Saraj came out, four hearts floating in one hands In the other, he held Margo's body by the throat. Margo looked terrified. "Ceony..." Margo tried to say, but the grip on her throat was strong. He gave her a lopsided smile and snapped her neck, right in front of Ceony.
"No!" She shouted, trying to rush for Margo, but an invisible wall kept her from doing so. He harvested her heart, adding to his collection.
"I keep my promises." Saraj laughed as the image disappeared. She felt weak in the knees, but continued to walk. This was all fake. Emery had lacerated him. It was all fake.
She stepped into the apartment they resided in the city when Grath and Saraj were still threats. Emery and herself say in the sitting room, when Emery had told her she was merely an apprentice. She remembered shedding only two tears.
"I don't—Ceony, I don't return the same feelings." It was Emery this time. She paused, eyes wide in the darkness. "Just finish your apprenticeship. It would be best if we do not speak after it."
She felt hot tears stream down her face. The one fear she had always considered. Emery, never returning the feelings she had so desperately clung onto. Despite that fear being solved as Emery did return those feelings, she couldn't help but entertain the thought of him leaving.
"Please, just stop this wretched nightmare." She slowly sank to her knees, at the mercy of these fears. "Please, no more. No more." Don't show me our marriage failing, please. Don't let me see the ring cracking and breaking into pieces. Don't let it fall. Please. Her heart couldn't handle it anymore.
"Ceony!" Emery's voice woke her up. She was no longer in that darkness and was on the bed. He was on top of her, holding her shoulders down. She looked up at him, feeling wet tears on her cheeks. "Oh Ceony, are you alright?"
"I..." She was at a loss for words. Emery let her go, shifting to now sit beside her. Ceony slowly sat up, allowing Emery to guide her into his lap, holding her in his arms to embrace her tightly from the waist. He buried his face in her hair, frowning. He was still in his clothes from earlier, seeming to haven't have changed clothes at all.
"Fennel came for me, in the study." Emery explained, "Wouldn't let me be and led me here. You were crying silently, but then you started to thrash about. I got worried. What happened?"
"It was different." Ceony managed to say after several deep breaths. "It wasn't Anise or Delilah. God, it sounds so stupid now."
"Nothing you say is stupid Ceony." Emery assured, keeping her close.
"My fears. That's what I dreamed of. I dreamed that I didn't pass my magician's test. My family, getting killed by Saraj. I..." She laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "This is really stupid but..." She paused, "I dreamed you didn't return my feelings and told me to never speak to you when I passed my magician's test." She glanced at Emery and saw him furrow his brow, eyes closed, taking in the information.
"You passed your test, first of all." He finally said, looking towards the framed certificate that was besides Emery's near the far corner of the room. "Second, Saraj is dead. We saw him die. Your family is safe. And Ceony," He looked at her with the upmost seriousness, shifting her so she faced him, but still held her hand.
"I have never been unsure about you in my entire life. I want you to be my wife. I want you to be with me until I die. I want to see our children grow. You are my everything, Ceony." His eyes glimmered in the dim candlelight, actually tearing up slightly. Emery looked to be on the verge of tears. "I may be a talented Folder, but at feelings, I fail greatly. I didn't realize how much you took a toll on me until after. I was stupid. But now I know."
"Emery-"
"I know now how much of an idiot I was. I can't excuse myself for that. But now, I can make it right." He kissed her on the forehead, "It just takes time, but if you'll have me, I'm glad to be on this adventure with you." A tear rolled down his cheek and Ceony brushed it off with her thumb.
"I love you." Ceony said, keeping her hand cupped to his cheek.
"I love you too."
And after that, Ceony's nightmares subsided.
They became happier fantasies of the future,
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that's- okay. so, one-shots, but they have something stringing them together, whoop. I hope you enjoyed. I didn't see anyone make a fanfiction of this series, which DESERVES SO MUCH MORE. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this adventure. I'll make more, so much more.