#nairdina

Sleeping, sleeping the night before a battle was something Claudina found to be impossible. How on Earth did the Stars expect her to lead her husband’s men into battle against the elves? She knew none of his strategies, none of the hand signs that he used to communicate with them in silence... But she couldn’t ask him to lead them, because he was dead. He had died protecting her from an arrow fired by an elven assassin. And the Stars had not brought him back. She wasn’t sure how much faith she held in the Stars anymore. 

Nrenighnx was righteous. He only ever did what was necessary for the survival and wellbeing of other people. He put everyone before himself. He could just as easily that day not jumped on top of her and let her be killed... But he sacrificed himself... For her.

She rolled over to face where he would be laying had he still been alive and allowed a small sigh to escape her lips. The Queen still missed him. She needed him. That’s all she could think as she stared at his pillow. She need her husband. She needed Nairy.

“Nrenighnx, you big idiot, why did you save me? Why did you have to die? I miss you... I need you. Please, come home. Beg the Big Star, beg the other Stars. Beg my mother. Beg and plead and come home to me. I can’t go into battle tomorrow without you for strength. Without you, I’m nothing. I’m absolutely nothing. There can be no Claudina without Nrenighnx... You idiot. Why...?” Her lip quivered, and she startled when the door she thought she had locked creaked open.

A very disheveled Nrenighnx stood in the doorway. Claudina could barely believe her eyes. It was him. He was home.

He shot her a cocky grin, “You, Claudina, are not nothing without me. You are, were, and always will be the world. You’re stronger than any other Pixie, Human, or Elf alive or dead. But I’m here now. I’m here, and I’m here to stay.”

“How...?” Her eyes remained wide as she sat up shakily in the bed.

“The Stars wanted to wait to send me back until you truly needed me. You didn’t need me before. As a matter of fact, what you needed before was me dead. If I hadn’t died, the war wouldn’t have began. You wouldn’t have taken action against the elves, and the Corruption would continue to grow and spread... And our kind would eventually be just as evil and impure as the Humans.”

“Oh...” She patted the bed beside her, “Come, my King. Lay with me. I’m having trouble believing you’re real...”

Nrenighnx nodded and took the few steps it took to reach the bedside, then he laid himself in his spot on the bed. He reached a hand over to touch her cheek, “See, I am real. I am real, and I am alive, and I am yours, forever.”

Claudina teared up and kissed him, laying herself down and cuddling up to him, “And I am yours, forever. I’ve always been yours...”

“Claudina, you must sleep now. Without sleep, you cannot defeat Perrianerriousa, and defeating her is something you must do.”

“Of course. I love you forever, Nairy...”