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[removed]

I took a few liberties with the prompt, hope that's okay:

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A knock at the door roused me from my slumber.

“Wynn?” I called, reached across the bed for her, but she was nowhere to be found. I grumbled to myself, throwing off the fur blankets and wincing at the morning cold. Our simple cabin didn’t have much in the way of glamor, nor of heating, but she wanted to be closer to nature. In a heartbeat, I sold the manor and moved out here.

I dressed myself while sitting in bed, a slow and clumsy process. In my youth, I would have strapped my sword to my hip, but these days, all I clutched was a cane.

The knocking continued all the while. When I reached the door, I threw it open and saw them standing there, my two lovely daughters. Sasha took her looks from me, being tall and slender, but she had her mother's awkward and overly formal way of speaking. Mae was the spitting image of her mother physically, short and plump, but she had a mischievous streak in her that she got from me.

“You have your mother’s patience,” I muttered at the two of them.

“Nice to see you too, old man,” Mae smiled and threw herself against me, wrapping me in a hug. Sasha came after her, giving me an awkward hug of her own.

“Father,” Sasha said, quietly and curtly. “Did you find what we needed?”

“Oh, yes, I’m sure I have it, just take a seat, I’ll dig it up,” I said.

Mae sat down on the bed, Sasha walked over to the small table and pulled out one of the two chairs, sitting down and watching me.

I made my way over to a large wooden and metal chest. I popped the lid open, no reason to keep it locked these days, no one comes down these roads all that often any more, and started to root around inside, being perhaps less cautious then I should as I pushed around old vials and dusty amulets.

“So, how have you both been? Keeping out of trouble?” I asked.

“Of course, father,” Sasha said.

“Well, that’s not completely true,” Mae said with a smile.

“Will you shut up!” Sasha’s formal demeanor broke, as often it did under Mae’s teasing.

I stopped looking in the chest and turned to Sasha. “What is she talking about?” I asked.

“Nothing, it’s nothing at all,”

“She’s been talking to a b-o-o-o-o-y,” Mae sang sweetly.

I laughed as Sasha’s face turned bright red. “Is that all? You scared me, I thought it was something horrible! So, is it serious?”

“No. Well, I don’t know.It’s complicated. I...well, it’s just that.... he’s....human,” Sasha said.

“I’m human,” I reminded her.

“I know, I don’t care that he’s human except for...” Sasha gave me a look, as if she was conflicted about something. Then she asked me, “Father, was the age difference ever an issue for you and mother?”

“Oh, of course it was. Every time I talked to her, she was so cold to me, I figured she hated me!’ I laughed. “Turns out she had feelings for me like I did for her, but she was trying to save herself from the heartache, she said. ‘How am I going to just move on in ninety years and forget about you?’. And it never really goes away, it’s always there,”

I could never tell Sasha this, but it was the worst after she was born. Wynn was watching me as I cradled Sasha in my arms. I looked up at her and I saw into those bright green eyes, clear as crystal, and I saw them fill with tears. I put Sasha back into her crib and rushed to Wynn’s side to ask her what was wrong.

“I’m so scared I’m going to be alone again some day. How can I ever be alone again? You and Sasha, you’re both going to leave me, no matter what I do to make you stay, and we won’t be together again until I die a thousand years later.”

I held her in my arms and promised her she would never be alone, I would find a way to be with her always. A lie, we both knew, but a comforting one.

The memory faded as I looked at my daughter, now a grown woman. Sasha was in her fifties now, she would still be a child if she were a full elf, but as a half-elf, she was just starting a life on her own as an adult.

“Do you love him, Sasha?” I asked.

“I do,” she said without hesitation.

“Then don’t worry about decades in the future. Enjoy being in love while you can. Besides, any plans you make, life will change without consulting you. Trust me, that’s one thing your foolish old man knows for sure,” I said.

I pulled a vial from the chest and dusted it off, then handed it to Mae. “That should help you with your dragon problem, just apply the oil, then wait five minutes, the dragon won’t be able to hunt you by smell. Just be aware that you will smell like slimy fish oil for a few days.”

“Oh, wonderful,” Mae said. “Sasha, go get the flour and meat we brought for dad, we have to get going. Sorry we can’t stay long, people to save and all,” Mae said as she wiggled the vial.

Sasha left the cabin, and Mae took a look around. The firewood needed to be restocked, dirty clothes littered the floor, and the only food I had out was a stale half-loaf of bread still sitting on the stove.

“Dad...do you ever think about moving back into the city, like we talked about last time?” Mae asked.

I smiled. She was worried about me, wanted me to be closer so she could take care of me, but she knew what my answer would be. “Not going to happen, Mae”

She shrugged, trying to hide her concern with mock disdain. “Fine then, rot away out here, old man, see if I care.”

Sasha returned with a heavy sack of flour over her shoulder and a bag held to her hip. “Father, I think it’s finally in bloom!”

With my cane I made my way outside, Sasha and Mae in tow. Outside, there was a small garden, the fence was falling apart and weeds were growing thick, but not around a small flower bush.

The flower bush had a single large bulb inside of it that had finally bloomed, revealing petals of alternating streaks of red and yellow that were so straight and angular that it almost looked like a stained glass window. The flower released a smell, saturating the garden with a sweet cinnamon scent.

A melesare flower will bloom only once in sixty years. I planted this bush when Wynn and I first moved into this cabin all those years ago. I planted them for her, something I hoped would remind her of me long after I was gone. I didn’t think I would live long enough to see it bloom myself.

Melesare flowers were part of an ancient elven ritual, men would give a melesare flower to a woman they loved by trying to place it in her hair. If she accepted the flower, the two would be married. I had to learn a lot of elven customs after I met Wynn.

“After all these years! I’ve never seen an actual melesare flower before!” Sasha said.

'With a little luck, you might be seeing one again soon', I thought to myself. I looked over at Mae and she gave me a wink, thinking exactly as I did.

I gave both the girls a hug and sent them on their way. They tried to protest, but I knew they were busy and couldn’t stay long, besides, I told them I was about to leave and visit their mother, and that I’d like to be alone this time.

It was hard to walk up the path to the little clearing these days. My hips burn in pain as they were put under the stress of simple walking. The cane helped, but made it difficult to hold the melesare flower I had plucked. Such a delicate thing, and so easy to crush, but I made it there with the flower in pristine condition.

In the center of the clearing was an oak tree, almost fifty years old at this point. I made my way to the tree and I placed the melesara flower in its leaves, just as I had put one in Wynn’s hair all those years ago.

I slid down and rested my back against the tree, feeling a warm comfort that I only felt here. Wynn had been brave and courageous back in our adventuring days. I know it’s wrong, but when I think back on all the lives that she saved when she sacrificed herself, I can’t help but feel cheated.

Some people can come back from the dead, and some can’t. Wynn couldn’t be brought back, no matter how much I spent or what magic I tried. So I put her to rest here, at the home we made. From her grave sprouted this tree, and I’ve cared for it ever since.

I leaned back and closed my eyes, daydreaming, as I often did here. I don’t know if there is anything after life. Those we bring back say they can’t remember anything after death. But the fact that they return must mean they go somewhere.

Maybe I will see her again some day, or maybe this life is all we get. I don’t know the answer. All I know is that I promised not to leave her alone.

Wonderful.

I passed by a door when I stopped. There was something off. There was someone there, near the bed, and I could have sworn it made a noise. Backtracking, I noticed a blonde woman sitting on the edge of the bed with her hands over her face. And I heard her made the noise again, she hucked in air.

"What is it my love?" I asked.

She just turned her head away. So I sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her back. "You can tell me about anything, really." I said.

"It's not something really interesting," she said.

"I don't mind," I replied.

"I just remembered that I'm going to outlive you all. I know we talked about it before. I never really felt it, emotionally, until now." she said. "I know I rather have you guys then never had you add all, but I still have the feeling of sadness of losing you someday." she replied.

"oh," was all I said at first. After a brief pause I said, "Why don't we take it one day at a time then," I replied as I hugged her and gave her a kiss on the side of the head. "You know anything could happens. Even a war could break out and we'd lose you. But it helps thinking about the days we do have together, even if we get into a lot of fights every now and again. I love you."

"I love you too," she said.

What a delightful (yet sad) twist. Beautiful.

This is so wrenching and tender at the same time. The twist adds the right bit of darkness to a testimony of love. Thank you

Vilani was hysterical about this. Her graceful cheeks were streaking with tears and her thin lips were shaking so badly you’d think if was February. My heart sank as I saw this distress ruin the mirth we once had. She just stood there in the middle of grocery isle struggling to breath. My arms curled around her, and I pulled her in close. She did not reciprocate the embrace.

I put her back at an arm’s length and held her face in my hands. “My love, you don’t have to worry about such things right now. I’m not even half way through my twenties yet, so I have a good, long while before I kick the bucket.”

“Maybe to you.” Vilani whined poorly. “Not to me. I’ll still have five hundred years without you. Five hundred years of mourning after you, after every child, grandchild, great grandchild . . . “ Her voice trailed off into the void of anxiety.

I searched my mind, but no answer came. However, my heart gave the answer. I grabbed her by the hand and tugged her along. I brought her over to the large corner of the store and presented the dominating object.

The oakwood structure towered a few heads over Vilani. The small pillars that separated the tiers we made of varnished skulls with tattoos carved into them. Palm leaves and cactuses created a border at the base of the tiers to create a pseudo fence. Behind this fence was an array of photos, intricate drawings, and other objects dating back to who knows when.

“What is that?” my elven lover asked said with raised eyebrows.

I chastised myself for not explaining this before, but I remembered we met in January when this wouldn’t be up. The falling leaves rustled and scrapped outside as the autumn wind howled. Feeling poetic, I used that to my favor.

“For you hear the gust as we approached?” I asked earnestly. She nodded slowly. “That wasn’t the wind, but the voices. The voices of our passed brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even friends.”

“We” I continued “remember them every Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead. Legend states that every year, for one day, our relatives and friends who have gone to their rest cross over into the world of the living to spend time with us.”

“I don’t understand.” Vilani shook her head. “What does this have to do with me?”

“Ah, see?” I felt my face split into a pleased smile. “There’s just one thing that comes along with this. You can only cross over to be with someone if they have a representation of you on the ofrenda, AND they must have known you in life. If both conditions are not met, your soul goes to the final rest. So I’m told. After that, they can no longer cross over.”

I let the words sink in for a moment, and I felt my heart leap when I saw my lover smile again. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates and her mouth hung agape.

“That means, I can remember them for longer!” Vilani bellowed.

“Five hundred years of seeing you even after I pass away.” I said as I grabbed both her hands. “Five hundred years of family history preserved by you just being you.”

Vilani kissed me hard and hugged my tightly. “Ugh! I feel much better about the you-dying-thing.”

“And dying doesn’t seem so bad if I get to spend so long with our family.”

“Our family?” she looked up at me with hopeful eyes.

I kissed her gently on her head and met her soulful orbs. “Our family.”

Thank you for taking liberties with the prompt. This is why many of us keep coming back!

Ah yes. Frieren. Good manga and soon to be anime. Elf has to deal with her partymates passing away over time.

Why you...

sobbing

Love is like a whirlwind. All the happy moments swept away in the now cold breeze that my girlfriend brought to our attention. We have so many plans, one of which is to spend our lives together and have a family.

But that's when the realization hit. She'll, in good health, outlive us all. Me, any children we have, all the friends we've made since she left her home. The reason? She's an Elf.

Elves are long lived, especially the tribe my love is from. We met while I was gathering some herbs in the forest near her home settlement. I had stumbled into an animal trap left unattended by hunters and she just happened to find me while passing by.

I don't know if it was the shock fron all the blood rushing to my head or from seeing her but I lost all sense and thought except one, and that was how I fell in love at first sight.

As she helped me out of the trap I tried to thank her but stumbled my words. She thought it was endearing and asked if I had time to spare. It was the summer solstice and her tribe was celebrating, which is the only time outsiders are welcomed easily.

Once the festivities began she offered me a drink made of fermented nuts and berries that only grow in this region, it was dry and tart, but most of all it helped calm my nerves. From then on we chatted about our respective culture, dreams and goals. A good few of which lined up. A quiet life filled with small adventures and a family to come home to being the biggest one of all.

A few weeks pass and I'm back to gathering more herbs and there she was, right were we first met. "You weren't waiting for me were you? Sorry I'm a few weeks late if you were." A small laugh trailing the end of my sentence

She gave a warm smile and said she was just on patrol as usual but had saw me and wanted to talk more.

This led to her visiting the small village where I was living, sharing a meal at one of my favorite restaurants and enjoying the night and the stars above.

From then on we met often and ended up dating

A year passed and I proposed and she said yes. A few months later she came to the realization that she'd outlive me and everyone she had come to love, brought on by the fact that she was by human years older than my mother. The Elves age in stages, some have shorter active times than others. An elf's active time is the period when they hit maturity and will look that way until that period is over. Generally it starts around regular human adulthood 18-25 of full maturity, and lasts around when they're at least 300, where they begin to age, albeit slowly. Their average lifespan is often double or more so than their active period.

My love is currently 96, and we had been caught up in so much of enjoying each others company and all the new experiences from our culture that we failed to even bring up ages. But such is blind love, hiding the details that try to rip you apart from the one you want to be with.

I tried to console her, but she wouldn't have it, knowing that she'd watch me pass, and any children wouldn't be able to live nearly as long as she would. It was heart breaking for us both but for her even more so.

That day I vowed to put into motion what I had only thought if as a wild baseless and impossible fantasy

For the sake of my love, the sake of our future and her happiness I would go to any lengths. That day, I vowed to make an elixir of immortality, or at least one that would let me live as long as she would.

Months, and then years went by. My research bore fruit and so did my now lovely wife. She believed in my capabilities and put her faith into my goal, even if I was to fail she would still rather spend whatever life I had together with me than to have not at all.

I moved us to the outskirts of my village and the forest of her origin, where we enjoy our quite life with our children. My research led me to looking for exotic plants and minerals, some of which brought us to new lands, new sights and new memories. All the while I got closer and closer to the elixir. No matter what, I had to make this potion to savor every moment we could together.

In the end, our children grew, I aged and she was still as lovely as the day I met her.

I lay on our bed in the quiet little home we shared, my hand clutched in hers. Our children, 3 of which were standing behind their mother, tears in my oldest daughters eyes and her 2 younger brothers crying into her hug. We all knew it was my time. My love gave a warm smile, then a kiss on the forehead.

"In all my years I have and never will love another like I love you. Thank you for being clumsy and being caught in that trap all those summers ago. For as silly as our encounter, I wouldn't change anything from that point forward. You took my small world and filled it with so many wonders. You my dearest, I will always remember and so you shall live as long as I."

As she says those words I can see her heart breaking, but even with tears rolling down her beautiful cheeks, I can't help but remember how I felt when we first met. I wish I had the strength to tell her how much she means to me and thank her for going on all my endeavors to spend her lifespan together. I had a very long and wonderful life, and can honestly say I've truly lived it to the fullest and have known true undying love. And as I'm dying now, I have no regrets.

Wow, I liked the twist, poignant and beautiful.

I could still hear her pristine voice in the background of our room as I rolled out from the bed that seemed way to big. I shakily grabbed my cane and got ready for the day ahead as memories of her flooded my mind. Particularly that one day.

...

Her long ears were red and eyes dripping with tears as her silver blond hair laid messily around her as she cried in my arms.

"Why are you crying?" I tightened my loving embrace.

"I am an elf in love with a human. Why wouldn't I?" Her swollen blue elvish eyes looked into mine with love and sadness.

"I will out live you by more then a thousand —." Her voice cracked and couldn't finish the sentence.

I parted her hair Infront of her eyes and shaking shoulders while my other palm rested upon her heart.

I tried to comfort her.

"I will always be with you here...This is the start of a bloodline that you and I created. You will get to see your great grankids and great great great grankids. What's wrong with that? I probably won't be able to live long enough to see my great grandkids, but you—you could live long enough to see it through to the end. That's amazing. I wish I could see that with my own eyes. You might be sad to see me go but that's years and years away. Humans are all about the here and now. At least I am. So let's enjoy ourselves for how precious it is and please don't cry anymore?"

She cried even louder.

"You bastard. How could I fall in love with such a numbskull. Thanks for telling me that you're just the first of many that I will have to mourn!" She mumbled forlornly, her tears all dried up. Now she just looked angry as she put her head into the pillow to dry her tears.

I pinched her wet cheek to make her gem like eyes look back at me. Sunlight cut through the curtains. Her face basked in the warmth as her white skin glowed.

I'm an idiot. I wish I could understand. Wait, why can't I understand? What if she disappears one day? I would be heartbroken.

I looked at her sternly.

"Are you mourning me already when I'm right here in front of you? How cruel." I teased.

She smiled weakly.

"And how do you know that you will out live me?"

Her blue eyes widened.

"I fear the unknown. Elves might have an incredible lifespan but they are not immortal. I also fear what life would be like without you. You are not alone in this fear."

She laughed bitterly. "You're dreaming. Me? An elf wizard of the highest order—killed? They would have to send an army."

"Now there's my Claire Silverthorn I know and love." I kissed her on the forehead as she laughed harder before sighing.

"You have a point. I am not immortal. If I was to die you would obviously be just as sad as I will be when old age claims you. Doesn't really make me feel any better knowing that though." She kissed my lips and pouted.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up."

I gave her a signature look making her look at me curiously.

"Love is terrifying huh?"

She shivered as she stretched in bed and pulled the covers over herself.

"Very."

"But it's also pretty amazing." I whispered in her ear and traced my finger down her back.

...

I looked at a huge oak tree. The leaves danced gracefully in the wind as the sun set in it's red glow. The thick oak wood glowed orange as the smell of fresh nature entered my senses.

I fell to my knees and stared for a moment at a smoothed part of the wood with mysterious elven glyphs and runes. I reached out and gently touched the name with my finger tips. The rune lit up as a subtle wind blew the old man's grey hair as something magical took place. All around the oak tree, a calm breeze blew the grass from the trunk outwards making all nearby trees dance. The firefly's scattered and lit the field with tiny green and red lights.

"Me and my big mouth." I laughed sadly.

"You told me you would outlive me a thousand years. You liar."

" A whole army you said...well you weren't far off..."

A few wet drops fell on the smooth stone on the ground beneath the enormous tree.

"Why did you have to go?" I said softly with unspeakable emotions. The flowers around the tree blossomed as if in answer.

"Dad?" A young man looking no older then 25 with longer than normal ears and blond hair came up and put his hand on my shoulder in worry. I hurriedly wiped my eyes and took a few deep breaths— trying to take back control.

A moment of silence passed with nothing but different birds singing in the background peacefully. The half elf knelt down and touched the rough bark of the tree as the rune glowed and gave life to the field nearby.

"Hi mom...Don't worry, I'm taking care of this old man here. He talks about you all the time you know? It's almost like I know you even if I never truly heard your voice...I'm also doing great if you're wondering. I have friends that think you're some kind of legend or something and I'm currently an expert in wind magik which I heard was thanks to you. I also know the sword thanks to dad. Also, there's this women Alice who won her way to my heart. I'm sure you would like her. Thanks for everything mom. I'll be sure to live up to your name...I wish I got to know you more." The long ear man shed a tear for a mom he has no memories of. I put my hand on his shoulder. As another wind gust from the rune caressed the field.

"Alright." I said softly, proud of the son I raised. I stood up and gazed at the memorizing sight of the elvish gravesite of my one and only wife. Still as beautiful as ever. Even after death.

I still got a few years in me. But what's a few years to an elf like you? You will be seeing me soon.

"Let's go son."

I turned and slowly made the trek back home with my son by my side.

"So any news on Alice yet? She pregnant yet? Where my grandkids? You got work to do boy." I gave him a devilish grin.

"Dad?!" The elvish man's ears turned red.

"I'm not talking about this with you." He said defiantly, arms crossed.

I burst out in laughter as the sun set in the horizon.

Many say the elves are cold, callous, and unfeeling. Deviod of any amount of emotion, only allowing logic and reason to dictate their actions.

This, of course, is as true as saying that the orcs are savages, or that the dwarves are drunkards, or that humans are special. It is understandable why one would think such things, when only looking on the surface of the society; but shatters instantly on closer inspection.

All the same, it is my heart that shatters hearing my dearest cry. Her beautiful voice wailing, intruded by sobs. My Rós, my precious Rós; succumbed to a sadness I cannot fix.

For so painful, is the truth.

My love, my Rós, weeps and wails for the day that has not yet come, but will as certain as winter. The day of my last breath, of my last words. Moreso, the day of our children to be last breath, and hers continuing.

I know not what to say, at first; for my mind wanders much further than hers. For I know the truth, the real truth, the truth she does not know. The worst day will not be my last breath, nor that of our children to be.

The worst day will be when we forget her name.

Living, breathing; but only in body. The mind, long gone. Memories, long forgotten. Even the body, technically alive, sorts into a cruel decay before the final rattle given. Only a breathing, beating corpse, living by the barest extension of the word.

Long I have thought to take my last breath before such things occurred.

But for now, I cannot think of such things. For now, I must tend to my Rós. I hold her, and let her wail, let her expunge the emotions of her thoughts now realized. I wait, patiently, for her sobs to relinquish enough for her to ask me if it is wrong to feel such a way.

No, I tell her, there is no shame in her emotion.

She asks what she should do, come the day.

Mourn, I tell her, but not a moment sooner.

It's not fair, she tells me.

It's not, I tell her. But it is life.

There's so little time, she says.

Then we should enjoy it, I respond.

Absolutely beautiful take, with such rich history.

I made a dnd character based on this premise. He was fun

Neat