Yin and Yang

Life, Milestone

Natalya meets Dimitri to retrieve a family of half-elf refugees. They had been mixed up with a progressive political faction in Lenisily and they are very frightened for their future. Natalya and Dimitri catch up after not seeing each other for almost a year.

Natalya climbed down into the pass followed closely by Anastasia. Anastasia was one of the refugees she and Fenneck had saved years ago. Now she was a trained ranger helping them save more Lenisilian refugees. She had short purple hair and brown eyes. She wore lots of piercings and a side of her head was shaved. They moved quickly in the light of the full moon through the mountains and down into Lenisily. When they arrived at the border they saw Dimitri approaching with four half-elves. There was a woman, a man, a male teenager and a younger girl. Natalya stepped out and went to Dimitri. It had been almost a year since she'd seen him and she was grateful to embrace him again. He hugged her back. "Hey Nat, how've you been?" He gruffly asked her. His voice was getting darker and fuller with his age. His beard tickled her face as she hugged him. Natalya thought he had aged like a fine wine, but Dimitri didn't see it that way. He felt old and Natalya had learned long ago not to draw attention to it. Natalya squeezed him once more before responding, "I'm fine, how are you though?! I haven't seen you in ages!" He chuckled at her, "I'm fine. How's Fen?" "He's fine...stressed obviously, but that's nothing new." He kissed her forehead before pulling away, "Hey Ana!" He greeted Anastasia. "Hey, good to see you comrade." She came over and they shook hands. "You giving Pufuktin hell for us?" She asked coolly. Dimitri smiled at her, "As much as I can. How have things been in the mountains?" "Fine, Chad and Fjord almost burned the cave down last week. How that happens in anyone's guess but those two idiots can pull off anything." Dimitri chuckled. Natalya spoke again, "How are things? In Lenisily?" Dimitri turned to her and frowned. She always asked and it was always the same response, "Still awful." He said, "This family here, they got mixed up in a political group. They're in danger here. They aren't my usual targets but they need out. They need to get somewhere safe, and preferably far. Probably deeper into Thymryu so they are harder to pin down." Natalya looked the family over. They were packed and bundled for the journey, unlike most of their refugees who had to flee in the night. "Sounds good. Maybe I can take them into Sivania or Arrallath." She said. Dimitri nodded, "Look, I wanted to risk seeing you because...things are getting bad Nat. I know it's been a while and I know it's getting risky." "You've been saying that for the last thirty years!" She said and rolled her eyes at him. He smiled and paused thoughtfully, "Thirty years huh? Time flies doesn't it." She could see his wrinkles in the light of the moon and she felt her heart break knowing her time with him was growing more and more limited by the day. "A lot's happened." She commented. "Indeed." He smiled at her. "Are you excited for the wedding?" Natalya glanced away for a moment to think and Anastasia chimed in, "She's nervous as hell. Why do you think she's out here and not in Flottenheim." Dimitri giggled and took Natalya's hand, prompting her to look up into his eyes. "It's going to be okay Nat. I know it's been a while but...sex is like riding a horse, once you hop on it'll all come back to you." He jokingly smiled at her and she jabbed her elbow into his side. Anastasia laughed at them and started walking the family into the pass to give Natalya and Dimitri some privacy. "You're so rude!" Natalya told Dimitri. He just laughed and pulled Natalya into a big hug. "I love you so much Nat." He said sadly into her ear. "I wish I could be there. Not when you have sex, obviously, but-" He pulled her back and paused admiring her face. He had a single tear in his eye, "You're going to make such a beautiful bride." Natalya could feel him saying goodbye and she felt tears rise up as the realization set in that this very well might be the last time she saw him. She was about to be married to a lord and while Fenneck told her she could still adventure in the mountains she knew she was expected to stay in Flottenheim. Dimitri wiped away a tear from her face and hugged her again. She started crying softly as Dimitri's familiar scent consumed her. He squeezed her tightly and Natalya couldn't bring herself to let go. She wanted him to come with them. To escape to Flottenheim. To be at her wedding. To meet Fenneck. To live the rest of his life with them in their palace. She started sobbing as reality seemed to crash around her. He wasn't going to leave. He couldn't. The older he got and the more dangerous Lenisily became only prompted him to get out as many refugees as he could before the game was up. His purpose was here and Natalya knew he loved it. He had grown so happy and peaceful over the years as the number of people they helped escape Lenisily started to outnumber the lives they had taken from this earth all those years ago. They held each other for what felt like eternity before Dimitri pulled away and with tears in their eyes took Natalya's face in his hands. He tried not to let his voice crack, "I love you so much. You are going to make such a wonderful...whatever the hell you call the wife of a lord." She giggled, "Lady." She informed him. "That's stupid." He said laughing. As he continued his voice grew soft and gentle. "Fenneck is the luckiest man on this earth and I know he'll protect you and keep you safe. Glitterfjell is very lucky to have you both. When I met you all those years ago I knew there was something special about you Nat. Something remarkable. You are so good and pure Natalya. I know you don't believe that but I hope one day you can. You have done so much for your country and your people." He took her hands and squeezed them, "We have saved over three hundred refugees Nat. I think we can both rest a little easier now. I'm so glad I shot you in the forest that day. That we decided to do this. That you met Fenneck. I love you Natalya." He looked at her with pride and admiration. "I love you so much Dimitri." She said squeezing his hands back and trying to fight off her tears. "You have done so much for me. You've taught me so much over the years. I know I haven't been the easiest student." She laughed and Dimitri smiled at her as she continued, "You have had so many reasons to hate me and to throw me out in the snow and I'm really grateful that you didn't. You've blessed such a big part of my life and I will always be thankful that you let me take up such a big part of yours." They rested their foreheads against each others. Natalya took a deep breath, "Thank you for not hating Fenneck all these years. For helping us. For this. I do rest easier now that the scales are in our favor." They shared an understanding look. "I'll miss you so much." She felt tears start to fall, "Everyday I have left here without you." He hugged her as the tears started to pour and she could feel his own cold tears frozen in his beard. "I love you Natalya." His voice cracked with pain. "I love you too Dimitri!" She sobbed. They hugged for another long moment before they both pulled away and collected themselves. Natalya hated this feeling more than any she had ever felt before. She looked at Dimitri one last time and smiled through her heart break. He smiled back, also in pain. Finally she turned to meet Anastasia and the refugees who were already in the pass. She took one last look back at Dimitri as the sun started to rise. Back at Lenisily. Back at her old home. Her heart clenched her chest tightly. He looked up at her and she smiled at him. He smiled and nodded at her before they both turned away from each other. Natalya was grateful for Fenneck's thiramin presence as her heart broke. All three of them knew that Dimitri would always hold a special place in her heart and she was grateful for their comradery in this life. In the refugees. In their relationships. In their home. Glitterfjell and Lenisily were two parts of the same place after all. Yin and Yang. Light and darkness. Fenneck and Dimitri. She was glad she had bridged her two homes. That they could coexist in her life.