Meh, hello. Do you remember me? Guess not. Well, finally I got something translated and translating is a pain in the a**. But I did it. And I´m proud of myself. On the other hand I´m pretty sure it is full of grammar mistakes. Please do tell me so I can fix them. I have no practice in translating, so I need the help. Also this is part one. Someone asked me to write a sequel and I did. But because it´s much longer, I´m afraid it will be a while until I translate it. Please excuse my laziness.

Edited and reposted. Hope you still enjoy.

Sighing Seth stepped out of the tavern. The air in the dining area, which was also the bar, was suffocating, but he didn't want to go to his room. He was restless. He stretched until his bones cracked slightly and started to walk.

Seth wandered aimlessly through the small town. It was very quiet and the streets were empty. Some houses were still illuminated and Seth could hear children's laughter every now and then. Seth sighed once again and veered toward the small forest outside of the town. The town was in a remote part of Renais, so the party of princess Eirika needn't worry about bandit attacks or Grado assaults. Most members of Princess Eirika´s party used the break to make merry and associate with their comrades. But Seth thought nothing of it. He was always ready for battle and alert. Besides, there was always the possibility that Princess Eirika hadn't given up yet.

Seth sighed yet again and leaned against a tree. "The princess...", he murmured depressed. He could clearly recall the night she had confessed her love for him. And how he had rejected her. Her expression was burned into his memory. How the light of hope and love had died in her eyes and desperation had taken its place. How a solitary tear had run down her cheek and her lips had trembled. It tore his heart apart, but he hadn't had a choice. There was no other way. He had to reject her. He told himself that she would find someone different, someone better than him.

Seth sank to the ground, his back against the trunk and laid his head in his hands. A surge of desperation and pain washed over him and tears threatened to fall from his eyes. But Seth wouldn't allow them to fall. He had to remain strong.

"General Seth?" a tiny voice asked. Seth startled, causing the other person to shriek in surprise. The paladin turned around and looked in the eyes of a small girl. Her shoulder-length purple hair was tied in two pigtails right above her ears. Her ruby eyes were filled with fright and she held her arms protectively in front of her. Her golden wings were hidden under a black coat.

"Lady Myrrh?" Seth asked surprised.

"I didn't want to alarm you," the dragon girl whispered and let her arms sink. "I just saw you and you looked so sad that I ..." She watched him unassertive. "Is something wrong?" Seth turned away from her and suppressed a sigh.

"Everything is fine, Lady Myrrh. Why are you still up? It is late and you should rest." Myrrh lowered herself slowly next to the paladin to the ground and clasped her hands in her lap.

"I couldn't sleep." She watched him out of the corner of her eye. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were filled with emotion. So much that Myrrhs head began to spin. "But something´s not right with you."

"It is truly noth-"

"I can sense that you are suffering." Seth looked at Myrrh with an strange mixture of fear and surprise.

"What do you mean?" he whispered. Myrrh leaned against the tree, pulled her knees to her chest and put her chin on her arms.

"I can sense that you have a lot on your mind." Seth gazed depressed on the ground. He observed how a grasshopper hopped from one blade of grass to an other and disappeared in the bushes. "Do you... want to tell me about it?"

"I..." Seth shook wearily his head. "I don't think that would be a good idea." Myrrh played with one of her pigtails and remained silent. She didn't know what to say. If he really didn't want to talk, she couldn't force him to do so, right? "Why are you out here?" Seth asked. He looked at the small girl, but she avoided his gaze and nervously twirled a strand of hair between her fingers.

"I'm just not tired, so I took a walk." Myrrh mumbled. A gentle smile crept on Seth's face.

"Looks like we are quite alike." Myrrh looked at Seth inquiringly. "We both don't want to burden other people with our problems."

"Ah... it's... complicated," Myrrh murmured. She pressed her face in her arms to hide the blush that tainted her cheeks.

"That I can understand," Seth sighed. Both became silent and were lost in their thoughts. After a short time Myrrh was distracted from her own problems due to Seth's negative radiation. The aura around the paladin became darker every passing second. She cautiously glanced at him. On the outside he looked perfectly normal. Every other human would believe that Seth was perfectly okay. But the manakete could see what other people seemed to overlook. The way his facial expression completely froze, the way his hands twitched and wanted to clench to fists, the way his eyes grew dark and filled with sorrow. He was not doing well at all. And it was worse than Myrrh expected.

"General?" Myrrh asked. But he didn't react. She tried to get his attention, but he was lost in his thoughts. Myrrh poked him. Seth winced and blinked confused.

"Lady Myrrh? I'm sorry. I... was thinking..." Myrrh nodded seriously and took Seth´s right hand in hers. The paladin looked bewildered at her. "What-?"

"General Seth, please. Tell me what is on your mind." Seth's face contorted with pain. "I know it's not easy. But..." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled sympathetically. "If you don't do something, your darkness will consume you." Seth stared speechlessly at the girl. He bowed his head and pondered her words. Myrrh waited anxiously for his answer, but for a long time Seth remained silent. After a while Myrrh thought that he really didn't want to talk and she already wanted to give up, when Seth suddenly started to speak.

"It's... it's Princess Eirika," he said quietly. Myrrh moved closer to him and gave his hand an other squeeze. "I... I love her." Seth turned his head away, but Myrrh could see the tears in his eyes. "But we... can not be together." Seth fell in a deep silence and fought inwardly for composure.

"Why not?" Myrrh asked quietly.

"She is the princess. And I am nothing but a lowly knight. A commoner. It wouldn't be right. It would be a dishonour of her name." Myrrh sighed lowly and stroked Seth's back of the hand. "She... she is too high above me."

"Does she know about your feelings for her?" Seth's hand twitched involuntarily.

"Yes."

"And what happened?"

"She... she said she feels the same." Myrrh met him with disbelief.

"But... then where is the problem? If you are both in love with each other, everything should be fine, right?" Seth shook his head.

"No. It's not possible. I... I had to reject her. She will find someone better. Someone she is allowed to love."

"Stop talking like that!" Myrrh exclaimed with watering eyes. "Don't put yourself down." Her outburst took Seth by surprise.

"Lady Myrrh-"

"I- I heard so much good things about you." Myrrh sniffed. "You always look after others before yourself. If someone on the battlefield is in danger, you rescue him even if you put yourself in danger." Seth looked at the ground sorrowfully. "You never leave princess Eirika's side and protect her. Brother Ephraim praises your strength and honour. And your subordinates love you for your honesty and fair treatment. I believe- no, I know nobody would say that you are... are too low, that you are not worthy. You are the general of Renais." She gave the confused man a small smile through her tears. "Brother would not disapprove of you, you know." Seth sighed and squeezed her hand back.

"I don't think, that-"

"No!" Myrrh screamed furiously. "You mustn't give up. You have to try."

"But she... she isn't interested anymore," Seth replied sadly.

"What are you talking about?"

"She... Lately the princess is always in Prince Innes' company and she..." Seth's voice cracked and he hid his eyes behind his free hand. "She already found someone new." A single tear dared to fall from his eyes and rolled down his cheek. Myrrh wiped it off before it fell to the ground.

"That is not true," she whispered.

"What?" Seth asked confused. Myrrh smiled at him reassuringly.

"That is all in your head. Eirika's -I mean Princess Eirika's eyes are always on you. In every battle she keeps her eyes on you. She always tries to stick around you. Or didn't you notice that she is always there with a vulnerary in hand when you are injured?" Seth blushed. "She still thinks about you like you think about her."

"I- Thank you, Lady Myrrh," Seth whispered. Myrrh just smiled.

"It was my pleasure. Please promise me that you will talk to Princess Eirika." Seth nodded. His darkness started to disappear and made room for hope.

"I promise." He hesitated for a moment. Then he put his arms around the manakete and gave her a hug. "Thank you." Myrrh just returned the hug.

After a few seconds they broke the embrace and Myrrh leaned against the tree once again. Seth suddenly felt so light-hearted, as if a great burden was lifted from his shoulders. He cast a thankful glance to the girl and was surprised by the sad look on her face.

"Lady Myrrh?" She gazed at him inquiringly. "Do you want to tell me about your worries?" Myrrh blushed and stared at her feet. Seth chuckled lowly. Myrrh looked at him surprised.

"Why are you laughing?" Seth smiled warmly at her.

"You are in love with someone." Myrrh's face adopted a lovely deep red.

"Uhm..." Seth chuckled and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to be ashamed. I already have done that enough for us both," he said with a wistful smile.

"General Seth! You promised not to talk lowly about yourself!" Myrrh exclaimed indignantly. Seth raised his hands in defeat and laughed.

"I'm sorry. But it's the truth. You don't have to be ashamed. You can tell me. I promise I won't tell anybody." Myrrh looked at him distrustfully.

"Really? You won't tell Brother Ephraim or Princess Eirika or Saleh?" Seth nodded and put his hand over his heart.

"I swear on my honour." Myrrh nodded contentedly and took a deep breath.

"I... I'm in love with... Brother Ephraim," she said in such a low voice that Seth had to strain his ears to hear her.

"The prince?" Myrrh nodded and her face burned bright red. Seth smiled gently and petted her hair. "I see." Myrrh looked up to him. "The prince seems to like you. Why don't you tell him you love him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Myrrh stood up and yanked the cloak from her shoulders. Her golden wings glowed in the moonlight and the manakete gazed at the paladin sadly. "I am no human." Seth nodded slowly. "Besides, he only thinks of me as a sister. He doesn't feel anything special about me." Sniffling Myrrh turned her back to the paladin and hid her face in her hands. "It's impossible." She sobbed loudly and her whole body trembled. She felt so alone and desolate.

Until warm hands put her cloak on her shoulders. Surprised Myrrh looked up. Seth's eyes held so much warmth that her desperation slowly subsided.

"Lady Myrrh," Seth began and knelt before her. He took her hands in his and smiled at her. "I thought it was impossible, too. But you gave me new hope and strength. And now I will give you new hope. Lady Myrrh, you are very important to Prince Ephraim. He always keeps you by his side and worries about your safety. He worries more about you than princess Eirika."

"But", she interrupted him, "that's just because he knows she can protect herself and has you by her side." Seth blushed slightly and shook his head.

"No, you are special to him. He wouldn't allow anybody to call him 'brother'." Seth flashed her an encouraging smile. "You just have to tell him that he is more than a brother to you." Myrrh nodded slowly.

"Maybe..."

"I am certain." Seth gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze and stood up. "Shall we go back now? The prince and princess may be awake yet." He grinned at her. "We won't run away, promise?" Myrrh nodded fiercely and wiped her tears away.

"Yes, I promise!"

Like it, hate it? Just do tell me. I won´t bite, but every flamer will get punished. Seth and Geoffrey will visit you and their weapons really, really hurt.