Take Two: Maybe I don't Sweep Her Off Her Feet

I stand in front of room 109, staring at the entrance. "This is it. This is what? It. What is it? This. Hmm. Now I seem to be confused. Oh well."

I walk into the cave and see Centi sitting on the ledge that I used to sit on.

"I don't get a monologue this time?"

She looks very reserved. Instead of snapping back with something like "It wasn't a monologue," or "I have been throwing up ever since I mocked you yesterday" she just sits quietly on the ledge.

"Are you doing okay? Aw crap. I really am making your condition worse, aren't I?"

She looks at the ground and shakes her head unenergetically. I walk over and sit down beside her, losing some of my normal loud exterior. I lean back against the wall and close my eyes.

"What seems to be the problem?" I ask.

"You." She speaks just above a whisper.

"I thought you said I wasn't the problem."

"You aren't making the problem worse, but you are a problem."

"Yeah," My voice cracks, "That one is easily fixable. I'll just quit bothering you."

"It's not that simple." Her voice is getting emotional.

"Where does it get complex?"

"You."

"That is not helpful. Is this a problem that you want to work through?"

"Yes."

"How can I help you do that?"

Centi turns so that her back is completely facing me and she bends over.

"Kill me and make me your undead bride," She says something, but I can't hear it.

"What was that?"

"I asked if you would kill me."

"I thought we were past this." I make a pained face.

"Well... there was more to it than just killing me." It is hard to hear her because she is speaking very quietly.

"What more could I do than kill you?"

"Nothing."

"Will you please not do this?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"MAKE ME YOUR WIFE!" She yells and then looks at me, shocked by her words. She doesn't let me say a word before she gets up and sprints out of the cave, "Thanks, dragons." Is all she says before making it to the exit.

"Hey Chest, you don't think she is going to get her wedding dress, do you? Nope? I should probably go after her then, huh? You got it. I'm going."

After taking Chest's advice I run out the door after her. I end up in Gabriel's office, like every time before, but she is nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, scaly guy. Where did the emotionally unstable fiery haired girl go?"

"She asked to be taken to the border so that she could go back to living her life." Gabriel communicates.

"You didn't stop her? Not even for like ten seconds?"

"According to our detection system she has one of the highest wills to live that has ever been recorded, so there was no reason to deny her request."

"But she was obviously not okay!"

"Hmm. Yes, there were a lot of tears."

"And you didn't ask any questions?"

"Her will to live wa-"

"Send me wherever she went."

"What exactly do you plan on-"

"She is getting away." I say, in the most serious voice I have.

Gabriel makes a face, "I won't ever see you again, will I?"

"Not unless you come to the wedding."

"Farewell then." Gabriel says and I am teleported away.

When my surroundings come back into focus, I find the familiar views of the dragon land that I was wandering in when I was taken in by the dragons. I search the landscape with all my power, but Centi is nowhere to be found. There isn't the slightest clue as to where Centi would be going, or what exactly she might do in the state that she is in. I notice a landmark a ways off that lines me up with a city: the city that I was in before I took off wandering. I don't know if there are any other cities or settlements nearby, so heading back to that city is my best chance at finding her. I take off toward the city while trying to sort things out in my head.

"She wants me to marry her? I want to marry her. Was she so upset because I didn't run away? Some cultures have different marriage customs I suppose. Ooh, I want to ask her what it was like growing up. I wonder what her background is like. Maybe she is the daughter of a noble. Hmm. It does make it more difficult to marry her when she runs away though." I say out loud. There is no echo as I run through plains, but it is a habit at this point.

As I go along, there is finally something that catches my eye: shiny red blood, glinting in the sunlight. I stop in my tracks and follow the blood with my eyes as it heads toward a large clump of trees. I hurry toward the blood. There is a large amount of it pooled in one spot, and in that same spot there are signs of conflict. My heart sinks when I realize the implications that this could have, and even more when I find the strand of red hair on the ground. I stiffly walk down the trail a little bit, but I lose it before too long. Hopelessness washes over me, and I fall to my knees. I shouldn't have upset her. I should have followed after her faster. I shouldn't have hesitated and asked Chest. Now... I look back at the trail of blood.

"I guess she was just kidding about the marriage thing." I say in a hollow voice, "I guess I should be happy. She finally got her wish. She was able to move on. I-" I got choked up and my voice cut out. "I hope that she was able to find someone who truly was worthy of killing her. Though, she never returned that dagger I got from Chest."

Down on my knees I pull out the fancy dagger I had picked up, "If you really think that is the best choice, then I am going to follow you, Centi."

I raise the dagger and stare at it resolutely as I plunge it toward my chest.