"If you could stay here forever with me...would you?" the person beside me asked.

"Yes," I answered with a smile.

To sit amidst this vibrant and peaceful field, forever, was a dream...

"Hey," I said quietly.

"What is it?" he said just as quietly. His tone indicated he was calm and relaxed, almost stopping me from saying what I said next.

"Stay and defend the kingdom instead of riding out to war tomorrow," I said, finally meeting his eyes. "Please."

...

He startled me by falling on his back and chuckling.

"What's funny about that?" I asked, feeling pricked.

"I'm happy we're both thinking the same things about each other," he said, his half-chuckle trailing off. His tone turned serious. "I don't want you in the war either, Airee. Yet...even if I begged you to stay here in Dorono, you'd still go."

He gave me a small smile. "Because you want fight alongside that general, right?"

...

"How'd you know?" I asked, my voice weaker than I would have liked.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is you aren't the only one fighting with him," he responded before giving me a promising and intense glare. "I'll be there for you both. We all will."

...

"Then I'll be counting on you, E-knight," I said, giving him a relenting smile.

He sat up with a cheeky ear-to-ear grin. "Same to you, E-knight Air!"