The camp was quiet in the hours after the council meeting. The distant sounds of the injured being tended to and soldiers preparing for the next phase of the war filled the air, but the tension of battle had, for the moment, subsided. The weight of the day still pressed heavily on Celestia's chest, but she tried to breathe through it. Victory had come at a high price, and even though the immediate danger had passed, she knew this was just the beginning of a long and painful struggle.
She made her way to the edge of the camp, her boots crunching softly against the frostbitten earth. The night was cold, the sky above a deep indigo studded with countless stars. It was a rare moment of stillness—a rare moment for Celestia to allow herself to feel something other than the demands of leadership.
For the first time in weeks, she felt a deep weariness settle over her. She had spent so long focused on survival, on leading her people through the storm, that she had neglected the most basic human need: rest. Still, she couldn't allow herself to stop. Not yet. Not until the war was over.
The soft crunch of footsteps behind her broke the silence. She turned, already knowing who it would be.
Adrian stood a few paces away, his silhouette dark against the campfires' glow. His expression was unreadable, but she could sense the concern in the way he moved, the way he held himself just a little too stiffly.
"Celestia," he said softly, his voice carrying over the night air.
She offered a tired smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Adrian. You should be resting."
He shook his head, taking a few steps forward until he was beside her. "I've had enough rest. It's not me I'm worried about."
She looked at him, meeting his eyes for the first time in hours. She could see the toll the battle had taken on him—his face drawn, his body battered. Yet there was something else in his eyes, something more vulnerable than she had ever seen before.
"I'm fine," she said quietly, though even she didn't believe the words.
"You're not," Adrian replied, his tone firm. "You've been carrying the weight of this war for too long on your own."
Celestia felt a familiar tightness in her chest, but she didn't know how to explain the way it felt—how it felt to lead when every decision seemed to lead to more suffering. How it felt to be the one responsible for the lives of so many. She had never wanted this. She never wanted to be the one everyone relied on. She never wanted to be the one burdened with the expectations of a kingdom at war.
She was tired. Tired of the endless battle, of the sacrifices, of the impossible choices.
And tired of pretending.
Adrian's voice softened as he looked at her. "You don't have to do this alone, Celestia. I'm here. I've always been here."
Her breath caught in her throat at the intensity of his words. She wanted to believe him. More than anything, she wanted to.
For a long moment, there was silence between them. The sounds of the camp seemed distant, the only noise the gentle wind brushing through the trees. Her heart ached in a way she couldn't explain, and for a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to be vulnerable. To admit something she had been hiding for so long.
"I don't know how much longer I can do this," she said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm so tired, Adrian. I'm not sure I can keep carrying this weight."
He didn't answer at first. He just stood there beside her, his presence a quiet strength. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and gentle.
"You don't have to carry it alone," he said again. "I'm here. I'll always be here."
Celestia turned to face him fully, searching his eyes for something, anything, that would offer her some kind of comfort. Her gaze softened, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.
"I don't know what I'd do without you."
Adrian's gaze faltered, a flash of something unspoken passing between them. His eyes softened, and he reached out, gently taking her hand in his. The simple touch sent a jolt of warmth through her, and she could feel her pulse quicken.
"Celestia," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "There's something I need to tell you."
She swallowed, her heart hammering in her chest. The weight of the moment hung between them like an invisible thread, the air thick with something she couldn't quite name.
Adrian took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. "I care about you. More than I've ever cared about anyone. And I've tried to ignore it, to tell myself that now isn't the time. But the truth is, I've been falling for you for so long, Celestia."
Her breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening at his words. She had known there was something between them, something that had always lingered in the quiet moments between battles, in the shared looks and the gentle gestures of care. But hearing him say it aloud felt like the world had shifted beneath her feet.
"I..." Her words faltered as she tried to find the right response. She had never expected this, never thought she would allow herself to feel this way in the midst of everything else. But standing here, with Adrian's hand in hers, she realized that she had been lying to herself for a long time.
She cared about him too. More than she had ever allowed herself to admit.
"I didn't know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't know you felt the same."
Adrian's thumb brushed against the back of her hand, a quiet gesture full of tenderness. "I do. I always have. I just... I couldn't find the right moment to say it. And I didn't want to distract you, not when everything was so uncertain. But now... now I can't keep pretending that I don't feel it."
Celestia closed her eyes for a moment, the weight of his confession settling over her like a wave. She had always known there was a bond between them, but hearing him speak it aloud, hearing the raw honesty in his voice, made her heart ache with a longing she didn't know she could feel anymore.
When she opened her eyes again, she looked directly into his gaze. "Adrian, I—"
Before she could finish, Adrian gently cupped her face in his hands, his touch warm against her skin. The look in his eyes was unwavering, full of sincerity and something deeper—something that spoke of trust, of hope, of everything they had been through together.
"You don't have to say anything," he murmured. "I just... needed you to know."
And then, without another word, he leaned in, closing the distance between them, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss that was soft, tentative, but filled with a promise of something more.
Celestia's heart fluttered in her chest as she kissed him back, the world around them fading away in that one shared moment. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she allowed herself to feel something other than the weight of war, other than the responsibility of leadership. She allowed herself to feel human again, to feel something real.
When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads resting together, Celestia whispered, "I don't know what the future holds, Adrian. I don't know what will happen with this war. But I know that I don't want to face it without you."
Adrian's voice was low and steady, filled with the same determination that had always anchored her. "You won't have to."
And for the first time in so long, Celestia allowed herself to believe it.