Lovers Reborn

--artwork by tusia--

Two warriors dipped into the hot, curative waters of Lover’s Spring, a renowned hot spring of their region. As the namesake implied, it was a location that attracted the romantic. The two tired warriors Lucina and Lon’qu, could finally relax after the Great War’s end and were ready to truly enjoy each other’s company. Despite being married, they didn’t have the luxury of time to enjoy each other’s company while conflict poisoned their homeland.

Now, time was all they had.

“Lon’qu,” The lithe, silky, blue-haired, blue-eyed Lucina called out softly. “You look absolutely sallow. I fear you are feeling the pressures of my company again? I had thought you were past this…”

The manly, scar-ridden, stoic Lon’qu felt challenged by his wife’s concern. He answered by pulling her into an embrace and saying, “That is not it! My fears of women are long behind me. You are the one I love. I yearn to hold you until the breath leaves my body. You are the one who opened my heart, never question my resolve.”

An embarrassed, but touched Lucina buried herself into her man’s arms. The air was simmering not just from the spring’s heated waters, but their own interlocked bodies as well.

“Lucina closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss and whispered, “Our lives… can truly begin.”

“Wait.”

Lon’qu turned away from his wife’s kiss and looked focused as if he were still on the battlefield. Lucina wondered what might be wrong. She never enjoyed seeing that look upon her man’s face—bloody intensity. She hoped they were past this, that all she would receive from him was a face of comfort, that he would show nothing but the light of his soul. Clearly something was amiss.

“Someone is watching us… do you feel it?” Lon’qu asked.

Lucina donned the same expression as her fellow warrior, honed in to her surroundings. She could feel it too now.

“There is more than one… Our gear, we are defenseless Lon—”

“I know! Stay close to me.”

“We should run to the heavy trees, over th—gah!”

“Lucina!”

Lucina fell into Lon’qu’s arms with an arrow in her back.

“No!”

He heard the whistling of more arrows. He shielded his lover’s body and took the full onslaught, his back and arms riddled with arrows.

Their attackers slowly revealed themselves from out of the woods surrounding the spring. They looked like rogue forces of the empire the two helped crush during the war.

“Lon… qu. Please… Leave me. I can’t have you die.”

“Enough! I’ll keep you safe in my arms until the breath leaves my body.”

Both lovers, knowing their fate, smiled at each other before entering into a deep kiss. They tried putting enough passion for a lifetime into their final, wordless, expression of love. In their last moments, as a hailstorm of arrows rained down upon them, the feeling of bliss overpowered the pain of death.

***

“That’s terrible!” a 20-something woman yelled out to her friend, who was reading from a hefty book.

“Indeed.” The intellectual woman said while shutting the book. “Though, it’s likely highly embellished. A fascinating story as an excuse for why the spring is cursed.”

“Cursed?” Trish said. Her face lit up. “Hey now Becca, you didn’t say anything about a curse! Now ya got my attention. You know I looove spooky places, heh.”

The woman excitedly grabbed hold of her friend while giggling.

“Hey, settle down Trish, haha. Were you even paying attention, you would’ve heard me in the beginning.”

Trish backed off and gave a snotty look. “Well? Enlighten me miss tour guide.”

“Fine. Though I wish you’d be a little more interested in my sightseeing picks. We did a whole day of your martial arts ‘mega tour’, as you described it.”

The energetic Trish was an athletic, tan-skinned woman with short, raven hair tied in a ponytail. She had a great love for sports and martial arts films. Her best friend was Becca, a shorter, slightly plump, more curvaceous woman, who wore rimless glasses. Becca was the bookworm, always soaking up knowledge. The two had been friends since they were children and though they seemed complete opposites, they played well off each other and genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Their contrasting interests often pulled them in exciting directions.

“Come on,” Trish mocked. “I saw ya buried in those guidebooks. You enjoyed it.”

“Well... the history of martial Arts is a fascinating one.”

“Damn right.” Trish said as she began examining a seemingly locked metal-bar entrance to the hot spring.”

“Well, as I said earlier, this hot spring known as Lover’s Spring is supposedly cursed, haunted by the deceased lovers that were killed here. The ghosts of the two warriors began to appear shortly after their deaths. Also, many people died bathing in this spring from unexplained causes. The more deaths that occurred, the more vivid the spirits of the deceased lover’s appeared at the spring. Some theorize that the sprits were siphoning the energy of the living in order to manifest themselves, become stronger, and ultimately return as living people. Eventually, the spring was banned; no one allowed entry into its waters ever again. Sound spooky enough for you?”

“Yup, sounds like fun to me!” Trish grunted while pulling at the barred door.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“I wana, eugh, see some ghosts!”

“You’re going to hurt yourself pulling like that. Its locked, just stop.”

“Hyuh… okay. I guess you’re right.”

As Trish appeared to start walking away she quickly sprinted back towards the door and kicked the rusty lock on it. To her and Becca’s surprise it broke off.

“Woah… jackpot!” Trish yelled out in victory.

“Damnit Trish, look what you did!?”

Becca felt her friend’s arm wrap around her shoulder.

“Oh come on, we could be the first in this spring in like, hundreds of years! I know you’re curious. It’s late and no one is out this far out in the woods. It’ll be fine.”

Becca shook her head as she watched her friend stroll into the grounds.

“Come on slowpoke,” Trish mocked. “Cold feet never stopped ya before, ha ha!”

She is right, Becca thought. That darn woman always takes me on some wild escapade. And it’s always worked out before… might as well.

“You coming!?”

“What do you think!?” Becca laughed as she too entered.

***

The two nude friends splashed around like children in a pool. The water of the hot spring was invigorating, and the scent of the fumes rising off the water was soothing. Becca stopped splashing for a moment to take a deep inhale. Trish interrupted by tickling her. The giggling women then went back to frolicking about the rather large spring.

“Ha ha, isn’t the water great!? Bet ya don’t regret coming in now?” Trish said with a cocky grin. She lived for those I-told-you-so moments.

“I do admit, it is quite relaxing. Eep! When you’re not splashing water at me, ha!”

“Though no creepy spirits yet. Not very scary-lookin for a haunted spring eith—gah!”

“Got ya!”

Trish recoiled, putting one of her hands up in protest, a sign for Becca to stop splashing water at her.
“Shit, it’s in my eyes.”

“Oh dear, are you alright?” Becca asked worried.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She assured with some grit. “Jeez girl, ya really got me there, heh. Let me take a breather.”

Trish wandered to a far side of the spring. She and Becca were now a good distance away from each other.

“This hot spring is massive…” Becca commented as she watched her friend disappear into the steamy blanket covering the water.

Feeling a little nervous without her friend nearby, she slid herself under the water, aside from her head, and tried to relax. She started motor-boating the surface of the water with her mouth, kicking up a bunch of bubbles. She became quickly bored whenever Trish wasn’t around to keep things exciting. They were always joined at the hip wherever they went, like close sisters.

Trish tried her best to clear her vision near the rocky border of the spring. She noticed a blurred figure of a woman approaching her from the grass. She made it out as not being Becca.

“Shit,” she panicked, thinking that they might have been caught. “Uh, I’m sorry we, we thought the spring was open and…”

Things fully came into focus for her once the mysterious woman finished walking towards her and kneeled down in front of her. The woman was completely nude. It was a dark, blue haired, white skinned lady, with a thin but healthy body, small breasts, and a tender smile on her face. Her blue eyes, that matched her hair, immediately captured Trish’s gaze with their cordial stare.

“Who… are, huh?” Trish trailed off as she fell into a trance. The blue-haired lady had a strong power over her the moment they met eyes. That is when Trish noticed that the stranger was semi-transparent.

“G-Ghost…” Those were the only words she could muster within her daze.

Trish shuddered with a blank expression as the lady leaned in close, caressed her cheek fondly and began speaking to her in a hushed voice.

“My name is Lucina.” The ghost woman greeted. “So long it has been since I’ve felt the touch of another.”

Why can’t I move!? Trish panicked. Her eye’s… I’m, being pulled into them. I can’t see anything but her eyes! 

Lucina’s face went morose. “But you are not my Lon’qu. I can feel him close by. We never had the chance…” She couldn’t finish her sentence before breaking into tears.

Part of the spirit’s body began peeling off in shape, turning into white mist that began seeping into Trish’s mouth. Trish began to lightly twitch during its entry, her mouth hung open.

“I see him,” Lucina said. “At last, we may begin our life together.”

Trish’s body bounced as she began to inhale huge amounts of the dissipating ghost-body. An overwhelming sadness spilled into her head as she was bombarded with images of a love cut short—seeing the couple of the cursed spring killed in the far past. She tried her best to fight against it, tears streaming down her own face now. These were not her emotions!

“Why are you doing this!?”

A shrewd, unfitting expression broke on the beautiful Lucina’s face while it too disappeared into the invasive mist. The old Lucina would’ve never dared make such a face, but she was different now—a tortured soul. 

“An ailment of the heart, I’m afraid.”

Lucina had no qualms about claiming this woman’s body for her own, her frustration having created a poison in her heart. She gave up her life fighting for justice and lost so many of her family and friends to the war. She deserved happiness, more than what she had got. She deserved a real life!

The last of the mist entered Trish’s body, and she stumbled back through the water out of breath and with a vacant look. Her eyes twitched, as she witnessed someone else’s life flash before her eyes. The weight of that life was imprinting itself upon her jumbled thoughts. Her stream of consciousness flowed like a raging tide—her original self was the rocks, and the water crashing against them was the aggressive onslaught of Lucina’s will. Trish felt the desperation in Lucina’s mind, how much she wanted to be alive again. She couldn’t blame her, having just witnessed the great love of Lucina and Lon’qu as if she had experienced it herself. She felt slightly sympathetic to their situation.

Oh no!

Trish lamented once she realized her moment of compassion towards her attacker opened up her mind to her even further. The chaos grew more untamable, and she desperately tried to cling onto what she cared about most—her family, Becca, her love of martial arts. It was her weapon to use in the psychological war raging within her.

Martial arts… Such skills would have proved useful during the war. She or rather Lucina, thought.
It wasn’t working.

Trish bent over and grabbed hold of her sides, as she felt an uncomfortable twisting within in her body.

“No… ugh, stop it!”

Becca… She focused on Becca. But even that lead Trish further into disarray. She loved Becca like a sister and would do anything for her. They shared such a strong bond, like Lucina and Lon’qu. No, don’t think about them! She screamed out inside her head.

Trish’s body began to shrink in size. She was taller than the average woman, not a giant by any means—except to Becca, who was short. Her nicely toned body began to fade. Her muscles remained strong but became softer in their appearance, far more hidden beneath the skin. She groaned, as her stomach deflated into a very flat shape. She felt the mass leaving her bottom as it became lighter, though it kept a nice shape and even became perkier. A soft moan left her lips while her cheeks clasped together, her butt much more compact now.

Trish witnessed rotating images of Lon’qu and Becca standing in front of her naked. She reached out for their bodies with shaky hands. Anytime she thought of Becca, she’d appear—Lon’qu anytime she thought of him. Lucina and Trish were merging together, and the deep love for Lon’qu was warping Trish’s own desires, making her want Becca as more than just a friend. She was slowly submitting to the power of Lucina’s love.

More accepting moans began to spill forth from Trish. Her hands wandered between her legs and to her chest. Her erect nipples were like lightning rods, every time her hand brushed past one electricity shot through her body. She couldn’t stop touching. She felt her fair-sized breasts shrinking into a more supple, cute shape. They hung delicately off her slimmer form, slightly sagging and giving off a youthful appearance.

Images of Lon’qu began to overlay onto visions of Becca. Lucina had seized control of the body, but her mind was very much mixed with Trish’s psyche now. She too now felt a deep fondness for Becca, memories of their childhood together rooted in her newly intertwined soul.

Together, Lucina thought, as Becca seemed to be absorbed into her vision of Lon’qu. At last, we can be together.

Lucina’s eyes shot wide open, the body that was once Trish now bore the spirit’s captivating, blue pupils. She could barely breathe straight as her body shivered in ecstasy and anticipation. Her hands became much smoother and delicate, the kind of hands you wouldn’t expect to be carrying a sword into battle on a near daily basis. Though, she didn’t have to worry about such things any longer.

She grabbed hold of her face with both hands and felt her mind coming into alignment. Her face became much more womanly than before, her lips softer and her eyelashes more defined. Her usually rounded eyes turned more almond shaped and her chin, which had already been a bit pointy, became even more so.

Lucina’s legs trembled as she expelled her fluids in excitement. The thought of being with her love again was too much to keep it in. What was Trish longed for Becca now, and what was Lucina longed for the chance to love Lon’qu away from the battlefield.

“M-My, My dear uh…” Lucina whimpered.

The last to change was her hair, returning to the blue locks she remembered fondly. Her hair did not grow out long like it once was though, staying short and almost tomboyish. Becca always loved her hair, she wouldn’t dare change it.

Taking a few moments to regain herself, Lucina could feel the presence of Lon’qu growing stronger within the spring. Her being alive must’ve been stirring him up. She turned towards the direction of Becca, whom began calling out for her after hearing some of her louder groans.

Lucina reacted to Becca’s voice with an affectionate smile.

“I’m here my love!” she excitedly blurted out. She waded quickly through the water towards her friend. The closer she got to Becca, the stronger Lon’qu’s presence became.

“Trish!? Are you alri—ah!”

Lucina came up from behind Becca and hugged her tight.

“Lon’qu, I’m here! We’re ready, right Becca?”

“T-Trish? What are you, ugh, let go!” Becca said. She thought it was Trish, yet the voice sounded different.

Becca turned her head to see a blue haired woman with the same haircut as Trish, but a woman who wasn’t Trish.

“Who are you!?” Becca asked in a panic.

“Come now, I’m your friend. It’s Lucina!”

“Who the hell is… what!?” Becca responded, confused until she remembered the name of the woman from the story of Lover’s Spring was named Lucina. What the hell was going on?

As she tried to break free from the woman, who was much stronger than she looked, she couldn’t help but notice she was in an arm lock that her friend Trish would often jokingly put her in. What did this mean? She was always a fast thinker and quickly remembered the story and the theory that the spirits were stealing the energy of the living to come back to life. She connected the improbable dots in her head but still refused to believe it. 

“Let go, ugh. Trish! Help!”

“Gods, calm yourself miss tour guide.” Lucina jokingly said.

Becca immediately stopped struggling and slowly turned her head to the woman, who was sporting a loving smile. Becca’s face looked like it was in utter despair.

“No... it can’t be.”

“Please do not mistake my intentions. We’ve known each other since we were children—I consider you a close friend, more than a friend. ”

“Trish, no…”

“I love you.” Lucina softly spoke as she leaned in for a kiss on the cheek of the devastated Becca, but stopped when she noticed Lon’qu’s spirit manifesting in front of them.

“There he is! Prepare yourself my love.”

Once Becca’s eyes met the apparition before her, she went numb. She felt paralyzed within the grip of her corrupted friend and deeply entranced by the imposing spirit before her.

Like the ghost of Lucina, Lon’qu became white mist. Once he entered Becca’s body, she immediately felt the overwhelming emotions of the lover’s deep connection and an explosion of invading memories.

Focus, focus, don’t lose control, Becca commanded herself. Trish... if Only I had been there for you. You’ve always been there for me, but now we can, we can be together forever, NO! No… don’t think about them, think about your family, of Trish. My… Trish. My love… Uhn… Lucina...

“Ahn, no! Stop this… Trish.” Becca said, her body convulsing and starting to change.

Lucina hugged tighter and traced the shivering contours of her friend’s waist and chest.

“No more holding back. Please... remember when we were children? We would pretend we were a couple playing house? I was always the man, so embarrassing, heh.”

As Lucina told the story of Trish’s childhood, tears fell down Becca’s face. The memory sparked a change in Becca’s feelings towards her friend.

“But think about it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? You and I.” Lucina cunningly spoke. “I can’t live without you!”

Lucina leaned in close and whispered in Becca’s ear.

“I’m right here, my love.”

Becca’s heart began racing after hearing the outpour of love. Lon’qu’s devotion to his wife clashed and changed Becca’s friendly love into something more intimate. She was drowning in a sea of confusion. She still muttered out words of protest—perhaps a clinging, subconscious backlash—but her mind was just about gone.

“Huh, T-Trish? Aghn!” Becca said in discomfort as her body began to drastically shoot-up in height. Her bones were snapping and reshaping into a thicker, sturdier and broader frame. “Not... I’m not Lon’qu! Agh!”

Neither Lon’qu nor Becca knew where the other began at this point, each other’s lives playing back in their head as if it was their own. The one constant was both their affection for the woman holding tight to them. Lon’qu’s deeper connection with Lucina spurred his persona onward until it became the more dominate of the two and it absorbed Becca into its soul.

The two had become one. Lon’qu had returned.

“L-Lucina…” a convulsing Lon’qu said.

“Yes, I’m here.” Lucina replied, her head resting onto her love’s backside. She could feel the muscles shifting about and hardening. “Remember who you are. Your body strong like an ox, your handsome, but dour face that hides a gentle soul. Even your irascible demeanor—I love you for all that you are! I long for my husband’s touch, to see you smile once again.”

“Lucina…” Lon’qu said with much more heartfelt impression.

“Agh!” he cried out, as he felt his female body changing more violently quick, fighting to forge the proper figure.

His hands became larger as did his feet, bones and cartilage crackling as they grew and shifted. His skeletal structure was much too bulky for a feminine body now, his bones looking awkwardly stretched and unfitting of his skin. He was much taller than he was as Becca and a good foot or so taller than Lucina.

Lon’qu grunted as he felt a sharp stab within his trembling pussy. At the top of his clit he could feel a protrusion growing forth, a bulbous mass, hard and erect, creeping out—his slit slowly fusing itself shut. Human skin soon appeared on it, and a mushroom-shaped head took form at the tip.

“What is this?” Lucina flirtatiously asked. She felt the nearly formed cock spring to life while cupping it with her hand. “It seems excited by my touch. Heh heh.”

Lon’qu could only moan and wither to his wife’s playful hands, her delicate fingers coiled around his rod, her pointer finger tracing circles on its tip.

A pair of balls spilled out of his folds, barely pushing themselves free from the nearly closed cavern. It appeared like he was birthing a pair of eggs within a fleshy sack. Lucina felt each one brush her hand as they were set free. Her other hand held on to her husband’s sides as they widened, his curves diminishing to the sound of cracking bones and twisting flesh. His womanly hips were finally gone, his torso widening to meet them and his organ re-arranging.

“Oh, how I missed your touch.” Lon’qu whispered in ecstasy.

“I missed you too my love. Just a little longer and we can begin anew.”

The muscles within Lon’qu bulged to life, their strength returning as an explosion of meat. He grunted and shook, leaning back against Lucina for stabilization. His thighs became especially large hills of thick muscle pushing against the skin, forcing it tighter on his body. His abdomen sucked inward briefly, and then pulsated outward, the muscles there re-emerging as tougher and more refined—but they still needed some work. It was an intense process that his wife found deeply arousing. She began to beat off his veiny—blood pumping hard—shaft.

Lon’qu’s silky skin was soon no more, giving way to a coarser texture. It had its wear and tear, but Lucina wouldn’t have it any other way. Her husband’s body told a story, a story of his many battles, a story of his dedication to his swordsmanship, a story of how hard he worked for her. It inspired her to work just as hard. She adored his rough skin that was uniquely him.

Lucina’s hand rested on Lon’qu’s chest and felt his breasts flattening and giving way to powerful pectorals, rising like mountains of their own—only these were not bothersome sacks of fatty flesh, but sturdy flat-top hills, hard like the steel of a sword. She bucked a bit, as she felt her man’s shoulders snap even broader, his upper body swelling in size and his ribcage growing larger inside him. The strong chest of her man was returning to its former glory and she couldn’t wait to rest her face upon it once more.

Lon’qu’s biceps pulsated and expanded. His brawny contours flexing into place brought a chuckle from his wife. The skin looked taut stretched against the well-trained muscle. One of his hands jerked over to grab Lucina’s wandering hand that wasn’t beating him off. She squealed for a moment, as she felt his strong grip hold her by the wrist. His grip softened then as he interlocked with her hand.

His hair shortened greatly in length until it reached a spiked, messy look, like someone had rustled his hair—bangs traveling down the bridge of his nose. It changed to a dark brown color, matching his now brown eyes. His skull trembled, as the bones and cartilage messed around with the outlines of his face. His jawline became more pronounced, so did his brows. His nose grew larger and pointed out from his face more. His rather big mouth had returned as well.

The reborn man let out a flurry of moans that quickly turned the sound of a pleased woman, to that of a deep voiced, stirred male who was at the mercy of his wife’s passionate hands and enjoying every second of it.

“Oh Lucina… faster, faster.” He begged his wife, wishing for her to guide his bubbling arousal towards release.

Lucina brought both hands over his cock, one for the tip, the other for the shaft, and began to furiously play with her husband’s sword. She could feel the thick ribs of his cock gliding across her palms. Gods he was impressive!

The last of Lon’qu’s body thickened, his stomach hardening and pushing out a set of large bumps as tough as marble. They were a glorious alignment of 6-pack of abs—oh how Lucina loved the feeling of them pressed against her own stomach when they made love. The muscles on his backside bounced about in chaos as they took their final shape, Lucina feeling them rise and expand against her resting cheek.

He has truly returned. she thought. She could recognize every dip and rise of her husband’s form. There was no mistaking that this was the backside she had laid upon many times before.

Lon’qu grunted loudly and kicked back his head!

Lucina felt a flooding of warmth in her cupped hand, her husband’s passionate fluids spilling into her palm. Blast after blast pounded against her hand as she petted his cock.

The sounds of the change died off and only the disturbed waters of the hot spring, the sizzle of fumes rising from the water, and the noises of nature remained.

Lucina dipped her cum-drenched hand into the water as Lon’qu turned around to greet her. Their eyes met once more, both lost in the moment.

“Is this… really happening?” Lucina wondered aloud.

Lon’qu answered with a gaping kiss upon his wife’s hung open mouth. Both closed their eyes and embraced.

It wasn’t long before the two shared an intimate moment at the edge of the spring, Lon’qu thrusting his dagger inside Lucina, who’d waited so long to feel such a tender moment away from the soldier’s quarters. What they couldn’t do all those centuries ago was finally happening. Their lives were beginning for real.

Lucina was overjoyed that she was sharing this moment with her friend, her husband. An image of Becca appeared in her mind and quickly reformed into the visage of the man bucking her gently up against the rocks. He and Becca were indistinguishable from each other for her; they were all simply her husband Lon’qu. He really does plan the best trips. she thought.

She leaned back, as her husband’s lips met her neck. He lifted one of her legs beneath the water and picked up his pace, sending her into a whimpering state.

“Oh! Lon’qu... Lon’qu! I Lo-uh, I love you…”

Her hand raked at his back as he pounded her quicker. He showed Lucina the smile she longed for, pleased at his wife’s affectionate cries.

“My love... m-my love! Ahn! Ohh! Hoh! L-Lon’qu, oh…” Lucina whimpered out in bliss, her smile facing her man’s.

They both could feel the heat of each other’s bodies overpowering the heat of the water around them. They had reached a plateau, their bodies in perfect motion with each other. Their quick, heavy breaths raised in unison until the two reached the climax of their renewed love.

Lon’qu pumped Lucina full of his seed beneath the heavenly waters of the spring, a spring no longer cursed by a lost love, but blessed with the fluids of two lovers reborn.

The two leaned against the rocky edge of the spring as they recuperated from their love-making. They knew no assassins would come for them this time, so they stayed quiet and focused only on each other, basking in the moment.

***

Stroking his wife’s hair, Lon’qu asked, “What should we do now? I do not believe my clothing will even fit me anym—”

“Stop worrying,” Lucina giggled. “We have each other. We will figure this out.”

She rested her head on his chest and rocked left and right in his arms, their bodies swaying in a slow dance.

“We still have our vacation to finish.” Lon’qu said.

Lucina smiled and replied, “No matter what the future holds for us, I’ll cherish every moment.”

***

“Well you two look like a lovely couple.” A photographer said while hiking a hillside trail behind a man and woman that were locked hand-in-hand. The woman was dressed in hiker shorts and a blue, floral tank-top. The man was dressed in a plain green T-shirt and blue jean shorts.

“Oh? Well thank you.” The blue haired woman replied.

“How long you both been together? You don’t seem from around here? Let me guess, honeymoon?”

“You could say that.” The man sternly replied. He didn’t seem to be the cheerful type, though his face brightened up when he looked back at the woman.

“Actually, we have been on a trip around the country. Truly a beautiful place. We are considering settling down here.” The blue-haired lady said.

“Well, you seem like a lovely pair. Do you mind if I take a picture of you against the backdrop of those plains there?” The photographer asked. There was something oddly alluring about these two that he couldn’t pass up a picture of them.

“Of course not. Right honey?” Lucina replied, dragging Lon’qu by the arm towards the spot. She was always trying to push him out of his shell. It had been that way ever since they were little girls. It had been that way at the soldier’s quarters before every battle.

“Heh, sure.” Lon’qu responded with a minute chuckle. “You won’t even give me a choice.”

As the two posed, Lon’qu noticed that the land behind them looked familiar. It was a battlefield they had once fought on, now turned into a beautiful meadow. Lucina had noticed it as well but didn’t mention it as to not upset him.

“Lon’qu.”

Her tender voice snapped him from his stupor.

“We are past that. Come now, smile.”

An earnest smile formed on Lon’qu and he turned towards the camera, his arm around his wife.
“You two have something special,” The photographer said. “Smile!”

The two lovers looked radiant, their happiness infectious—captured perfectly by the photographer.

There they were, Lucina and Lon’qu, smiling without a care, a bright future awaiting them. Just like the former fields of war behind them, they had blossomed into something beautiful.