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Inside, Anna was nearly ready to break down. She had been strong for the past few weeks. That much she was proud of. She'd been helping Rosalin, just as she said she would, and had been teaching classes with enthusiasm. The world still brought her joy and mystery in spite of her sadness, as did the two birds Pyralis had made her. And yet, despite the still cheery attitude she displayed, Anna was indeed quite, quite sad.

Depressed would have been a better word.

For when the word wasn't looking, Anna had let a few tears slip past. Nights were when Pyralis' precarious journey hit her the hardest and she outright wept. Her anger at not being able to be with him burned her heart. After all, if she was not as capable a fighter as he was, she could heal the greatest of wounds. That was a fact, and still it was of no use to him so long as they were apart. It almost felt like a betrayal that she had not gone along with him.

For a good few weeks she had not neglected herself, but worry had started to replace some of her hunger. Anna had begun to look a bit thinner, though not unhealthy. Just a bit worn, just a bit sad. But no more! It was time for Pyralis to come home, and he would want to see her well.

And when the knock upon her door came, Anna immediately knew upon instinct that he was in fact home.
She had been sitting at her desk, filing papers. She was becoming so sick of it! But with the little sound at the door, Anna dropped all her work, sending papers floating gently to the floor. They danced in the air Anna kicked up as she ran, and heaved even more as the door was pulled open to reveal the face she had missed so terribly.

"Pyralis!" There he was, covered in dust and looking so tired. But despite it all, she hugged him fiercely. "You're home." With those words, tears began forming, and soon Anna was crying with happiness and relief. He was alive, and safe.

"As I have missed you, every day, A'mael."
How could she keep crying with the joy they both felt? It was enough to make her feel as though she were flying. Even as they kissed and Anna felt the fire of his emotions, she still felt lighter than air. She held no fear for him, or apprehension at returning every kiss. That certainty in everything she felt towards him was one result of their time apart. Anna knew in every part of her being that she was his, as he was hers, and they would do all they could to be together forever.

While he had been away, Anna had taken time to truly think about their relationship. There was no doubt that he loved her, and the more time passed, Anna came to realize just how unwilling she was to live without him. He was her other half, and he could not be away without her feeling as though the greatest part of her was missing.

Now this was the comfort she had been missing all this time. Just laying together, being together. It was simple and wonderful, and Anna could not imagine anything greater.

Anna let him play with her hair, just smiling at how he treated her like a wondrous thing. Her own fingers reached out to try and get the dirt off his face, even if it seemed endless on him.
"The school is fine! Just fine. The usual problems of budget and boring things like that," she dismissed. Anna didn't handle finances, and so didn't really care much so long as she had her basics. Her eyes were already growing brighter and happy as she thought of the more exciting things to tell him. Or if not exciting, at least something that might make him smile.
"I believe the greatest challenge," the elf said, looking almost serious, "that I've had to face was convincing the birds not to build their nest in my bookshelf. They were so set on it, and I had to persuade them to build in that large palm thing administration insisted they stick in the corner."

Anna pointed with a laugh at the potted palm, which held a perfectly woven birds nest towards the middle of its branches. Though Anna had lied about that decision being her greatest challenge, at least it was something happy to smile about.
"But what of you? Surely you have a story to tell."

You could have died, she wanted to say, but it was plain on her face. Anna listened and watched the images flash past her mind's eye. Yes, there had been a great deal of savagery and loss. It wasn't surprising that Pyralis had concealed that much, and she couldn't pretend that she wasn't glad he had done so.

Anna wasn't fit for battle. She could hold her own, yes, but the intensity of it all would prove fatal. Again, she was glad that Pyralis had insisted she stay behind.
Her hand reached out to his temple where he said the blow had landed, and gently probed with energy to see if her vial had done the job correctly. There really was no need for it, as she was sure her magic had done the job, but Anna just wanted to be sure for her own peace of mind.

"It is still amazing to me how noble a man you are. I'm sorry for your loss... but I am glad you were successful."
Her fingers traced no damage at his head, and so she simply let them touch his face. What if I was the one mourning? she wondered, before letting a smile come through for him. She'd been entertaining that thought for weeks now. It was time to let it go!
"And now, for my full story. I did not want to distract you while you were away, but... I have been receiving letters from distant family chastising me for marrying outside my race."

Anna's eyes looked away with a distinct annoyance and hurt. They had all come while she was worrying over Pyralis, of course. How terribly convenient for them, she thought, to write while he was not there to defend her.
Anna, though, was used to the criticism of her family, and didn't need Pyralis in order to stand on her own two feet.

"They say silly things. Accusing me of ensnaring a dragon when I apparently had a suitable chance at marriage with him. None of them understood that situation. And none of them understand you."
Just thinking about the words made her stomach jump a bit. They had been so straight-forward and delivered without any kind of kindness. 'You are being so selfish, Anna, one cousin had written. 'Never satisfied with what you have and always acting without thinking of the consequences.'

But they were all wrong.
Her eyes looked to his again, this time holding playfulness, and her lips a little smirk. "I told them in the kindest way to bugger off."

It was strange for her to imagine herself pursuing man after man and actually being successful. Though she had many sweethearts and one serious relationship before Pyralis, Anna never attributed any of it to her own charm or smiles. Maybe it was time she did.

But that could wait. Anna thought for a moment about her very proud, pure-blooded family and immediately burst out laughing.
"They will all huddle together no matter what we do!" she said, burying her face for a moment in his dusty shirt. Anna picked her face back up to reveal another smile. She'd grown so much after meeting him. Somehow Pyralis had instilled within her the courage to face these people, and given her the confidence to face any consequences from doing so. It was wonderful.

"But for now, we cannot plan weddings and our future together. Look at this shirt, and your pants!" Anna swore she could draw her name out in everything clinging to him, not to mention she was a bit worried about what her couch would look like when they sat back up.
"We must wash your clothing, mend it, and get some good food in you. I don't know what they feed you when you're away, but we need to have you full again." There was no deviating the elf from her desire to take care of him. He had saved her from danger and coddled her out of love, and it was always her wish to do the same for him.

Anna inched up a bit, took her hands around his cheeks, and kissed him sweetly. There still was that glint in her eyes, that happiness from having him back.
"And though I love you no matter what, you would benefit from a shower as well."

Anna's own laugh could be heard echoing in the hall. He was back! And almost immediately everything was back to normal. And yet, she couldn't help but feel that this was a calm in the storm. Pyralis had just come back from a war after all. Would he sleep peacefully? Would any terrors still haunt him for some time? She knew he had phantom pains and scars, which could only be enhanced by a new encounter...
But she would deal with that when it came. For then, she would clean her dusty couch and wait for him to emerge clean from his shower.