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[Joanna Weaver]

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As the hour in which they were to meet drew closer, Melior could feel his heart pounding more and more. He and Claudette had much to talk about, and he had a feeling most of it would not be pleasant, or if any would be at all.

Finally, the time came to head to the Freehold.

As he was just turning from stalling Astalder, his horse, he saw her. She stood in the doorway, surrounded by light, looking very much like an angel. Though her face was a vision of sadness, for she knew as well as he that tonight's meeting was no lover's tryst.

After a somewhat formal, yet achingly familiar reuniting, she brought him to a place he had never been. A hollow in the mountain, in which the main walkway was decorated in 5 of the Virtues. Having never been there before, he marvelled. Always was he enraptured with statuary and memorials to the Virtues.

They sat down to what should have been a relaxing picnic, but he could not bring himself to fully relax, his mind was awash with thoughts and emotions.

Do I give in to my selfishness, or do I do the right thing?

This thought plagued him throughout their sad conversation.

Then finally, a moment came in which the passive discourse must end. The topic he had been both wishing to discuss and yet also avoid, what would become of their relationship.

Melior loved Claudette with all of his heart, but he also wanted to serve the Virtues and keep her and other innocents safe. Ever since the murder of his parents, he had kept his vow and remained loyal to the Virtues. He had sworn complete dedication to the Paladin ways. He would not give in to his own selfishness and desire until his promise had been kept.

With a heavy heart, he told her that while he still loved her, he also had to fulfill his goal. She, being the wonderful woman he loved, knew that, of course. Ever had they been understanding of each other. He would always love her, no matter what path she chose in life, he knew that. But, right now, his full attention had to be elsewhere, and he could not give it all to her.

With tears in her eyes, and his not exactly dry, she bade him to leave her. While he wanted to stay and comfort her, he respected her wishes and knew well her need for solitude. He shuffled down the stone steps to his horse and mounted it.

As his horse trotted over the plaques of the Virtues as he exited, he questioned for the very first time in his long life the merit of his dedication to the Virtues. Pushing that treacherous thought aside, he kicked the horse into a gallop and off they went, into the familiar woods of Yew.

Beloved Arwenamin, forgive me, someday, please. I am doing what is right for us both. I cannot allow you to sit and wait for me each day.. you, too, have a life to live. I will love you forever, Claudette...
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"Art and architecture must combine to create something larger than either." ~ Robert Campbell

[Claudette]

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Claudette sobbed as she watched Melior walk away from her. She had asked him to leave and had tried very hard to keep her composure until he was no longer visible to her but her heart was overwhelmed with sadness and loss and the tears flowed freely.

When they had met at the freehold earlier that evening, she had known that their conversation would not lead to the usual happiness and that things for them would be much different from that day forward. With a heavy heart, she spoke the words that opened a gate to an old guard post she and Nicodemus had found one night. The symbols of the virtues that lined the entryway had struck Claudette then. She remembered thinking that it would be a place Melior would enjoy. When he told her he had never been there before, she was both elated and sad for she knew that in the end, that location would not hold fond memories for either of them.

As they began their picnic and their conversation, Claudette could sense Melior’s tension. Under normal circumstances she would have offered to massage his shoulders and would have happily stroked his hair in an attempt to get him to relax a bit, but that night she knew the source of his tension was her and so she held back and just sat and talked to him. Claudette shared her concern for her cousin and also spoke about Vaen and the changes she had observed in him but ultimately she knew there was a much more important subject they had to discuss.

Melior began by telling her how much he loved her. That he had loved her from the moment they had met and that this was not easy for him. He then told her about his need to serve and protect those that could not do it for themselves and that he knew that he would not be able to effectively accomplish that and also give her the time she needed and deserved. Claudette knew all this and as he spoke she knew that his love for the virtues was greater than his love for her. She already knew that he was a great man, and she was certain that he would reach his goal of becoming a great paladin. She loved him enough to not be able to hold him back from his true calling and so she braced herself to bid him goodbye. They both still loved each other very much and both knew that had circumstances been different, they would have shared a wonderful life together but Melior needed to fulfill the promise he had made to his parents and Claudette couldn’t handle him being gone so much.

“You met me with a broken heart and tonight you leave me with one” she spoke. Melior continued to tell her that he loved her. He would draw her close and hug her and it was finally too much for Claudette’s heart to bear. Somberly she whispered, “Please leave” and with that Melior turned and walked out of her life. As Claudette made her way out of the guard post, she walked over the symbols of the virtues and surrendered to them. She knew that they had won Melior’s heart and she felt certain resentment towards them for she knew they were the reason that her dreams were now shattered. With much sadness and ache in her heart, she looked at the virtues one more time and prayed that they would make Melior happy.
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