Moving up close to Dragoste, Liina grabs him and says, "You want to become a minister? That's amazing."
Embarrassed, he turns his head and says, "It was only a thought. I happen to be at least well acquainted with the outside world a bit more than others due to my parents, so maybe I could become some kind of politician to smooth over the destruction Intrare will cause on her rampage. But it's probably a stupid idea."
"No way, you can do anything if you try. Just look around, you've-."
"We've."
"Gotten this giant laboratory to ourselves to do research into cursed item development. Directly from the Queen due to our Balaur saplings, most people have never gotten recognition from the Queen, even if you count all members of their family ever."
Rubbing the back of his head, Dragoste says, "It's not that impressive. The Xevi was the one who came up with the idea of making artificial Balaurs in each of the other three regions to allow them to have their own sources of cursed items."
"Which he only discovered due to your research, allowing him to know it was possible." Pushing her finger into his cheek, Liina says, "My parents get to have plumping like we have in the big cities, and can irrigate their farmland without going bankrupt in transport fees. That's thanks to you, so don't count yourself out yet. Go become a minister, Dragoste, and I will support you through it all."
Grabbing her and placing her on his lap, Dragoste says, "Then if you're going to spend so much time supporting me through my campaign, I guess I am going to need to keep you all to myse-. I CAN'T DO IT!"
Dragoste's face burns bright red, as a cheeky smile appears on Liina. He turns his head away from her, causing her to say, "No, no, it's alright, come on, I enjoy your flirting."
"I don't know how my father does this so openly; it's way too embarrassing!"
Grabbing his face and turning it towards her own, she says, "But it allows me to see this delectable expression, I love it more than anything."
She brings her face closer to his, making him lean forward as his face turns even redder. Their lips stand inches away from each other, but she crashes her forehead into his own, and says, "No hanky panky till marriage. You incubus."
"You were the one who seduced me!"
-Age 24-
She gave you the ability to reshape your heart and will into someone who could reach out to others.
Location: Church of the Cursed Sea/Neetud Meri
City in front of a child, Avram says, "Your name is Dobitoc, correct? How are you feeling today?"
The little child with a body shaped as a monster says with eyes full of sadness, "Like trash that should've never have been born."
"I do this counselling for Nightmares with deeper problems to discuss issues, but that answer isn't productive."
"Maybe it would be better if I had just killed myself."
"Why do you feel like that?"
"Do I have to explain that to you? Just look at me. The other kids in my hometown bullied me with their parents and even my own, treating me like a rat. After the Fundamentāls came to save me, it hasn't gotten better. All the kids in the orphanage are scared of me and avoid me. No place exists for someone like m-."
Looking up, Dobitoc sees Dragoste gripping his trembling lips as if the man is one second away from bursting out in laughter, and with shock, shouts, "IS MY SADNESS THAT FUNNY!"
As Dragoste bursts out in laughter, he says, "Sorry, sorry, I find this just so funny, not in a mean way, but it's because you remind me of myself."
"What, you're beautiful. DON'T MOCK ME!"
Dragoste flicks Dobitoc in the forehead and says, "Stop raising your voice, it is disrespectful."
"So it's lying."
"I didn't lie, the truth of the matter was that I was bullied for being half human, viciously at that, to the point where I felt lots of hatred for everyone around me. But someone saved me, and helped me stand up for myself, and there I learned a lot. Like how no one truly hated me, in fact, they hated themselves. Some felt embarrassed by being from lower-class families, others felt embarrassed due to their appearance, others felt ashamed due to their smarts, and others were even facing worse than anything we have both experienced at the hands of their parents, and they took it out on me. Because in truth life is more complicated than you'd think."
Standing up, Dragoste opens the door, and walking in with three other kids, Liina says, "Now, Aizsargāt, Kogukond, and Gyvenimas, you can give it to him."
Three Nightmares quickly enter the room, holding a giant cake and place it in front of Dobitoc as they clap and say, "HAPPY ARRIVAL!"
With shock overtaking his face, he says, "What, what is this?"
Aizsargāt says, "It's your arrival cake. We planned to give it to you a few days after your arrival, but you kept glaring at us, so we thought you wouldn't like it."
Kogukond says, "Aunty Liina said that you were just shy. I thought you'd wanted to kill us, given the looks you send towards us."
Gyvenimas says, "We baked it ourselves for you, it has strawberries in it, your favourite."
Confused, the three start to happily discuss amongst themselves about the cake. Dobitoc says, "Aren't you all scared of me?"
They all look at each other and say, "Kind of!"
Aizsargāt says, "Your curse makes you feel like you're about to jump us, and it's pretty scary, but we all have unfortunate aspects of ourselves due to being Nightmares, no big deal."
Kogukond says, "Being scary isn't that bad either, it just means you can chase off all the bullies and bad humans who try to take what you love. I wish I could be like that as well."
Gyvenimas says, "Whenever anyone gets sick, you always make sure to keep a watch on them, alerting the nuns to what's going on. You're way too kind to be a monster."
Dragoste, hitting Dobitoc back, says, "Even if you feel like you're a freak, this country and your fellow Nightmares will always be here to stand by you."
Across his face, tears start to form in his eyes as he uses his large limbs to try to cover it.
-Age 27-
She even stood by you during the times when you hated your very existence.
Location: Purification grounds
Gathered outside the groups Dragoste, Liina, Captivant, Draga, and a slew of other Nightmares including the Queen herself stand.
Captivant and Draga move right up next to a casket, along with the Queen and place their hands over it, and Dragoste's eyes open wide as he drowns himself in his own thoughts.
"Their bodies are not in there."
Liina, holding Dragoste, says, "What?"
"They are buried in Varage; they always wanted to be buried in the same land as all of their ancestors. So my dad alone did so. The anti-Nightmare sentiment has been growing there in wake of Gevurah attacks. So none of us outside of my father were allowed to come. I didn't even get to see them off despite all they have done for me, just because I was born a Nightmare."
Grabbing him, Liina says, "Dragoste, stop, don't take this all on yourse-."
Draga, appearing in front of them both, says, "Dragoste, please say goodbye to mom and dad."
Gritting his teeth, he says, "Why should I do that? Why should I even put up with this farce? Is it so that we can feel like humans for even a moment?"
"Dragoste, do not behave like this, please come wish them off."
Anger swells on his face, and his mouth opens wide to scream, yet as he sees his mother's swollen eyes, his mouth quickly closes. And turning around, he runs away from the crowd as far as he can.
He keeps moving as he grabs a hold of the bracelet his grandmother made, while images of her flash through his mind till his legs bring him meters away from the grounds, where he falls to the ground crying.
"I don't want you guys to be gone, I don't want you guys to leave. Why didn't you stay with me? Grandma, Grandpa."
A warm hug locks him from behind, then he hears, "It's okay, Dragoste, it's okay."
"Liina?"
Turning him around, she says, "You don't have to run, I am here. Please talk to me."
"I-I-I-I. I want to see them again, more than anything, I want to hold them, speak with them, cook for them, love them like I used to, I want them to tell me they're proud. I don't want to be alone."
Grabbing me, she says, "I won't ever let you be alone. From now till the day I die, I will always be with you, because I love you, Dragoste."
Staring at her, he says, "I l-."
-Age 30-
Location: Church of the Cursed Land/Nolādēta Zeme
Grabbing her by her hands, he stares into the eyes of the bride in front of himself, and continues saying, "-ove you."
Smiling, as she stares into the eyes of her groom, she says, "I love you two."
Standing between them both, the priest of Nolādēta Zeme, Savienība says, "You may now kiss the bride."
Their lips quickly lock into one another, and claps emerge from the church all around them, as the Queen shouts, "IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE FOR YOUR MINISTER CITIZENS OF THE CURSED HEART REGION!"
The cheers roar even louder, and standing in front of the stands, Captivant slams large drums at full force, sending shocks throughout the church, right before Draga, and two a series of slimy nightmares grab and restrain him.
Pulling back from each other, a creepy smile washes over both Dragoste's and Liina's faces as they start to giggle at each other. Locking his eyes with her own, he says, "I promise that no matter what from her on, I will always be here for you."
Head butting him in the chest, she says, "No more sweet words, my heart can't take it."
-Age 33-
Even the greatest creation of your life was born from the union between both of you.
Location: Clinical Emergency Hospital
Feeling an impact against his forehead, Dragoste's eyes open up wide as his body jumps up, where he sees his Draga, with a disappointed look in her eyes. "I had thought I raised my son to be braver than fainting during such a critical moment."
Liina's voice says, "Don't worry, he kept his hand locked with mine even when he was unconscious."
Dragoste looks around, confused for a moment, before saying, "The hospital?"
His head quickly turns to his left, and there he sees an exhausted Liina putting up her best smile as she holds a baby wrapped in a blanket. "Daddy, could you come and take our little princess out of my hands for a moment?"
His eyes flash to the child, then to Liina, and says, "It's her right."
"Yeah, she has your big, stupid pink eyes. And your little crybaby attitude, so how about you give her some love."
Slowly, Liina passes the child to a shocked Dragoste. As he holds her cradle in his arms, he looks down at her sad face and slimy skin, which bears a blue hue, and says, "High, I am Dragoste Frumos Nightfall, I believe I am your daddy, it's nice to me yo-."
"Viata," Liina says.
"Viata. You're really cute and adorable. Do you want to be my daughter?"
A smile quickly crawls onto her face, and she releases a series of happy sounds as she moves her little body about. Seeing this, tears spill forth from the very depths of Dragoste's soul, falling on her, causing Liina to say, "Cry, baby."