A/N: The final chapter! As always, please leave a review letting me know what you think and how I can improve. Your words mean more to me than you know.

Tiki awoke with another mighty yawn and wide stretch. While she wasn't as torn up as the previous morning, she still regretted what she'd told her new friend. Had she been too presumptuous? Myrrh had always seemed smart for her age, but had she gone too far with her advice? She wanted to see the little girl as soon as possible but at the same time didn't want to pressure her into giving an answer right away.

So she chose to wait.

Four days passed without talking to her. Tiki saw Myrrh from time to time, but she was always talking with others - mostly Prince Ephraim - or otherwise seemed too occupied for her to intrude. This morning however, Tiki resolved to at least ask Myrrh how she was doing, even if she wasn't ready for a full conversation yet.

Tiki again consulted the Prince of Renais to find her quarry, though this time he directed her further inside the keep. She found Myrrh tucked away in a corner of the library, her head buried in a book of Askrian nursery rhymes. She took a seat nearby and waited for her to finish.

It only took a few minutes for the little girl to close the book, look fondly at the cover and stand up. The two made eye contact when Myrrh started to walk, causing her to blush and hide the book behind her back.

"O - oh!"

"Good morning, Myrrh."

"Y - yes, good morning."

Tiki smiled. "Is that a good book?"

"N - no, I just found it on the floor. It's only for children so...so I'd never read it."

"Is that so?" Tiki fought the urge to laugh. "That's a shame. I quite like rhymes."

"...really?"

"Yes! And I especially love reading stories from other cultures. It's quite enlightening to see what values they espouse and how they compare to your own country's teachings, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes!" Myrrh nodded, beaming. "This book is full of stories like the ones back home and it's really interesting how they teach the same morals despite having its characters being in completely different circumstances!" She paused. "...I mean, I only skimmed through it because I was curious so I'm not sure if they're all like that, just in the ones I read."

"Of course, of course." Tiki nodded back and held out her hand. "Shall I put it back for you?"

"That's alright, I can do it."

"Okay, then."

Myrrh didn't seem to realise how suspicious it was that she knew the exact bookcase the rhymes belonged to if she never read children's books. Instead she was quite happy to slot it back into place in Tiki's presence, fluttering her wings to reach the shelf that was otherwise just out of reach. She landed with the faintest pat on the carpet and looked at the older woman with a smile, brushing some dust off her skirt.

"Good morning again, Ms. Tiki. Did you want to ask me something?"

"Oh...right, of course." Seeing Myrrh enjoying herself had wiped her original intention from her mind but she was surprised Myrrh had forgotten too. Unless...

...oh.

She scanned the child's face again and saw that her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Oh, you poor thing.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I...I just wanted to know how you were feeling after we last spoke, but I understand if you're still not ready to talk. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like this." She inclined her head slightly and turned away.

"Wait!"

It was Myrrh's time to grab her wrist.

"Ah!" She whirled back around. "Yes?"

"I...I'm ready to talk, actually."

"...you are?"

"Yes," Myrrh looked down and let go of Tiki with a small blush. "But is it okay if we sit down first? Also, I'm very sorry for grabbing you like that."

They returned to their seats, Tiki choosing one next to Myrrh's this time and reassuring her that with so few in the library this early in the day, they wouldn't get in trouble for talking.

"Oh...if you say so..." Myrrh trailed off and kicked her little legs in the air for a while. Tiki gave her all the time she needed, content to study the child's profile as she concentrated. Finally the girl nodded to herself.

"Are you ready?" asked Tiki.

"Yes. I'm sorry I worried you."

"It's fine. I told you, didn't I? I was in the same position as you many years ago."

"Mm," Myrrh nodded. "I wanted to find you two days ago actually, but...it was hard."

"Hard to find me?"

"No..." she shook her head this time. "It was hard to...to know what to say," Myrrh's cheeks turned red.

"That's alright," Tiki rubbed the top of the child's head. "It was unfair of me to put such heavy thoughts into a young mind like yours."

"No, I knew what I wanted to say!" Myrrh squeaked, surprising the older dragon. "I just...didn't know how to put it into words. I'm not a child..." she pouted.

Tiki barely stifled a smile. "Of course not! I misspoke. Do you know what words to use now?"

"Yes." Myrrh nodded again and took a quick breath. "I wanted to thank you, Ms. Tiki. And...I think you're right."

"Oh?"

"It...hurts. It's scary to think that I'll wake up one day and Prince Ephraim won't be there anymore, but...you're right. It's something..." she swallowed. "It's something I have to accept as a Manakete and - and you showed me there are ways I can make it all worth it. I wanted to tell you that - that when that day comes..." she stopped for a moment. When she continued her voice was quieter than it already had been. "I'll do my best to carry on his will and story to as many people as I can. And not just his either! Father, Princess Eirika, Master Saleh and Ewan, Dara and Dozla...I'll live on for everyone who was ever kind to me and make them proud, just as you do." She gave Tiki a small smile. "I hope I make you proud too!"

The older figure felt tears welling up in her eyes and blinked as much of them away as she could. "Of...of course you do! You make me incredibly proud, Myrrh!" To think she's so resolved at such a young age... Even Tiki herself had needed a few hundred years more to fully understand such sentiments. She pulled the child into a tight hug and placed a long kiss on her forehead. Myrrh squirmed for a while before relenting, a blush and pout back on her face when Tiki finally let her go.

"I'm proud of you, Myrrh." She said again.

The pout slipped from her face to be replaced with a shy smile. "...thank you. And thank you for talking with me."

"I learned something from you too, you know."

"Really?" Myrrh cocked her head. "What?"

"You taught me just how valuable our memories are..." Tiki looked out the far window at the early morning sun. It seemed this day would be a beautiful one. "And just how much I appreciate them." She looked back at her young companion. "So thank you, Myrrh." Myrrh blushed and looked away until she spoke again. "I have another question for you though."

"Yes?"

"You spend a lot of time with Prince Ephraim, don't you?" She winked. "Just what is the story there?"

Myrrh spluttered. "N - n - nothing!" She covered her mouth after her outburst and looked around. With no one coming to reprimand her she continued in a high-pitched (but quieter) wail. "Ms. Tiki..!"