It's early in the morning. The sky is clear and the snow halts. The entire fort is outside congregating around a giant brazier of the Honor Flame.

Everyone stands in silence, staring at the soon to be lit firewood. Some, like Muri, are silently crying. Trying their best to not make a scene, but I doubt anyone would judge them if they did. The rest stand stiff, barely moving. The loss might not affect them personally, but they clearly want to show their presence. Everyone does, except us.

Rose doesn't like being close to the brazier, so we stand on the furthest outer circle. Present to show respect, but not close to be noticeable.

Our Fort's Master walks closer to the brazier, "Today we light the Honor Flame, from sunrise to sunset. In memory of all our Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, and Fathers who were denied the pleasure to be back with us.

"Their death is a display of courage. They took their duties to heart and sacrificed themselves for the future. For our future. A future where their loved ones, friends, and country can live a better life.

"Please, throughout the day, feel free to come back to the Honor Flame. Take some of the firewood, and with it keep the flame alive. Through this simple act, we honor their lives. Recognizing everything they did for us, and say our final goodbye." He finishes lighting the brazier and walks back into the crowd.

Muri, and everyone else devastated, are the first to send their firewood. It is the right of the bereaved to send the first batch of firewood. The flame burns brightly with each sacrifice.

"I am leaving," Rose quietly whispers to me.

"Why?" I whisper back.

"I don't want my presence causing any trouble."

"They were your sisters and brothers too."

"I'll come back later, when everyone's gone."

"In that case, I am leaving too."

"No, I was just letting you know. You don't have to come with me."

"Don't worry, I'll come back later with you," I lock my arm with Rose and walk us away.

"Sorry Lerrono," Rose whispers to herself, "We'll be back."

Oh, that's right. Lerrono is dead... No, no, no, that can't be. Lerrono can't be dead. How can he? That doesn't make any sense LERRONO IS G- Val stop it! Rose needs me, I can't slip.

That's right. I need to make Rose happy. What can I do? Think Valeria! What would Rose like to do? What can I do so she doesn't leave me?... I got it!

"I was thinking about something you're going to like," I tell Rose as we walk back to the fort.

"Are you thinking about sneaking into the kitchen?"

I laugh, "Why would I be thinking that?"

"Maybe they have milk, or more cheese. What if we find the so-called cake?"

I laugh again, "I doubt it, not with the Honor Flame going."

"Aaah, makes sense."

"I was thinking," I make sure Rose is looking at me, "Let's go find a tree."

Rose is shocked, and I see all her funny expressions. "No, what! You want that? What happened to 'my bed is our tree'?"

We enter the fort's hallways from a back exit, "That hasn't changed, I just think a little adventure would be nice."

I have to do this, I need Rose with me. Whatever it takes, I can't lose her. HERE I THOUGHT I WAS THE MAD ONE. You shut up!

"Who are you and what have you done with my Valy?" Rose jokes as she locks eyes with me. She wants this and I know it.

"Well if you don't want, we don't h-"

"Oh, no no no. You can't back off now. We are doing it," she unlocks our arms and holds my hand, guiding me deeper into the fort.

"Where are we going?"

"We need blankets, especially for you." We reach my room and Rose enters it without hesitation.

I force myself to enter. Rose and I had already cleaned the mess, but the rage and hatred still lingers. The shield-impaled broken desk is still there. The forever ink flames across the floor are still there.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU HAD THAT IN YOU? Shut up! WHAT ELSE ARE YOU CAPABLE OF? I don't need to answer, I owe you nothing!

Rose goes near my bed and kneels down pulling a basket from underneath.

"What, since when do you have that?"

"I brought it last winter, for this moment."

"You've been planning this since last winter?"

"Yeah, you thought I wasn't ready when I brought it up?" Rose puts her cheese wheel in her basket along with the wine bottle from the other day. She then pulls another bottle from the basket and shows it to me.

"You wanted this since last winter?"

"I've wanted this ever since I heard about it years ago."

I couldn't help myself but laugh, "You were waiting for me all this time?"

"Yeah, it's not like I was going to force you. Not only would that be wrong, but it would also ruin the beauty of it." Rose goes to my dresser and gets some blankets for her basket.

"Why do you want this?"

"I just found the tradition amusing. People go into the wild and just do it? All because it's winter." Rose walks closer to me, face to face. For a moment her face hesitates, but she clears it off. "It's funny and crazy, I want to be part of it."

"Then I came and shot you down. I am sorry. I didn't know it meant this much to you."

"Don't be," she grabs one of my hands and kisses me, "We have today, that's all that matters."

She pulls me out of my room and I willingly follow her. Now I find myself genuinely interested. Something I've shut down gains a new meaning.

What am I doing? Oh no, what have I done? No, shut up! We need this, Rose needs this and you need it. This will get us closer to Rose. This will save Rose. Rose won't leave us if we give her this. But she really wants this, she's been planning it. We aren't doing it out of love. Who said we aren't interested? I am interested. You are interested. WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO. I am talking to you. We are talking to ourselves.

Rose generates a warmth that snatch me back. She looks so happy as we walk out the fort. Her uncontrollable joy hypnotizes me. How could I not want this?

We head straight to the open gate. "We aren't taking our mounts?" I ask.

"No need, the forest is in walking distance," Rose answers, "Plus it would be weird to bring them along."

The realization of what I began crashes down on me. "Oh right, my bad."

Rose stops and turns to face me. Again I see the hesitation. Am I making her second guess? Her words come out, "You do know what we're doing right?"

"Yes, I know. I want it. Sorry I was just not thinking when I spoke."

"We can stop. It's ok if you changed your mind."

"No, I am fine. I want this. You clearly want this. Let's do it."

"Alright." She pulls on me again and I follow.

We walk down the snowy path. The trees take over our surroundings, snow builds up on top of green needles. The cold tries to sweep into me, but her warmth pushes it back.

Rose devious from the main path and we walk deeper into the forest.

We walk deeper and deeper until the path is no longer visible. "Now we start looking for our perfect tree," Rose comments.

"This one?"

"We can't just choose one. We have to study them first," Rose looks at my tree, "It's not tall enough and the ground is too mushy."

Rose walks deeper into the forest. She looks at a new tree then quickly disregards it.

"What's wrong with that one?"

"Something or someone marked it. It isn't safe."

"What about this one?" I point to a new tree far away from the last.

"That doesn't look healthy." Rose judges it once we get close enough.

I point to another one, a tall and sturdy one. "What about him?"

"It's perfect, but the surrounding smells like wolves. Not safe."

We walk deeper into the forest. Far away from all the previous trees. Rose keeps analyzing every other tree, but they all have flaws.

A big tree naturally catches my eyes. I walk closer to it and Rose notices. She begins to examine it. She knocks on it. "It's clean and sturdy. The branches are high enough and I don't see any markings." She walks around it stomping the ground. "Solid enough ground." Turns her head and body. Looking at everything around us. Every big or small detail. "I don't see, smell, or hear any danger." She finishes with a loud cheer, "We found our tree!"

I can't contain my laughter. The sound influences her. She too begins to laugh.

I want this. BUT SHE DOESN'T. Shut up!

Rose lays down her basket far away from the tree. She walks closer to the truck, "Come help me."

"With what?"

"Let's beat the trunk. We gotta remove the buildup." I walk closer to the trunk. "Unless you want a pile of snow to fall on us."

I laugh, "It's cold enough, no thank you." I began to tap on it.

"Hit it like it owes you money." Rose slams against the trunk.

I strike my palms on the trunk instead, looking up. Slowly the snow starts to cave in.

Rose then stomp-kicks the tree and a pile of snow falls on her. We laugh at the mess and she shakes it off. Any snow left on her evaporates.

I strike a little more furiously and the snow on my side begins to fall, and I move out the way.

Rose picks up her basket and walks back. She takes out the blanket and lays it underneath our tree. We sit on it, side by side. She gets close and kisses my cheek, "Ready when you are."

Val stop this, not like this. What's the problem? We've done it before. You know what you're doing. You both are not on the same page. I have to do it! I can't live without Rose. We can't live without her. We know what'll happen if she leaves us. With this action she will stay. She won't ever leave us. This is love.