Lillian

You choose Lillian.

The realization comes gradually, like the changing of the seasons. She has always been by your side, your childhood friend, your partner in everything you did, the one who knows you better than anyone. And now, she is something more.

One afternoon, as the sun sets behind the golden fields, you find yourselves alone, standing beneath the old oak tree where you spent so many childhood days. The words rise in your chest, undeniable.

"I love you, Lillian," you say, voice steady, sure. "I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you."

She stares at you, lips parted in surprise. Then, slowly, she smiles, soft and radiant.

"I love you too, Cedric," she says, her voice full of quiet certainty. "I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you as well."

And so, you do.

The wedding is simple, as all things are in Dunford. A gathering of friends and family, the people who have known you both since birth. Your father stands beside you, silent but approving. Lillian’s parents weep with joy.

The villagers shower you with gifts: wool from the sheepherders, lumber from the woodcutters, fresh bread and cider from the inn. They are grateful to you, not just for slaying the beast, but for being one of them.

When the ceremony ends, you kiss Lillian for the first time as husband and wife. It is chaste, tender, full of promise. She is your wife now. The thought fills you with warmth.

That night, in the small home you now share, you fumble through your first moments as lovers. Neither of you has any experience, only love and nervous laughter. It is awkward, shy, but together, you figure it out.

Your relationship has never been built on lust. It is built on trust, on shared memories, on something deeper than fleeting passion.

Over time, your love grows, settling into something strong and unwavering, like the roots of an ancient tree.

And in time, Lillian gives you a son and a daughter.

You hold them in your arms, these tiny, perfect lives that are half you and half her. You are no longer just Cedric the farm boy. No longer just Cedric the hero.

You are Cedric the husband. Cedric the father.

And you have never been happier.

Years pass, and your love for your family only deepens. Life in Dunford is simple, but it is good. The fields stretch wide, the farm prospers, and your children's laughter fills your home.

Your son is Beren, after your father, Beron. He has your facial features but his mother’s gentle heart. Even as a boy, he follows you through the fields, eager to learn the work of the farm, but his favorite moments are the ones when you sit by the hearth, telling stories of the night you slew the beast.

Your daughter is Elise, named after your late mother. She has Lillian’s bright eyes and sharp wit, always questioning, always searching for adventure in the world beyond the village. She climbs trees with the ease of a squirrel, chases the sheep through the fields, and demands to hear the tale of the great black wolf at every bedtime.

"Tell us again!" Elise pleads one night, tugging at your sleeve as you settle by the fire.

"You’ve heard it a hundred times," Lillian says, smiling as she stitches a tear in Beren’s tunic.

"But we like it," Beren insists, his eyes alight with admiration. "Father was a hero!"

You chuckle, ruffling his hair. "I was just a farm boy with a sword," you say.

"But you killed a monster," Elise counters, arms crossed. "That makes you a hero."

Lillian meets your gaze, warmth in her eyes. She has always known you better than anyone. You could tell the children of the fear, of the exhaustion, of the weight of the blade in your hands, but you do not. Instead, you tell them of the thrill, the bravery, the victory.

And as their eyes grow heavy with sleep, you watch them and realize something.

They are your greatest legacy. Not the beast you slew, not the silver in your coin pouch, not the whispers of your name in the village.

Beren and Elise. Your children.

Your greatest adventure is not the one you have already lived.

It is the life you are building with them.

Ending 3: Married to Childhood Friend