Every day she would try to avoid the topic. She didn’t want to bring up such a painful thought again. She wanted him to be happy with his mother’s gift as long as he could. Another three years passed. Another happy three years…

“Today’s the thirtieth anniversary of the day this tree was born.” Feilbach told Amber suddenly.

She looked at him in shock. For the last three years, neither of them spoke about the tree. Then, to suddenly have him say this… “Is it? Thirty years already? It must be hard on you…” She tried to choose her words carefully, so as not to make him snap like last time the subject was brought up.

He smiled at her, “Not really. I’ve had you for most of this time. Twenty-three years, to be exact… The time sure has flown by.” His eyes sparkled kindly.

Amber blushed, “R-really?! Twenty-three years…? Well, it’s been fun! I’ve enjoyed it, anyway. Maybe we can stay together…even after the tree is gone?” She slapped her hoof over her mouth once she realized what she had said.

Feilbach sighed, his left eye tearing up at the thought, “I’d like that. But I’m afraid it cannot be…” He turned to look her in the eyes.

Amber stamped her hoof, “Why not?! We can be happy together!” Her eyes began to tear up.

“Ever wondered why I don’t leave the tree?” Feilbach asked, his voice taking a solemn tone.

Amber swallowed the lump in her throat, fearing what the reason may be. “In fact, I have… So why don’t you?”

Feilbach’s eyes filled with tears. He closed his eyes and wrapped one arm around Amber, holding her tightly. She didn’t know what to think about this sudden change. “It’s because without this tree…I’ll die.” Her eyes grew wide as this set in. She started to say something in protest, when Feilbach hushed her.

“The day my mother died, I collapsed into my uncle’s arms. My heart stopped beating, and I died with her. The exact same moment this tree sprang to life. The Princess insisted I be buried here with my mother. When they went to put me in the grave, something fell from the tree and entered my body. I was resurrected by this tree.” He paused to let this information soak in.

Amber couldn’t say anything. She stared at him as he continued his story. “The Princess told me that my life was tied to this tree’s. When it dies, so shall I. The farther I get from it, the weaker I become. Too far, and I would die. She expected the tree to live five years. Without the Triad, it should have died decades ago. Yet here we are, thirty years later… I don’t know why it lived so long. But this is the end… I can feel it in my body. My heart aches.”

Amber started to sob. She screamed through clenched teeth, “There has to be a way to save you! There has to! You can’t just…die!” She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

He placed a hoof on her head, stroking her mane. “I should have told you sooner. This isn’t fair to you… You’ve wasted your life waiting on a tree to die…” The tears continued to pour.

“Shut up! Don’t say that! I don’t regret any of these past years I’ve spent with you! I’d do it all over again, even knowing this would happen! I lo-!” She was silenced when an agonizing yell came from Feilbach.

Underneath them, the tree began to groan and quake. The lower limbs were wilting and snapping off. The leaves rained from the tree like a storm. The tree split in half, straight down the middle, and Feilbach clenched his chest with his hoof. Amber tried to catch him as his body went limp and fell over the side of the limb. She watched as the entire tree wilted bit by bit, and the branches snapped into pieces.

Mere moments ago, they were happy on their branch. Now everything was gone. The tree, the happiness, and Feilbach himself…

Next Chapter: Chapter 10: Rhodochrosite Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 10 Minutes