Trust

[Tismri]

Samara closed her eyes as Aramis spoke to her, turning away for a moment. Though she had known what he was going to say, to hear the words caused her heart to ache with nearly unbearable pain. A part of her shied away, wanting to cover her ears and deny what he was saying. He would come back to her. Or else she would go find him again. That was how it always was.
But she knew the truth. He didn't have much time left. He was a hunted man, and he could only escape his fate for so long. And she needed to hear what he had to say.
She took her time to process his words as she turned back to face him again. She gave him a sad, pained smile. The sight of his tears shattered her.
"I could never be angry with you...Joshua," she whispered to him. "Not even for leaving me like this. I owe you my entire life. I will try to do what you ask of me, but...recovering from losing you will take me a very long time, I am afraid. You have always been the only one I ever trusted. You have been everything I ever needed: father, brother, friend, and lover. I know this void will take an eternity to fill again; no single person can ever be everything you have been." She pulled herself closer to him, holding him tightly as she had as a little girl. She didn't want to let him go, but she knew she must.
She looked up at him, meeting his gaze once again. She bit her lip, hesitating. "May I...have something of yours? A memento, so that you will always be near to me even after you are gone?" Her voice hitched on the end of the sentence, the reality that this was their last night together hitting her hard.

[Max452]

Aramis held Samara tightly against him, his eyes closed now, as he tried to force every memory of Samara into his mind forever. At her request for something, he nodded to her, having already planned to give her something. He glanced over to his cloak that was laid on one of her couches in the room. "My staff. I've had it with me since I can remember." He told her as he buried his head into her hair. "It has protected me all my life; now, let it protect you and remind you of how much I love you." He whispered to her as he then pressed her onto her back. "You'll be all right, Samara." He attempted to smile, to reassure her. "All will be well, my Angel." He whispered to her. His gaze heated then as he leaned down to kiss her. He would love her once more tonight, to comfort them both, but more importantly, to let her know how much he loved her.

***
"Do you wish to see, Seth?" Sidhion asked the Rider as he watched his student hold a bow and arrow. They had been practicing Seth's archery, but Seth was not allowed to have Hyperion lend him his eyes, much to the frustration of Seth; he had not hit his target at all.
"NO." Seth growled out, determined to overcome this challenge without help. He would prove that he could use his other senses to hit the target.
"Why?" Sidhion asked simply, much to Seth's utter annoyance.
"Because I will not have my weaknesses rule me! I will overcome them." Seth proclaimed.
"Would not giving you your sight strengthen you?" Sidhion asked, knowing the answer already, but his own suggestion was not one that Seth knew of.
"No. It will only hinder me. I have lived my life in the darkness. If I regain my sight, it will disrupt my other senses. I will become reliant on my eyes, rather than trust my senses that are not easily decieved."
The boy's answer caused Sidhion to raise an eyebrow. "You find sight to be deceiptive?"
"Yes. Many have trust their eyes rather than their heart or other senses. They are unaware of the hidden dangers because they think their eyes will let them see everything." Seth replied, thinking of Glory.
"I understand, but I was not speaking of restoring your eyesight as the way that you think."
Seth paused in notching a new arrow to his bow. "I do not understand, Master."
"What is magic, Seth?"
Seth thought for a moment. "It is using the energy around you to manipulate or change something that cannot be done naturally by nature."
"Yes. Energy is all around us. It is what makes us and allows us to live and survive in this world. Magic, only allows us to communicate and harness bits of energy so that we may change things for our use."
"All around us?" Seth never really thought of it that way.
Sidhion nodded, despite knowing that Seth could not see. "Energy pulsates within us, yes? You feel it when you conduct magic. It is in everything and in nothing. When we call upon magic with the Ancient language, we feel us being drawn to energy, until we have to release it in a wave-like feeling. Is this how you feel when you use magic?" Sidhion asked Seth. The boy nodded, thinking about his Master's words.
"My solution for your sight, is not that different. You see, Seth, because you are blind, you have come to trust what you feel, taste, and hear around you. You trust the energy around you to guide you. This is not so different from what I wish to teach you. It is a rare and difficult way to see, but when you have accomplished it, you will not only heighten the senses you have now, but you will be able to hit your target when you loose your arrow, because Seth, you will be able to see." Sidhion introduced his idea to the blind Rider.
"So, I will be able to see, but not really?" Seth asked, a bit confused.
And then something rare happened to Sidhion; a rarity that he had not produced unless he was with Tismri. He laughed. "Yes, in your words, yes, my student. You will see."
"Then what are we waiting for!" Seth smiled, a smile that brought him hope to see Glory again.

[Tismri]

Samara gave a forced smile as Aramis tried to reassure her. Perhaps he spoke true. One day all would be well. She felt she would one day be reunited with him again. Somewhere beyond death, she would see him again, and they would be together forever after that.
"Thank you," she whispered to him, more to the words than she could express. "I love you, my savior...I always will." She lost herself in loving him then, concentrating on the present with him and not thinking of the fact that this was the last time. Still, she could not restrain the tears that fell during the night as she accepted his warmth and comfort and gave him all the love she had to offer.
She knew, when she awoke, he would be gone. He would not wake her to say goodbye. He would just slip away quietly. She knew neither of them would be able to bear it if they drew it out any longer than necessary. Even as she eventually drifted to sleep, she focused on his warmth, knowing it would be the last time she ever felt it.

[Max452]

The chirping sounds of birds alerted Aramis that it was time to leave. Morning had come, and he needed to get going before people began tracking his movements to Samara. Gently escaping the warmth of his lover, Aramis peered down at her sleeping form for a moment longer. He would miss her. He kissed her softly on the forehead, as not to wake her, and begun to dress. Aramis took his belongings, save one, his staff, for Samara to remember him by. He carefully placed it on her dresser, took one final, longing look at his Angel, and disappeared through the window, heading to another place, where thoughts of Samara would keep him warm.

Weeks later:

Aramis stared wide eyed at the position he was placed in. The ticking noise from the object in front of him alerted him of his fate. He closed his eyes, muttering something as his thoughts lingered on Samara, one final time. I love you. He thought as he felt the scorching heat the device emitted. In that instance, Aramis was no more.

The Green Ferret Inn erupted in a huge explosion, eliminating all occupants inside the building.
"You idiot!" Dominic yelled at Elijah who was laughing at the explosion he had just created. "This was my asignment you had no right to interfere!" The young assassin yelled at the bomb artist.
"Now, Dom Dom, don't be so cranky! Look! Its all done now! Now you can come back! Kit Kat was getting impatient for you! I saved you time!" Elijah smiled crazily.
Dominic steamed. He was tracking down Aramis and had finally fought him in the former tavern, but the idiot beside him had surprised everyone by appearing and joining the fight. Dominic had cornered Aramis and was about to make the kill when the bombster decided to inform him that he had placed an explosive inside the tavern, right where Aramis was. Elijah had pulled Dominic out of the building then, making sure that the little assassin wouldn't die, per Katriana's request, especially since he knew that Aramis could not escape the bomb, magic or not. His body parts, along with the other occupants that were still in the tavern, were probably now scattered around the charred floor.
Dominic growled out at Elijah. "Leader Katriana wanted his head! Now what am I do to!?"
"Oh, shush. She'll understand, besides, they're probably bits in pieces of him in there! Let's go check!' And with that final word, Elijah hopped over to the shattered inn, moving the fire along with magic, to search for Aramis remains.

Days Later:

"That is our report, Argetlam Katriana." Dominic's head was bowed low as he faced his leader.
"Oh, yes! Here Kit Kat, I got some proof, like you wanted!" Elijah jingled a small leather satchel in front of Katriana. "Its his fingers! That's all we could find that wasn't too charred up! His pinky and ring finger! See!" Elijah opened the bag to show his Master, like a good dog would show a bone. "It was found near his dagger, so we know its him. He's all crispy now."
Dominic glared over to Elijah. "If you hadn't interfered, I would have brought his head."
"Oh details. Now you can get all fixed up and Kit Kat is happy, Dom Dom. So be quiet, or I'll blow you up!" Elijah cackled madly, having gotten a bit more insane over the years.

Vanilor's chest rumbled dangerously at the explosive artist. He disliked the man calling Katriana Kit Kat, no matter if his brains had been screwed up from all the torture he had received a few years ago.

[Tismri]

The weeks passed much the same as they always had for Samara. Very little felt different for her, although there was a twinge of sorrow to her eyes. It all seemed so ethereal right now. She felt as if in a few days, he could very well show up again, though she knew in her heart that he wouldn't.
Then, one day, in the middle of the afternoon, she just started sobbing uncontrolably the servants and other household members were stunned by her very sudden change in demeanor. She fled the room and locked herself in her suite, where her eyes fell upon the staff left to her. She grasped it and held it close to herself, curling around on the bed that she would never again share with the man she loved. He was gone now...gone forever. The man who had saved her life, who had cared for her, loved her, watched over her. The man she had worshipped and adored. She held the staff even more tightly, losing herself in her sudden onslaught of grief.
The days passed by, and her mourning did not decrease. However, she had no more tears to shed. She went about her daily duties, but everyone around her was on edge. They did not ask her what was wrong; they knew enough to understand. Finally, she couldn't just sit around the house any longer. She left the house and went for a long walk, carrying his staff with her. Her steps took her farther and farther; she didn't question where she was going. Eventually, she stopped before a charred rectangle near a scorched town. There was little left of the place.
She didn't feel the impulse to move any farther. She was where she was supposed to be. Her eyes widened and tears returned as she realized the fate of her loved one, grief striking her anew.
"Goodbye, Joshua," she whispered. Her hand rested on her stomach where, the near month he had been gone had told her, their child now grew inside her. "We both love you very much." She lingered for several moments longer, tears falling freely. Then she turned and walked back home.

OOC: Don't judge. I couldn't leave her all alone.
~~~~~
Kat sat against Vanilor, drumming her fingers lightly against the dragon's scales as Dominic and Elijah gave their report to her. So, Aramis was finally dead. This pleased her very much. She gazed at the fingers that the crazy fool dangled before her. Well, there was no proof they were his, really. But she knew there was no way Aramis could have survived that blast. If there was one thing she could give to Elijah, it was that he got the job done.
"Well done, Elijah," she said. "I knew it was a good idea to send you after Dom. I knew with competition at least one of you would manage to slay that coward." She smirked and turned to Dominic. She was annoyed that it had taken him so long to track the traitor down again, but she decided to be lenient this time. He still made a good pawn.
"Thank you for your hard work, Dominic," she told him. She stood and walked slowly toward him, lifting his chin so he would look at her. "I am proud of you for achieving your goal. Waise heil." She brushed her hand against the leg she had broken in punishment. Now with his goal accomplished, she healed him as a reward. She smiled gently as she backed away.
"Now, you two go rest. You have earned it." She returned to Vanilor, who she sensed was annoyed by Elijah's antics.
I don't trust the little clown, she commented. He is unpredictable sometimes...I cannot yet tell where his true loyalties lie.

[Max452]

OOC: Hmmmmm.

Dominic felt relief as Master Katriana healed his leg. He felt the bones come back to their proper places and was grateful that he was not receiving punishment. "Thank you, Argetlam Katriana." Dominic bowed before her and left after being dismissed. Elijah gave Katriana a mock salute before scampering off to his own duties.

I would rather eat him just to save you the trouble of finding out where his loyalties are, Kat. He treats you as a doll with his pet names. Vanilor growled. If he desires to do so, I will fry him. His gold eyes watched Elijah as he pranced away.

***
Several weeks later:

Seth's breathing was even and fluid as he opened his mind to what was around him. Master Sidhion's training was doing well for Seth. He was yet to fully harness his new talent, but it did help him tremondously as it was. He felt a shift in the energy around him. Seth tilted his head toward his right. Following Sidhion's instructions, Seth reached his own energy out to the energy that laid in the world, combining it with his. It was a hard thing to do, at first, but with constant practice and help, Seth had finally been able to do such a thing without draining his energy. With the energy now combined with his, Seth could finally "See" around him. Waves of energy reverberated within his mind, such as a rock would ripple water once it made impact. Seth could see Sidhion's energy coming toward him from his right and the young Rider instantly shot his sword upward to block Sidhion's attack. Seth twirled his wrist, forcing Sidhion's sword downward. Seth continued to watch Sidhion's movements as he quickly shot out his leg to knee his Master in the gut. Sidhion retracted himself before impact was made, and skidded away. He smiled as Seth continued to follow his energy. He was progressing nicely and it made him feel proud. Sidhion continued to back away, but then suddenly pranced forward, attempting to confuse Seth, but the boy merely kept his stance and pulled out his bow and arrow in a flash. Notching the arrow quickly, Seth launched at Sidhion, but quickly shouldered the bow as he charged at Sidhion, his broadsword at the ready.

Sidhion was impressed with Seth's ingenuity as he dodged the arrow and met Seth's blow with his own sword. "Good, Seth." Sidhion complimented as they continued to spar for another minute, their swords flashing with incredible speed. After a moment, Seth grunted as his sword was dislodged from his hand and flew upward, with Sidhion catching it with his own hand. "You have gotten better. You lasted a lot longer today. You should be proud of your progression." Sidhion smiled, as the youth beamed up at him.
"Thank you Master." Seth smiled. I'm getting closer, Glory. Just hang on a bit longer. Seth thought to himself as Sidhion then handed him his sword again. "Once more." The Master commanded and the student followed.

***
"Ah, Milady Samara." Samara's chamberlain greeted the Master of the house. "Here is the daily report." He approached her cautiously, knowing that she was still on edge from whatever caused her to suffer months ago. "We just have some new changes to report in. The horses are doing wonderfully and some have bred in fine new colts; you are welcomed to see them today, if you like." Chamberlain Gerald informed Samara as he followed her about. "We also have a new stableman. He was Herbert's recommendation. Apparently he was found by Herbert's cousin a few months ago." Gerald lowed his voice, "He is maimed and was in need of work, so Herbert's cousin hired him. Poor man. It seemed like a fire. He's very self conscious, according to Herbert and keeps a hood over his face and wears long sleeve tunics. Thought you should know if you encounter him. He just responsible for maintaining the grounds and the horses. Herbert calls him David; he doesn't seem to speak." He informed her before going on about the new garden arrangements that were made.

***
David carried the two pails of water to the trough for the horses to drink, careful not to spill it. Having reached the trough, he placed one water pail down. He glanced briefly over to the main estate, a longing look in his eyes before returning his own eyes to his work. The tunic hood that covered his head kept his half scarred face hidden from view. He propped the water pail he had against the trough, tipping it into it. The water slushed hungerily into it as one of his hands gripped the edge of the pail. A scarred left hand barely kept the pail from falling, since he only had his thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger to maintain it.

[Tismri]

Gloriann knelt to the ground, panting hard as her head grew light. She'd pushed herself harder today than she ever had before, practicing with Theyna until she nearly passed out. She felt she still wasn't good enough. She could never compare to the best swordsmen in the world. She couldn't measure up to an elf or a Shade yet. She could barely hold her own against some humans. But she would get better. She longed to feel Katriana's approving gaze upon her again, to receive praise from her mentor. Finally, today, she'd struck a blow so hard that it completely shattered her opponent's weapon. She'd bested him, and Theyna was still without a scratch. Immediately after he surrendered, she felt her legs give out to the position she occupied now.
"You're getting closer, dear Glory," she heard Katriana say as the Shade stroked her hair gently. She felt some strength return to her, along with renewed determination. She would do her best next time. She would impress Katriana and prove her worth among her peacebringers.
"Thank you, my lady," she said, getting back to her feet. She sheathed Theyna and walked to the edge of the camp. There was an oasis there, which provided water for everyone gathered. There were also a multitude of birds there that would rest along their journey to wetter climates. Glory pulled out her bow and gave a cry, startling most of the creatures, which she then proceded to shoot, making them fall from the sky. She cursed to herself when she only felled about half of them.
"I will get them all one day," she promised herself.
~~~~~
Samara listened to the report given to her as she shuffled the papers around on her desk, getting her affairs in order. She'd left most of it neglected for far too long, as she had been not only mourning but also feeling ill when she awoke. She was just now starting to regain the energy and willpower to do what was needed of her again. She gave Gerald a smile.
"Thank you, Gerald," she told him. Her brow furrowed as he described the condition of their new stablehand. The poor man...a fire was such a dreadful thing. He was lucky to have survived. She would have to go meet with him soon, but for now, her other affairs drew her attention.

[Max452]

"What is peace, Seth?" Sidhion asked his student as they sat in a clearing, both males cross-legged and facing one another. The young apprenctice thought for a moment. What was peace? Happiness? Seth thought. He thought about his training thus far and his motivations behind his gaining of strength. "Peace." Seth thought out loud, "I'm not truly sure, Master Sidhion. I think it differs from each person. When you say, Peace, I think of simply the time that I spent with Glory. We were just sitting at her rose garden, listening and admiring the nature around us. I felt good...happy. That to me is peace...when you feel happy with those you love and, you have no fear that anything will harm you." He replied with all honesty, wondering if that was the answer Master Sidhion required.
His Master nodded, seemingly pleased. He could relate to the young man. His peace was Tismri. "Peace is hard to describe, young Seth. For centuries I had once believed that it was a utopia - where everyone would be happy because no one would fight with one another. There would be an order presented and only those who were pure in heart could abide in it. No destruction...no pain...and anyone that dares interrupt it would be punished without thought or question. It was to be ruled by me and was to rule absoluteness."
"That doesn't sound too bad...I mean, there would be no pain, right? Everyone would be happy."
Sidhion gave Seth a somber gaze. "You cannot have peace without freedom. My ideals were just that: a prison for those who would live in it. There would be no harmony because all would live in fear of my wrath. Is that peace? I think not. Peace is harmony, balance. We must know pain in order to appreciate happiness, but we must also be able to have the freedom to choose to be happy."
"I don't understand, Ebrithil." Seth was confused at where this was going.
"Let's think of it this way, shall we?" Sidhion then precedded to present Seth a problem. "Seth, why do you fight so hard to rescue Glory?"
Seth thought for a moment, knowing that his Master was trying to teach him something. "I fight for her because I want her to be happy."
"Yet, do you think she isn't happy right now? Where she is learning and growing with the Shade?"
Seth thought hard on that question. "I don't know. I think she believes she is, but she's not free at the same time." Seth began, finally sensing the bigger picture, "She's not ever going to be truly happy because she isn't free to choose her happiness. She's being manipualted to belive in some elses' thoughts and beliefs. She's being controlled to feel only certain things. She has no balance."
"Correct. Only one view is being presented, if not thrusted upon Glory. She may think that is what she truly believes, but it is being forced upon her, slowly, but surely and without her knowledge. Peace comes when we find it within ourselves - the harmony and balance that makes us happy. We see things around us and choose for ourselves a santuary to protect us from the world - our own little peace. For some, though, their peace is to invade others, but essentially, that is just causing more chaos because they have disrupted all balance and harmony."
"That kinda makes sense." Seth replied, thinking out Sidhion's words.
"Perhaps, in time, you will come to make sense of what I speak, but for now, I think our day is done. Ponder more on what I have said, all right?"
"Yes, Ebrithil." Seth nodded and stood from his position.
"Tomorrow we will be training all together, so eat and rest well." Sidhion advised as he went back to his own meditations.
"Yes, Ebrithil." Seth nodded and ran off to the tree house, where he would meet Hyperion after his own lesson.

***
Gerald humbly bowed to Samara. "Milady." He politely excused himself and went to perform his duties. He glanced outside, toward the stables, where he spotted the hooded man petting the horses with his right hand. He hoped that Herbert's recommendation was safe. The stableman gave out a dangerous vibe to the chamberlain, but Herbert was the Nolans' advisor and held an honest and true opinion of others. If he wanted the man David here, then it he would stay. Gerald pondered a moment longer before running off to check on the maids work.

***
It was the end of the work day and David was finishing his final chore: carting in the final load of hay to be prepped for the horses tomorrow. David's eyes, again, flashed over to the estate. He wanted to go in there...he wanted to see her once more, but after so long, and the way he was now, he was afraid. His thoughts drifted to a few months ago. He closed his eyes, recalling those painful moments. He shivered out of his thoughts when he felt the memory of the heat upon his skin and the painful lurch in his stomach when he performed that spell. He propped the cart up inside the stables. He glanced at his left hand. It was a small sacrifice to pay, but it was worth it if he was able to see her again. He knew she would be angry with him, for not coming sooner...but it was not his fault. He proceeded to put tools away, thinking about the long, painful months of recovery. He knew he risked much to have been stationed here as her worker, but he had to remain close - he promised to protect her until his last breath, and if he had to do it from afar, he would. He glanced at his scarred hand, not feeling worthy of her anymore. He knew Samara was not one to be vain, but a maim man was not good prospects for one of her station, and so, he had decided to protect her from afar, as he had always done, despite the heartache he felt in knowing that she would have to move on.

[Tismri]

Glory stared into the space before her, curiously. It didn't seem different from anywhere else around her. But she knew she was doing something. She felt the spell draining her energy. She glanced upward to where a large desert bird rested on a sand dune some meters away.
"Fethrblaka," she called out in the ancient language, "fly to me." If it took the quickest path, it would fly through the area she'd worked her magic. The bird stirred a bit, opening one eye, then unfurled its wings and started flying toward her. It reached her spell, then, and gave a startled squak. Something wasn't right there. It suddenly couldn't breathe. No matter how much it tried, nothing filled its lungs. Glory smiled as it collided with the ground, satisfied with the proof given to her. She released the spell then, and the bird took a few moments to recover its strength and flew away as quickly as it could.
Glory fell to the ground then. The spell had taken more energy than she had first realized. She gasped and shuddered, but still smiled. Now she knew she could do it. With some practice of control, she would be able to create a vacuum in a small enough space.
She was so grateful to Katriana for bringing her here. She doubted any of her mentors in Bromsland would have allowed her to discover her potential quite like this.
~~~~~
Samara sat writing at her desk, sending letters to other various nobles about business affairs, but she started growing restless. She placed her hand on her stomach lightly. The place in her body was starting to grow; not noticeably to anyone who didn't look closely, but she could feel the changes.
She put down her quill and put her head in her hand, tears starting to form once again. Her baby would never meet the wonderful man that was its father. The thought of raising the child alone was a daunting prospect. Occasionally she had considered courting and marrying someone so she wouldn't have to face this all by herself, but the thought repulsed her. She wanted her child to know who his father was, and not forget the man who had saved her life in more ways than one.
Still restless, Samara dried her tears and glanced out the window. The sky was a bit gloomy, threatening rain. She decided a walk would do her good. At the very least, she could meet her new stablehand. She stood and grabbed her cloak, wrapping it around herself. She also found the staff. Joshua's staff. Of course, she never did learn how to fight with it, but she still had the habit of taking it with her nearly everywhere she went. She walked outside in the direction of the stables, breathing in the fresh outdoor air.

[Max452]

David was still inside the stables, locking it up and making sure that everything was prepared for tomorrow. He mindlessly worked, merely thinking in the montone silence of the stable. Thoughts were occupied about Samara and whether or not he should speak with her. Aramis was gone, that much was certain - but Joshua now fully remained. The name David only was given to him because he refused to speak, fearful that anyone may know his voice when he was in recovery. He was also worried that his existance would become known again, so he refrained from doing anything rash until he was sure that the underground rumors of his Death were broadcasted. Only then, did he finally emerge and seek Samara out. David...Joshua, his name mattered not - he was still the same man that was in love with the same woman. But would the woman be in love with the man that was now maimed?

[Tismri]

Samara entered the stables, a little cautiously so the horses wouldn't be spooked. She glanced around; she didn't see anyone at first because of the relative darkness inside. She found the nearest horse and stroked its neck gently as her eyes adjusted. Finally, she spotted the cloaked figure on the other side of the stable. She approached him with a gentle smile--though the expression still rarely reached her eyes anymore.
"Good morning," she greeted him. "Are you my new stablehand? David, was it? I am Samara, the lady of this estate."

[Max452]

OOC: Thinking of what to post for Seth still...blah

At the sound of a very familar voice, David turned himself. He was cautious and placed his head down so his hood would shroud his face even more. He placed his hands in front of him, unsure of what to do. He hadn't expected Samara to come and visit him so soon. He caught a quick glimpse of her smile, noting how her eyes were still dim; she was still mourning. His heart ached. He really wanted to reveal himself, but his maimness refrained him. He nodded once at her inquiry and bowed respectfully toward her. His heart hammered with happiness to see her again, but at the same time, it hammered out of fear of the possibility of being caught. He rose himself, making sure his head was still lowered. After all these years of knowing one another, Joshua was truly afraid that Samara would find him.

[Tismri]

Samara waited a few moments in silence for her new servant to respond. It seemed he was shy and not forthcoming. He seemed to be making sure his face remained concealed by his cowl at all times. She gave him a sympathetic look.
"Gerald told me you had suffered some sort of accident. If you do not wish to show me your face, I understand. But I would like you to know that I will never judge you for your appearance. You are who your spirit makes you, not what fate or other people might have tried to form you. I hope you will make yourself at home here on my estate. Feel free to let me know if there is anything you need." Since he did not seem forthcoming in conversation, she turned to take her leave from the stable and continue her walk around the grounds.

[Max452]

Joshua's heart clenched. Anything he needed? What he needed was her. Samara's words sunk into his heart. She was always so kind, so warm and so understanding. Again, he nkew she would not love him any less. It was his own fears and insecurities that were separting them now. Thinking quickly, Joshua finally decided to speak. He glanced down at his hands and shamefully hid his disfigured one as he felt a moment of fear. He watched as she motioned herself out of the barn. She was almost gone when he finally spoke. "I need you, Samara." His voice was soft, quiet and a bit unsure as he lifted his head evenly toward her, the rim of the cowl revealing a bit of his face to her as he tilted his head sideways so she would not be able to see the scarred left side of his face. He wondered if she heard him as she almost disappeared.

[Tismri]

Samara paused at the door a moment. She thought she'd heard a hauntingly familiar voice, though she didn't quite make out the words. She glanced back into the stables, but David's figure was again in shadows that she could not make out. It couldn't have been what she thought it was. Her heart was still pained enough that it was now playing tricks on her. She left to continue her walk around the grounds. Finding a quiet, private spot far away, she leaned against a tree as she felt her heart well up again with sorrow. She missed Joshua every day. She knew her little one was going to wonder what happened to his father. What could she tell him? He died...the thought still wrenched her heart, and thinking of telling those words to her child in the future hurt her even more.

MONTHS LATER:
Samara leaned back against the bed, her breathing finally evening out as the pain had finally lessened. A baby girl lay nestled in her arms, settling down from being just born. She held the girl close; she'd sent the midwife and other servants away, just wanting to be alone with her baby. Though she felt great joy as seeing this child she and her true love had created together, she couldn't keep the tears from falling.
"You look just like your father," she whispered to her girl.