Death And The Maiden:>Ch.16

"I'll wait," I whispered at last. "One day. I can do one day. I will take one more day of pain, because I love you. One day, Lucius. Then Gwenhwyfar is done."

He brushed his lips to my forehead and shifted; dust and pebbles danced in his wake.

And I sat there in the dust and waited as the sun swung down and the moon crossed the sky and the pink of new dawn tinged the horizon.

The stones were raking the sky when I slowly rose to my feet once more.

I'd kept my word.

I'd waited.

But he had not returned.

So I flew slowly home, and alighted on my balcony. I watered my lavender, and wrote my letter to him.

I thanked him for his thankless kindness down the long and bitter years.

I asked him to understand, and to remember me how I had been, not how I was.

I folded the sheet of fine pink paper, scrawled a heart and kisses on the outside which were swiftly blotted with tears.

I left it in the middle of my table.

And closed my door on my home for the last time.

I made my way to the great Reliqua