Sabine was not only relieved to hear that the particular detail was not strange, but she was also moved by the sincerity of Peiter's words. With a more serious expression, Sabine stared into Peiter's eyes and held him close again. "Do...you love me, Peiter?" she asked, somewhat nervously. Even with the time that they had been together, it was a state of vulnerability that she had not exposed to him to ask such a thing.

In Tzirret's mind, he wished to deny what was happening. By La'khay's reaction, especially her not taking the pendant, he felt himself start to falter. False hope led him on just far enough to answer her. "Peiter said to only give this to someone Tzirret very much likes and who likes him in return," Tzirret mumbled quickly, but closed his eyes rather than face La'khay, "He wanted to give it to you last night, but did not because of those words." Tzirret's voice became scathing towards himself, "...And because he is a stupid coward, like always."

Tzirret turned his face away now, ashamed at himself, "He also wanted to give it to you the night before last, and before that, but he is always a stupid coward. But, the more he hesitated, the more he hates himself for not doing so. He thought..." His voice wavered with emotion, "He thought he could be with La'khay. No one has been as nice to Tzirret as La'khay, he did not expect to receive kindness when he failed himself the first time. He did not expect anyone to call him handsome."

It was then that Tzirret let out a sob, but he tried to suppress it. With the heel of the hand that held the pendant, he struck his forehead in frustration and tried to growl away the tears. [i]"He must have courage to say so or else remain tortured!"[/i] he said in Ta'agra, raising his voice. He looked at La'khay with tears streaming from his eyes, [i]"Tzirret loves La'khay with all his heart! Not the distance from Nirn to the moons could cut it off!"[/i] Tzirret took a sudden, wheezing breath in, [i]"But he knows..."[/i] he slowed down, [i]"...that La'khay does not return it."[/i]

Tzirret looked down hopelessly. He could no longer stand to be there. He brushed off La'khay's hand and threw his pendant onto the ground, before sprinting off up the river shore with his clothing still under his arm.