Kire lay awake early in the morning, but she didn’t move, content with the feeling of Ruli’s warm breath against her collarbone, feeling his steady breathing, his arm around her. Her scarred hand rested on his hair, softly caressing it. Though their first two times laying with each other had been pleasing, last night was something else: for once, she didn’t feel the need to muffle herself, and they took and gave pleasure without hurry, without simply filling a need, enjoying each other thoroughly. Kire closed her eyes, a smile playing at her lips as she recalled every sensation, and this time, neither of them had to hurry away from each other’s embrace after they were done. 

And the [i]Touch[/i]. Kire still had no adequate words for it. She didn’t know it was possible to feel such shared, intense pleasure. “Gods,” she breathed out loud, almost shuddering at the memory. What was even stranger, though, was what had happened afterward. She waited for the visions, or hallucinations, or whatever they were, and they came in an onslaught. She and Ruli, intertwined just as they were last night, in different places. A manor, the Palace, hot springs, a cabin. But the last two in the series of images were the strangest of all, if only because they broke the pattern of the other visions: him holding onto her tight as they stood on a beach, then, lastly, sitting nestled against him, his hands shaking as he held hers tight, while tears streamed down her face. Some part of her started to understand what these could possibly be, but it was just so strange to consider that she was almost ready to dismiss the thought.

She glanced down at Ruli, his face nestled against her shoulder. [i]Another life, another time?[/i] she wondered. [i]What did it mean?[/i] Sighing, she bent her head just enough to nuzzle and kiss his. 

--
Back at the gate, the runes lit up as Ed crossed over, already dressed smartly for the day. Partly, he wished Ysaryn would be the one to welcome him, but also he wished he didn’t have to interrupt his cousin’s morning.