When will Caesar ever give up? Is this all because of that one time? No, he's been following me around like a little love sick puppy since we first meet him in Greede. Or a love sick dragon, I should say. I'm free now, so surely I can just accept how I feel about him. And yes, I feel this way despite his irritating boastfulness and his crude manner of speech. Unfortunately. I know what lies below that, which was all too obvious in the way his hands were trembling a little, not quite touching my waist but still there, hovering. He was always like that as a child. Surprisingly shy in reality. Always careful with birds and insects. The kind of boy who says a prayer for every snail stepped on.

It's so strange how all these memories were supressed for so long and these days they come flowing back, I'm learning about my past as though I'm reading somebody else's in a story. It's even more strange that Caesar has developed how he has. But under that gossamer veil he is just the same person as always. And that is why I allow my feelings to be free now. It's ok to be close to him, at least for now.

'So, what was it like being General Scardigne in Faria?' asked Caesar, trying to make conversation, his nervousness surfacing as he stammered a little halfway through the sentence. 'You sure had everybody fooled.'

'I was lucky to avoid you, wasn't I? You would have felt something with your dragon sense thing. I'm right, aren't I?'

'I did feel something. Part of me was so sure that you were alive somewhere, but then my common sense thought that was crazy.'

'Since when did you have common sense?' I couldn't help it. Teasing him is far too fun.

'Since I realised that I loved you,' said Caesar. Always full of little clichés. I sighed a little and he blushed. There was a little silence that I'm not sure if you'd call awkward. A stubborn silence maybe. His face was very close to mine. 'I know you like me, Kara,' he whispered.

'You sound like such a kid,' I said, blushing horribly. I feel like he must have said this to me before. Before I met him in Greede, I mean.

'You're not saying no,' he said, grinning. He looked so bloody pleased with himself. I couldn't help rolling my eyes and that's when he kissed me. A very gentle, delicate kiss, not like last time. Maybe because he was afraid to show me that he loved me then. Or maybe because he knew I would reject it if it hadn't been disguised as lust. His hand was so warm against the back of my waist. Dragon's blood, I suppose.

'You look so beautiful in the moonli-' he began, sitting down on the edge of the fountain, still holding my waist. 'Heh, look at me getting all mushy again. You know, I remember when we used to play in the river 'til we were drenched in the summer…' He was interrupted when I splashed him with the water from the fountain. I smiled and so he grinned. 'You'll pay for that!' And with those words he pulled me into the fountain with him.

He laughed and held me close to him. He still felt warm even soaking wet. He looks so good wet, his dreadlocks falling loose around his shoulders. His clothes were sticking to him and he felt closer to me than ever.

'Just how wet are you?' asked Caesar, stroking my hair. 'You look like a mermaid.'

I couldn't help blushing at his words and he at once realised the double meaning of his question. 'Shall we see?' he said, grinning and kissing the palm of my hand. His touch is so smooth, softer than you would imagine. Like how snakes are softer than they seem.

'See… See what?' I asked, feigning ignorance.

He paused for a moment. 'Is it ok to touch you?'

'You are touching me.'

'I meant properly. Not that I don't admire your hands.' His hand hovered above my hip.

'You've touched me before.'

'Well, that one time was different. .. So may I?'

I nodded and he kissed me, a deeper kiss this time but somehow still just as soft. His lips felt all fluttery like the heartbeat of a bird. He moved his hand over my trousers, gently unbuttoned them and stroked his hand over the little patch of hair.

'Wow, you sure like me a lot, Kara…'

'We're sitting in a pool of water, you idiot. Of course I'm wet,' I said, trying to hide my embarrassment.

'Somehow I think I can tell the difference,' he said, smiling. 'It's ok to like me, you know. You're not Dragias or Scardigne or anyone else anymore. You're just my Kara…' He carefully moved my clothes to the side so that he could kiss my shoulders, my collarbone, my upper arms and then my hands again. 'Can I be a gentleman and take you inside where it's warm?'

'Someone will see us if we go inside.'

'Are you ashamed of me?' said Caesar; he was clearly trying to hide feeling a little wounded.

'I wouldn't really want to be interrupted. We'll run into someone in the hall and have to explain how we got so wet and by the time we're left alone the mood will have gone.'

'While I take your point, I don't think 'the mood's going anywhere,' said Caesar, kissing my neck; there will be a large bruise there tomorrow… 'But,' he said, pulling my trousers down a little further, 'if you'd rather I make love to you here, that's fine by me.'

'Caesar…'

'I missed you so much, Kara.'

'I know.'

'And I know you missed me just as much. Just say it.'

'Or what?'

'Say it or I'll do my trousers up again.'

'…When did you undo those?'

'It doesn't matter. Point is I know that you're just as horny as me. Let's face it, Kara, hornier,' he said, pressing me against the wall of the fountain, his chest soft against mine. 'After all…' he began, grinning. I knew what he was about to bring up before he even said it. 'That time in Frass Chasm, we all know who started it.'

'Caesar…'

'You held me down and all I had to do was sit there and enjoy myself…'

'You make it sound like I tied you up…'

'I don't mind a little light bondage,' he laughed. Gods, his laugh is cute.

'You've ruined both of our outfits by dragging us underwater, you know,' I said as he unfastened my bodice.

'Surely, it's usually me complaining about rotting expensive leather and the like?' said Caesar. He very gently touched my breast as though he were touching a small bird and was frightened that grasping it might kill it. 'Does that mean I'm rubbing off on you?'

'You're certainly rubbing something on me…'

'Would you like me to cut to the chase?'

'No, don't stop. I like having you close to me like this.' We were, after all practically naked in that fountain.

'I like it when you say you like me,' he said, laying his head against me.

'You're so transparent, Caesar.'

'Are you ready now?' he asked, stroking my inner thighs. He has such soft hands for a man.

'I know for a fact that you were ready before you even dragged me into this bloody fountain.'

'Sit on the ledge and I'll surprise you,' he said, grinning.

'I'm not sure I like surprises.'

'You liked this surprise last time.'

'It's not really a surprise though. Like I said, you're translucent. Always have been.'

'Do you want me to be a gentleman or not?'

I laughed at the idea of Caesar being any sort of gentleman. Being the heir to an entire city was not an occupation which suited him. And although he tried his best, he would never have the sort of attitude to be what most people would consider appropriate of the upper classes. Still, that's what I always liked about Caesar. He's not truly the spoilt brat that he seems at first glance. And so I sat on the edge of the fountain and, after looking around to be sure nobody was about, he very cutely dipped his head between my legs. His tongue is so teasingly soft that I can't help but sigh out. I see him grin yet again as he looks up at me and so I close my eyes. And when I can't stand it any longer, he surfaced and kissed my closed eyelids before pulling me into a fervent kiss.

'I'm ready now,' I said.

Still holding me in a kiss, he very gently pressed into me. He was being far too soft with me, irritatingly soft.

'Caesar…' I sighed, pulling him quickly towards me.

'Ah, I see,' he whispered, beginning to quicken the pace. 'Is that better?'

'Be rougher with me.'

'Are you sure?' he said, his eyes focusing on mine. 'I don't want to hurt Lady Dinivas.'

'Yes! And why are you being like this now? In Frass Chasm you were only too happy to have it rough.'

'That's because you were on top of me. You had the control then,' he said, being unbearably tender.

'And now I've lost it to you, am I right?'

'Just say the words, Kara.'

'Please stop teasing me like this.'

'The other words. You know the words I mean,' he said, thrusting faster and harder and then slowing down. He kissed my neck where it meets the jaw.

'Caesar… I love you…'

And then all of a sudden he stopped completely and I felt his heart flutter against mine. He kissed my forehead, his lips smiling but not grinning. 'I have always loved you, Kara,' he whispered. And with those words he thrusted as deep as he possibly could until we were left tingling and breathless.

'You'll get cold if we stay out here much longer,' said Caesar, taking my hand. 'Your hands are already a little icy.'

'I hope nobody sees us when we come inside,' I said, stepping out of the water with him and holding him tight despite the fact that we were both dripping wet.

Caesar seemed distracted.

'Well, surely it isn't anybody's business anyway,' he said, retrieving something from his soaked pocket and putting it in the palm of my hand.

'What is this?'

'It's obsidian. It's good for escapism, that sort of thing, you know. I was wondering if you'd wear it and then escape with me once all this is over.' He saw the look on my face. 'You don't have to marry me or anything, don't worry. It's just a gift, I swear.'

'It's beautiful.'

'Not almost as beautiful as you are.'

'Some things never change.'

'What?'

'Nothing.'

'What!?'

'You should really see your face sometimes,' I said, laughing. 'You're such a hopeless romantic. Still, I wouldn't have it any other way…'