Seth's sleep was troubled. He tossed and turned restlessly, red hair drenched with sweat. "No." He whispered in his distress, "I'm not...I wouldn't." He sat bolt upright, breathing heavily.

"Seth?" a cool voice spoke from the flap of his tent. Seth could make out a shape against the pale starlight,

"Erika..." he croaked. His throat felt stuffed with cotton and as dry as the desert they slept in. She padded over to him and knelt beside his sleeping skins.

"Are you all right, Seth?" she asked, putting a cool hand against his forehead. The silver knight nodded, closing his eyes and swallowing what little moisture his mouth could scrape together. Erika produced a water skin and handed it to him silently. Seth took a quick swig and looked at her.

"Thank you Princess."

"I wish you'd just call me 'Erika,' Seth. Like you did when I first came in." He smiled at her and nodded shakily,

"I'll try." He reached out to stroke her cheek, but paused and dropped his arm.

"Seth..." The princess gave him a concerned glance, "What's bothering you?" She scooted closer to him, resting her head against his bare torso. The man felt torn. Should he, could he, tell her? He swallowed again, and took a deep breath, wrapping his arm around Erika's slight frame.

"I..." he felt embarrassed as he phrased the words in his mind, "I had a nightmare." He could practically see Erika's mouth turn up.

"A nightmare?" She asked, looking up at him. Seth could make out the glint of her eyes in the faint moonlight that seeped through the tent.

"It was...well...what happened to Ismeria (sp?) only...it was you."

"I was killed by the Tiger's eye and Moonstone?" Erika asked, feeling both confused and elated by the fact that she was in Seth's dreams.

"Yes, but...that wasn't the worst of it," Seth pulled her onto his lap and held her close, in an attempt to console himself, "You were...betrayed."

"By who?" Erika asked.

"Someone who was...is...madly in love with you." Seth said softly,

"You?" she whispered, looking up at him. Their eyes locked and for the first time, Erika watched as a single tear rolled off the General's cheek. He nodded sadly,

"It was horrible. I...I wanted you so badly that I sold Prince Ephraim, Kyle, Forde...every one, out to the Grado forces and then they..." he didn't finish. He didn't need to. Erika put her hand on his cheek.

"Oh Seth..." she said softly, "That would never happen. And I love you too." He pulled her deeper into a hug,

"How can you be sure? Erika, I-"

"You love Renais too much. And besides, I love you back. There'd be no need to sell us to Grado to get me. I'm already yours." She wiped a second tear from his eye and kissed his cheek. "You're not Carlyle, Seth. You'd never do that, not to Ephraim, not to Renais not to...not to me." Seth smiled softly.

"Thank you." He said and then kissed her lips shyly, "I think I'll be able to sleep now."

"Great." She said, moving off of him, "I'm exhausted," she slid under the covers and rolled over so her back was to him.

"Um...Erika?" The confused man said, "Aren't you going back to your-"

"Ssh Sir Seth," Erika said jokingly, "your princess is trying to sleep now." Seth chuckled softly and slid down next to her, pulling her against him.

"My Princess," he whispered softly, she rolled over to face him. Erika rolled over and snuggled against his chest,

"Your princess Seth, your Queen, but mostly, the woman who loves you."

"The woman I love." He responded, wrapping both arms tight around her. He drifted back into sleep, Erika's weight beside him, her warmth. He smiled as sleep pulled him into a velvetine embrace, surely no dream could be as pleasant as this.