It was many hours later, feeling warm and rested and safe, that I woke with a sleepy smile.

Sunlight glowed through the curtains, the rays peeking through and scattering my pillow in a broken mosaic of light. I could already feel the warmth of the day and hear the calling of birds; a sound I hadn't realised just how much I had missed until now.

Behind me, Valen's arms were banded around my middle, his breathing deep and even against my neck.

I felt my skin flush with memories of the night before.

The smile didn't drop from my face, as I lay there for some time, enjoying his warmth and the peace of the moment.

I don't know how long I just lay there, enjoying the moment, when I felt him twitch against me. My smile only grew.

Carefully, I twisted to face him, his arms tightening around me, as if to keep me from vanishing.

He blinked at me, as I nestled into the warmth of his arm, his tail wrapped languishly around my thigh.

Within our little bubble, we watched each other.

I stared into his bright blue eyes, and that's when I realised. I might very well be happy to stay here forever. In this bed, in his arms…

In this world.

So, I said very quietly; "Now what?"

I don't know what I was expecting, because — surely — he was thinking the same thing, but it wasn't; "Breakfast?"

His eyes twinkled at the obvious disappointment on my face, and his eyebrows raised in challenge. Before I could object, he began unwrapping himself from our warm cocoon of limbs and blankets. I tried my best not to shiver when his tail caressed my skin on his way out.

I lent on an elbow, raising an eyebrow at him expectantly and trying all the world to appear coy and casual.

There was no way I was leaving this bed.

Not yet.

I let myself appreciate the sight of him, the pure strength of his body, his broad shoulders and the way the light scattering of hair on his abdomen drew my eyes down, down to the waist of his pants. In the light of day I saw the pattern of scars all across his body, and I marvelled at the strength and determination it would have taken to survive each of the old injuries.

I felt him doing the same, eyes snagging on the expanse of my chest his gaping shirt allowed. For the first time, I felt proud of the scars I too bore from my time in this harsh world, a testament to everything I had survived.

Eventually, his eyes dragged up to my own. I could see the hunger on his face. But also the uncertainty.

…I'm going to have to do something about that. I felt my stomach grumble, and smiled. After breakfast.

The laugh my stomach's complaint pulled from him seemed to momentarily chase the concern from his eyes, and for that I was grateful.

"Breakfast sounds good," I admitted.

I let my eyes roam over him one last time as he rummaged through his bag for another tunic — giving it a single tentative sniff — before pulling it on over his horned head. I swallowed as I considered what they might feel like to touch, to hold, and decided that today would be the day to find out.

Hand on the doorknob, he paused, turning back and finding my eyes immediately with his own. He looked poised to say something, his eyebrows lowering slightly.

At his look, I sat up a bit straighter, smile falling from my lips and heart beating hard in my chest.

But then he shook his head and said, far-too-lightly; "Don't go anywhere," and he was gone before I could think to ask what had been on his mind.

I tried not to let it worry me, that look. But I knew that I was the cause. That his parting words had had more to do with what worried him than he wanted to let on.

…And I knew just how to fix it; the idea taking root immediately, and sending a thrum of giddy excitement through my body.

I had known from the moment I had woken in his warm embrace, thinking that I could wake up every morning like that — every morning for the rest of my life — and I would die a happy woman.

I dressed quickly, practically jumping into my shoes in my determination to beat him back to the room with my grand gesture.

Dressed, I considered leaving Enserric. But — after months with him by my side — I felt naked without the added weight. He glowed in approval, and then — sensing my plan, my thoughts — shone brighter again.

"Leave a note, you daft woman," he hissed.

He sent me a flash of hypothetical images, of Valen beating me back and reentering our room to find me gone — hurt flashed across his features, making my stomach clench. However, the following image of the tiefling — throwing himself to his knees and crying out to the heavens dramatically, pastries scattered all around him — was a little much. I rolled my eyes at the sword, scoffing at his answering chuckle.

All the same, I felt a flash of shame, and quickly ripped a half-page from the back of my notebook, scribbling Valen a quick message.

Be back soon, was all it said.

Even so, there was no way I would let him beat me back. I was determined, my lips threatening to break into a smile as I considered my plan.

The tiefling could follow me through the hells, all he wanted — but damned if I was going to let him be the only romantic one.

I was going to be so damn romantic he'd want to puke.

Enserric scoffed sceptical. "Is this what I have to look forward to?" He groaned.

I shushed him pointedly, throwing my satchel over a shoulder as I rushed out of our room. I could hear people up and about already, but I didn't pass anyone I knew in the hall, and managed to avoid those that I did recognise as I slipped out the front door.

The city was awake, repairs beginning, and business returning to usual, already. From the direction of the docks, I could hear the telltale calls of merchants and the shrill cries of hungry seagulls. A bright smile on my lips, I made my way quickly towards them, immensely impressed with myself.

The spring in my step, however, faltered at the sight that greeted me. The fish-market — if it could even be called that today — was nothing like I remembered.

Before, it had been a lively place; shopkeepers calling out their best offers to attract customers from the throngs of people, not a single empty space to be found between each colourful stall. On my way, I had recalled the salty odour of sweat and the ocean, mixed with the exotic scents of herbs and spices and seafood.

Today, there was a light scattering of stores. Some of the usuals, but none of the colourful merchant's from across the seas — and definitely nowhere near as many buyers. Those that shopped did so with purpose and efficiency, and those that sold haggled far less daringly, accepting coins with a quiet desperation.

Upon approaching the light offering of stalls, I had a moment of doubt, realising just how foolish I had been and admitting how swept up in the moment I had let myself become.

Nobody paid me any mind as I rushed past each stall, eyes narrowed as I looked for the fruit vendor I had frequented when I'd first come to the city.

She was nowhere to be seen, her usual spot empty, and I didn't let myself consider what that might mean for her. I rushed through the dock-front offering in search of an alternative, conscious of how long I had already been gone.

Why hadn't I organised a distraction? Someone to keep Valen downstairs? I practically kicked myself, realising again everything wrong with my plan.

This is why you're never the romantic one…

But I pushed on, eventually finding a store with a far more colourful offering than just fish — and let my eyes roam over the selection of fruits and vegetables. Hope sparked in my stomach as I searched, smile tugging at my lips once more.

I almost gave up and picked something similar to what I'd set out for — the hunched old shopkeeper crossing his arms impatiently — when I finally saw them.

Peaches. A whole crate of them.

Pink and fuzzy and — hopefully — delish.

I smiled, realising that my melancholy of yesterday had been for nothing; peaches did have a place in this world. Just like I was beginning to think I did too.

And I would show Valen.

I would chase that uncertainty from his eyes once and for all. I would show him these peaches; something from both my world and this one.

And I would tell him.

I would tell him that I wanted to discover everything else that this world had to offer, just him and I. Two aliens, lost on a planet together.

And it would be enough.

The smile was wide on my lips when I paid the merchant, and I was so happy that I barely even questioned the exorbitant price.

It took all of my willpower not to start eating them, then and there, as I packed them into my satchel, practically beaming as I started to weave my way back to the tavern, hoping that I would indeed beat the tiefling back to the room.

I could already see the pleasantly surprised, yet deeply skeptical, look that would be on his face when I showed him what I had.

And I let myself wonder, cheeks warming, if this would be enough of a gesture to put an end to whatever had stopped us from doing anything more the night before.

Not that I'm complaining, but…

I heard Enserric groan, chuckling to myself as I turned the final corner to the tavern.

And stopped dead in my tracks.

Enserric hummed in warning as I saw it. And a high pitched whine vibrated through my head at the powerful magic at play.

Because directly ahead — between me and the tavern and Valen — was a portal, in the middle of the abandoned street.

It was a portal of such a dark blackness that it seemed to suck the light from all around it, the world hazy and grey where it's sparking edges touched.

And I laughed — laughed! — at the irony, a bitter, hollow sound.

After all this time — all those wishes for a way home, at any cost — and now that I was finally ready to set down roots, here was the answer to my prayers. A day late.

I allowed myself a moment to picture the faces of everyone on the other side. A moment to truly contemplate all I was giving up; away from the heedy warmth of Valen's embrace. My stomach clenched painfully, feet stepping tentatively closer as I stood at the preciple of my future.

And then I remembered the look that had been on Valen's face the night before, as I had reached back to kiss him, his lips devouring the sounds he had wrung from me. I'd seen love and hope and pure awe, and the memory made my chest clench and my stomach flip.

And then again, I remembered the look of uncertainty as he'd left this morning; begging me not to go anywhere.

And my stomach dropped.

I planted my feet, gripping my satchel — weighed down with peaches — close to my chest.

And I realised that this was the only grand gesture that would chase that look from Valen's eyes this morning.

I thought again of each and every face on the other side of that portal, edges faded with time, and steeled my shoulders. I sent a final thought of love their way, asking for their forgiveness, before I began moving towards the tavern.

I left a wide berth around the sparking disk of darkness, shoulders pulled back and heart thumping impossibly loud in my ears.

And it felt right.

I was almost back at the tavern, when Enserric shouted in warning.

There was a sudden burst of magic all around us, as the portal began growing, the colour leaching from all around me. My feet slipped on the pavers, as if the world had tipped, and I cried out in alarm, reaching for something — anything.

I felt as if a thousand hands pulled at me, as I cried out again — Valen's name this time — eyes wide and heart hammering in pure fear.

No, no, no, no.

And then the darkness closed around me, the city snapping out of existence. In the void, the world felt as if it levelled out, righting itself once more.

Everything was darkness; quiet and cold. And I felt true fear grip my heart at the thought that I would never see Valen again. That he would never know that I had chosen — chosen him.

And then the darkness blinked out of existence with a sudden lurch, and I was overwhelmed with a flash of bright white light.

No, not light.

Snow and ice.

I staggered back at the familiar face that grinned at me; all sinister cruelty, where before it had been soft and amused.

The old man bowed mockingly at the waist, beard shivering in the too-freezing wind that lapped all around us, robes lashing in all directions.

There was a disorienting moment when he bowed, where — in his place — stood a much taller creature; black and winged and powerful, and cold icy fear planted my feet to the spot. But then I blinked and the visage was gone, leaving only me and the smirking man.

The man who I had thought to be Shaundakul.

We were alone, in the white empty room of ice.

"Welcome home," he said, immensely pleased with himself.

My heart froze in my chest, the ring on my finger pulsing in time with his words.

Kill Mephistopheles and I will send you home, rang through my head, over and over and over, as I took in the room — complete with iron throne, the only colour amongst the white.

And I knew where I was, without a shred of doubt.

I was back in Cania.

Sorry for all those thinking this was the end! If Cania was chapter 3 of the game, we've just started Chapter 4; the final one. :)