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The rest of the month flew by like the cool breeze that emerged along with spring flowers. The light days found Lia and Terrin exploring the surrounding fields and forest with fervor, skipping through the tall grass and wild blooms.
During the chilly, frigid nights, they curled up on the couch with a book, though reading wasn't always the main occupation.
Terrin sat in front of his table, Lia in her room yet. The early morning sun glinted on the mass of sapphires in the bottom chamber...and the two left on the top.
"Should I just throw myself off the roof?" he murmured. "Or poison? There's several around in this musty old palace..."
He could hear her light step in the hallway, coming closer to his door. "Terrin?" Her joyful voice was brightening, lighting the shadows in his mind.
"I'm ready, love." Throwing an opaque scarf over the large hourglass, the boy stood up and moved towards the door, determined to forget his fate for at least one more day.
~~~~~~~~~
They stood on the roof, above Terrin's balcony. "It's lovely up here," Lianah sighed, her breath coming in white puffs. "The sky is so clear! Every star like a diamond."
Slipping his arm around her waist, Terrin smiled. "Isn't it?" The fields and crystal river was part of the extensive patchwork below them, the glittering water and dewy meadows shimmering in the moonlight.
Lia shivered. "Let's go back," she said, fingers entwined with his. Pulling on his hand slightly, she hugged him once more before they started down the steep stone steps to his balcony.
"Cold," he said, and grinned at her expression of mirth. "Well, you were, too."
"We could wrap you up like an old woman," she teased. Picking up the blue scarf off some...some small table or other, she wrapped it around his head with a flourish.
His face paled. "What?" she asked, green eyes concerned.
"Oh, nothing." Terrin gripped her by the waist and led her out to the hallway. "Would you like some warm cider?"
"Terrin!" Taking a quick backwards glance through the doorway, her keen eyes caught sight of the one remaining sapphire. "Oh!" Fingers fluttering in distress, she stumbled to her knees. "Only one?" Lia whispered.
He stopped, shedding the blue scarf. Expression miserable, he held out his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't wish to tell you, it would have been better..."
"But," she exclaimed, surprisingly close to tears, "You would have been gone in the morning!" Clinging to his hands, she held them to her face. "Gone, without a goodbye?"
Terrin knelt by her. "It would be safer. I would have taken my life instead. Instead of being a thing, like it."
"Alone?" she said quietly. He nodded.
His voice was as timid and haltingly uttered as a small child. "Do you think...would you wait with me? Til morning, so I won't be alone?" He bit his lip.
"Of course." She laughed slightly. "Do you know I've almost forgotton about that blasted fowl?"
He managed a smile. "Thanks." Extending his hand, the girl smiled carefully and hugged him tightly, keeping the tears that threatened to spill pooled behind her eyes.
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