Hikari's sharp intake of breath roused me. I opened my eyes to find hers fixed on mine. I smiled. "Good morning."

My words seemed to spur her into movement. She scrambled from my bed. "Why were we sleeping together?"

"I was tired…and this is my…only bed. You fell asleep last night. I…couldn't bear to wake you. You're very cute…when you sleep." I grinned at her mingled happiness and embarrassment flowing through our bond. I rose, stretched, and fetched my coat. I sat on my bed again to pull on my boots. Hikari still eyed me warily, so I did my best to calm her. "I care about you. Why…would I do anything…to jeopardize that?" Once again, my own boldness surprised me, but then I realized I had nothing to fear from speaking so to her. For the words I spoke were the truth.

Hikari sighed and rubbed the back of her head, a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry. I know nothing happened. You're not the kind of person to do that. I just…swore to myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone for a while. I needed to recover from my last boyfriend. But you... You make me forget about him. You make me forget that I was ever hurt in the first place."

I stood and pulled Hikari into my arms. She resisted for a moment but then relaxed. I rested my chin on the top of her head. "That's…good to know. You do…much the same for me." I released her, but she clung to me, fistfuls of my shirt clutched in her hands. I gazed down at her as she began to tremble

"I…love you," the farmer whispered. "And that scares me."

I wrapped my arms back around her. "Opening your heart is daunting. Especially after…you've been hurt. And…I love you too." A smile touched my lips. "So I'm…your boyfriend now, aren't I?"

The farmer was the one to pull away this time. "I guess you are, yeah. How I didn't realize it sooner, though, I don't know."

I offered my hand to her. "Let's go. Your…farm needs tending." She took my hand and we departed. A comfortable silence stretched between us as we walked through the still-sleeping town. It felt good – right – to hold her hand. I let my thoughts wander and they pulled me to a question I realized I forgot to ask. "How did you.. find me yesterday?" Hikari couldn't have gotten Finn or the Goddess to tell her where I was. Truthfully, Vivi helping her made little sense either. How had Vivi known to give her powerful acid to disintegrate chains?

The rancher shrugged. "I just knew. I woke up in the early morning of the night before last and I knew you were in trouble. I let that sense guide me. I found you at the bottom of the mine. You were unconscious and I couldn't do anything to help. So I left. I went to the Witch Princess. Begged for her help. When she gave it so easily, I was shocked. She even took the time to explain what this tattoo is and why you were chained up, though she said she could only speculate on the last bit. Then I made the trip back to you."

"I see. And…you're not angry…with me? Was I not being…presumptuous? We can undo the pact…if you want."

"No way! I want to learn magic more than anything! And now that we know I can still get the bells to ring, there's no reason for me not to learn. If you want to reach me, that is."

We reached her home, but I didn't release her so she could gather her tools from inside. I gazed into her eyes, making sure she knew I meant every word. "Nothing would give me…greater pleasure than to…teach you. In fact, our lessons shall…begin today." Her broad smile was my reward as I let her go. I waited for her to return, wrestling with the partial lie I'd just told. Not a lie really. I wanted to teach her, but I wanted to kiss her just a little more. I hadn't had to deal with such emotions in a very long time, so I forgot how strong they could become, clouding other thoughts with ease.

I pushed my desire back as the farm girl came back outside, handing me an animal brush. "Come on, Wizard. You can help me take care of the animals."

Call me Gale. I wanted to say it even more than I wanted to kiss her, but I bit my tongue. The time and place would come for me to tell her and now was neither.

Less than a minute later, I was dubiously eyeing a sheep with a brush in my hand. The fluffy creature nuzzled my empty hand, wanting me to get on with the brushing. I glanced at Hikari who brushed one of her cows nearby. "So I just…brush it?" The bristles of the brush seemed like they'd get caught in the sheep's wool.

The farm girl chuckled and walked over to me after giving the cow — Edna I think her name was — a few more strokes. She took my hand, forcing me through the motions. "See? As long as you go slow and steady, you won't hurt her. I won't make you sheer her, though. You really could hurt her then." Hikari asked me to gather fodder for her two cows, two sheep, and her new baby goat.

I put the food in the troughs, but nearly fell in one as something rammed into my legs. I may be a powerful wizard, but animals were just a little frightening. I couldn't read their thoughts or discern anything from their body language. But I gathered my courage, turned around, and laughed at myself. Standing before me wagging its tiny tail was Hikari's new kid, Daine. I bent down, tentatively extending a hand. The little goat thrust her head under my palm, demanding scratches. I obliged while the rancher finished up tending to the animals.

Hikari, a smile on her lips, scooped up the kid, placing her in front of her food. "Eat up you. And stop headbutting visitors."

"It's all right. She…only startled me."

We tended to her chickens and ducks next and after that walked the short distance to one of her fields. She clicked her tongue in irritation at the field of wilting blue mist flowers. "I should have had someone pick these for me, but I was too worried about you to bother. I don't know if I can salvage these."

I knelt and examined one of the wilted flowers. "I think...I can teach you...a spell to save them. Or well, one of them. I can save the rest...with your help."

"Really? That would be wonderful."

I nodded and took her hand in mine. "First, we need to get you...to find your magic...within yourself." I guided her through feeling her magic within her being and helped her create the bridge that would allow her quick access to her magic. Then I walked her through healing the flower. "Picture the flower...healthy in your mind. Focus on that image...above all else. Now, draw upon your magic...and wrap the flower in it. Let it...take the magic from you...but only so much."

The flower under her hand twitched a little and then perked up, regaining its color and vigor. She opened her eyes and smiled broadly at the healthy flower but nearly fell over a moment later. I steadied her and led her into her house. It was much larger than the last time I'd visited, with a door to the right that I assumed led to a storage room. I sat her on the bed, prepared her a cup of coffee, and handed the warm mug to her. Pulling a throw blanket from the edge of her bed, I draped it over her shoulders as she began to shiver. Sitting next to her, I drew her against me, offering my own warmth. 'The coffee will help...you regain your energy after casting. The cold you feel...warns you when...you've used too much magic. For now, you...won't be able to do much...and I beg you...not to use magic without me. We don't want a...repeat of last time."

Hikari nodded and sipped her drink. I could sense she was deep in thought, but those thoughts were hidden from me despite our bond. Finally, she spoke. "Would you like to go to the moon viewing festival tomorrow night?"

I stiffened a little. I had never gone to a town festival since I'd lived here. Mostly because I never cared enough to. But I wanted to go with her. Only... "Are you sure, Hikari? It would...reveal our relationship. Is that something...you're prepared for?"

The farmer frowned for a moment as she thought. "You have a point. But I'm willing if you are."

I squeezed her shoulders with the arm I had around her. "I am."

I waited in Flute Fields with the other villagers for the festival to begin. People murmured and whispered, casting glances my way as I stood awkwardly apart from them. Where was Hikari? The mayor began to let people into the fenced off viewing area. I glanced between the people and the bridge leading to the rancher's land. I sighed in relief as I saw Hikari rushing towards me, a picnic basket in her arms. "Sorry I'm late!"

I smiled as we found a spot slightly away from everyone else and spread out the blanket she brought. "It's fine. I'm...simply glad you're here."

We settled down. Hikari took out several individually wrapped items. She passed one to me and I opened the foil-wrapped food. A pumpkin roll drizzled with icing greeted me and I sighed as I took a bite. "This is...delicious. Thank you."

Her happiness swept over me through our bond as we munched and watched the moon travel across the sky. I couldn't quite ignore the glances villagers kept throwing at us. Hopefully, Hikari didn't notice them. By the end of the festival, I managed to ignore them. Everyone began to leave, but the rancher told me to stay. She walked to the mayor, talked with him, and returned. "He says we can stay as long as we like as long as we lock the gate."

I laid back on the blanket, hands behind my head. The farmer laid down as well, propped up on an elbow. We watched the moon and stars for a while before she spoke up again. "Wizard... I know you wouldn't tell the Witch Princess your name, but...would you tell me?"

I sat up and she followed my lead. Uncertainty and doubt radiated from her. I knew I had to do something to assuage her feelings, so I kissed her. Again, a sweet intoxication enveloped my being, though I managed to keep myself in check. Our eyes met as I pulled back. "Never think that I don't love you. That is…not the reason."

"Then why?" she whispered.

"A wizard's name is a key to his power. I swore…a long time ago…to never tell my name to anyone again."

"Again? Did you tell the Witch after all?"

The doubt was gone from her, replaced by concern. I realized I had never spoken of my first love to another soul and there must have been old pain in my voice. That old pain I thought long buried and dealt with welled within me. I let it spill forth, as if my body were expelling a poison, my speech flowing smoothly. My eyes never left hers. "When I first became a wizard, I fell in love. I thought she truly loved me, but in the end, she only wanted my power for her own. I told her my name and she used that against me."

Hikari's hand rose to cup my cheek. "I would never do that."

"How can I be sure? People can change. Their hearts can change." Insecurities I didn't know I still harbored raced to the surface, tears hot on their heels. I hated what I was saying, hated that, in my heart of hearts, I doubted this woman I loved, this woman who I knew to be my soulmate.

The rancher held my gaze even as I tried to turn away from her in shame. "You once called me your soulmate. You took it back later, but I know you believed it. Still believe it. Maybe you're right, maybe I am. But how can I believe it if you don't trust me? I don't care if you never tell me your name. Just don't think I could or would ever hurt you like that woman did."

I clung to her then, crying centuries-overdue tears until I could cry no more. I apologized for the tear stains on her clothing, but Hikari took my hand in hers. "I can't have children. That's why my last boyfriend left. He said he was taking a job overseas to help cover the costs of adoption. But he never came back. I waited two years." A self-deprecating laugh escaped her. "Two years! How pathetic am I? I came here to escape it all, and I wound up falling for the one person as broken as I am."

I shook my head. "You're not broken and neither am I…as long as I'm with you. I feel whole with you. That's why…I want to tell you my name when we get married."

"Married?" She repeated the word like it didn't register.

"Married," I repeated.

She eyed me warily this time. "Are you proposing?"

Chuckling, I pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "Not yet, dear heart."

"Oh, ok. I don't know what I would have said."

"I would hope…'yes'."

"No, no! I just meant I would have been too surprised to say anything."

I chuckled again and stood, offering her my hand. "it's…getting late. Shall we…go home?"

She took my hand. "Only if you promise to teach me more magic tomorrow."

"Deal."

When we reached her home, I kissed her goodnight. She didn't release my hand, though, as I turned to leave. Anxiety flowed across our bond. I turned to face her. "Is…something the matter?"

Hikari's cheeks were red. "Would you like to spend the night?" The rest of her face reddened and she ducked her head. "I just…. I liked waking up next to you. I don't want to do anything. I just want you next to me."

I lifted her chin with a gentle hand and gave her a soft smile. "If that is what you wish…then who am I to refuse?" The farm girl grinned and pulled me inside. Her bed was larger to match her larger home, though it wasn't quite a double bed. That meant we'd have to be very close while we slept. I said a prayer to the stars that I'd be strong enough to be good.

Hikari turned down the comforter and climbed into bed. Her face was still red. I turned off the lights and climbed into bed next to her. She snuggled against me after realizing how little room we both had. Her breath was warm on my face. "Sorry," she said, "I didn't realize how small my bed was. It feels a lot bigger with just me."

"I don't mind," I replied with a smirk she couldn't see. She knew we weren't going to do anything and yet her nerves were flashing across our bond like shooting stars. I couldn't blame her; my heart beat faster than normal. "I love you."

Her fingers traced my cheek, sending sparks through my body. If she only knew what she was doing to me…. We stayed silent as her hand slowed and instead cupped my cheek. "I love you too." And then her lips were on mine.

I let her lead; she needed to be the one to decide where this was going. Thoughts flashed through her head one after the other, too fast for me to truly process in the moment. Nothing else mattered except her. I willed my magic to let her feel my happiness, my love, and a little of my desire and I suppose it must have worked. Hikari gasped and pulled away but her lips returned to mine quickly. Our kisses waxed and waned until we were both out of breath. Hikari pulled back again, just enough so her lips ghosted mine as she spoke. "We should stop."

I nodded a little, not trusting my voice or my body to go along with the sense of my mind. "Good night, dear heart."

The rancher rolled over and pressed her back against my chest. "Good night." I put an arm around her and tried to sleep, but Hikari's happiness, love, and desire kept me awake until she fell asleep. Finally able to sleep myself, I sighed into her hair, which smelled like strawberry shampoo, and closed my eyes, more content than I had ever been in my life.