Author's notes: Thank you very much for the latest reviews! Although I usually don't like to tell my readers how to "understand" my story, I'd like to point out one thing concerning the question of Golbez's white magic ability. The answer is: he no longer is able to use any magic – no white magic for Gobs, like some sentences in Chapter 17 also hint at. The spell he helped Leah with was some kind of healing magic, but I quote: "…and he had forgotten them (the words) just shortly after having them uttered". It seems that there was too much black in Golbez for the white magic to stay behind. This may disappoint some of you (that was why I said "nearly right", PhiloWorm ;) but maybe also reassure others (the image of Golbez in the outfit of a white mage is indeed horrid, seventhe…:) And now to (maybe) more confusing developments and to:


Chapter 18

Magenta moon

Golbez and FuSoYa found their waiting companions in the same fashion they had left them in, with the exception that Leah had recovered enough to stand. She was watching Golbez earnestly and somehow sadly and did not offer more words than a short greeting.

"How are you feeling?" the wizard asked and was surprised to hear that his voice was still hoarse and torn with grief.

"My state of health should… suffice." She quoted his former words without smiling. "You do not look well, either." It was a simple statement, no concern visible in her voice and Golbez suddenly felt as if they had become strangers, again.

"Klu Ya… My father… is gone," he told her.

"I'm not sure if you want to hear it, but I'm sorry for your loss…" Edward said quietly.

Golbez nodded, his gaze blank.

"We can talk later about what happened on the mountain top, children…" FuSoYa gave a worried look towards his nephew. "Let's hurry back to Mysidia - now, that the power of the Mt. Ordeals has vanished, there is no telling how long the moon will stay in orbit around the Blue Planet. Also, I want to take Ko Min back before he awakes. He will have to explain his actions before a Lunarian court."

"Master FuSoYa…" Leah said softly, "Can't you break the spell on Ko Min? He said that I was Lunarian…"

"No," it involuntarily escaped Golbez's lips. "It is too dangerous to wake him up again." Quickly, he added an explanation: "We have no means to stop Ko Min from using his mind manipulating abilities or his magic, now that I'm no longer able to use any magic. And FuSoYa is too exhausted to cast a spell." Golbez awaited an angry outburst from Leah, but the young woman ignored him completely and was still looking expectantly at FuSoYa.

"I fear that Golbez is right. I cannot allow Ko Min to regain consciousness while here on the Blue Planet. No restraints will be able to keep him from trying to get into someone's mind again. Only on the moon do we have the special means to seal his mental powers to enable an interrogation," the old Lunarian told her, his green eyes regarding her sympathetically.

"Good!" Tristan made no attempt to hide his relief. "I really didn't want to listen to the rambling of this guy, once more. Sorry about that, Leah…"

"Maybe he lied to you anyway and only wanted to confuse you…" Edward carefully joined into the discussion.

"And what if not?" Leah confronted him. "Ko Min said that he would always recognize a Lunarian…"

The white-bearded Lunarian regarded her long before answering: "If he really can do that, he is more gifted than I am. To tell an "average" Lunarian and an "average" human apart is not as easy as most people believe, neither by appearance, nor by the skills they possess…"

"Really?" Tristan studied FuSoYa, as well as Golbez, skeptically. "So the weird… er, I mean distinctive appearance of you two is only a matter of style? Then again… you're probably not average…"

"It is true what Master FuSoYa said… No one suspected that Cecil was half-Lunarian, too, until his heritage was revealed on the moon," Edward said.

"What about the Lunarian who fled the moon, master FuSoYa?" Leah paid no attention to the objections of her travel companions.

"Child, it is true that now and then Lunarians awake, though not because they were woken up like Golbez, but because their will to rise is so strong. While the sleep will only lengthen the existence of old Lunarians like me, sometimes the young people of our race cannot endure the prospect of having to lead an existence in slumber without knowing when the moon will reach a new world to live… A Lunarian legend tells that the people of the Blue Planet and the people of the moon only met because some young Lunarians visited the new world against the wishes of their Elders. Young people in my world are not less rebellious than human youths." FuSoYa smiled at Leah. "Thus, although I know nothing about such a case, it is of course possible that one or several persons used the opportunity the current orbit of the moon presents and escaped the dull life on the moon. It would certainly explain why the teleport device was nearly used up."

"And my memories?" she asked.

"Teleporting over such a great distance demands a considerable mental effort from the person undertaking the journey. If someone is not capable of it, or if something during the teleport went wrong…"

"Maybe you wanted to forget that you had been sleeping all this time in a room with snoring, old-" Tristan stopped his sentence with an amiable smile as he caught FuSoYa's stern gaze. "I was just trying to help! So, how are we going to find out if Ko Min told the truth?"

"The only means would mean to interrogate him or to consult other Lunarian Elders in the matter of Leah's identity. As old as I may seem, there are others who are older and wiser than I am. However, both options require that-"

"I had to go with you to the moon and that would mean to never return…." Leah bowed her head.

"You can decide about what you want to do when we've raised the whale…" FuSoYa was regarding the young woman, as well as Golbez, attentively. "As much as I understand your worries, we need to return to Mysidia now."

"Great idea. You moon people might be used to the cold, but I'm freezing." To emphasize his complaint, Tristan's teeth started to chatter.

"Don't worry, child. You'll get warm again during the descent. After all, you and Golbez will have to carry Ko Min all the way down. I feel too weary to cast float." FuSoYa ordered.

Tristan pulled a long face. "You people fly with your moon here and there, invented the airships and are able to summon a meteor rain, but when it comes to moving something from A to B, it's us weak humans who have to do the job! Lunatic Lunarians..."

xxx

In contrast to Tristan, Golbez didn't mind their load much - after all, his mind was too occupied with other things to take care of something profane like some stiff muscles.

He still felt numb and strangely hollow. During the last hours, it seemed that he had done nothing but lose things - first his control, then his magic and with it the inner walls that had been protecting him; and finally, his father. He had gotten Leah's life in return, but also obviously lost her trust and affection in exchange. Although the young woman was walking next to him, she was still ignoring him and had her calm gaze focused on the snowy path before her.

Golbez wondered what Leah was thinking about - she couldn't really think about returning to the moon, could she? This would mean his company and she certainly was not laying great stress on that…

"She has seen my true self… And it has nearly killed her."

"Le Ha…" She suddenly said pensively.

"Excuse me?" Golbez looked at her, surprised.

"My name - Leah… FuSoYa pronounces it differently. Le Ha… It sounds like a Lunarian name…"

"It's only a name. It does not mean anything…"

"Is that so? Well… Returning to the moon will be the only means to find out the truth about it…" He said and regretted doing so immediately - he didn't want her to go.

"What an irony. All this time, you have been the one telling her that it is important to know the truth and now you wish that she would just forget everything…"

"No matter how I decide, chances that I am Dawn have lessened considerably, haven't they?" Leah said emotionlessly.

"I don't care!" it screamed inside Golbez's head. "This is about you - not about her!"

He desperately wanted to tell her his true opinion straight away or at least hide it in a witty answer, but he felt so weak, so lost, so empty since the happenings on Mt. Ordeals that he had not even strength for a rise of his eyebrow.

"Yes," he just stated plainly.

Leah nodded and fell silent for the rest of the journey.

Every step closer they came to Mysidia was painful to Golbez. Every step he asked himself if Leah, the woman who seemed to know so well who she was, would trade her free life for the possiblechance to learn about her origins. Did she even know how barren the moon was, how cold?

And did she know that if she would embark on the Great Whale, he would not?

xOx

Upon reaching Mysidia. FuSoYa immediately insisted on paying a visit to the Elder and hastily, he ushered the group, including their unconscious "load" Ko Min, through the crowd of staring and murmuring Mysidians. Golbez was not sure if it was only his imagination, but he had the feeling that the glares people gave him were less frightened; their whispering less quiet than before. It was as if the wizards could feel that there was no more power left in him to scare them away. It felt not as worse as he had expected, but still uncomfortable and he was nearly glad as the heavy white marble doors of the Crystal Tower closed behind him.

"Master FuSoYa - you have returned. Has your mission been a success?" the Elder of Mysidia greeted them, approaching them with fast steps. He stopped in his stride as he saw the unconscious man Tristan and Golbez were carrying and waved with his hands for some guards. "Imprison him in the Mysidian dungeon until the preparations for raising the Great Whale are complete."

"Thank you, Elder," FuSoYa bowed slightly. "I'm glad that you understand the urgency of the situation. Soon, the moon will leave the orbit of the Blue Planet since KluYa-"

"I know," The Elder said solemnly, "I have felt the magic disappearing. My deepest regrets…" He looked at Golbez and his companions. "You all seem tired. I have arranged some rooms in the inn for you. While I will discuss matters with Master FuSoYa, you should get some rest."

"I agree." FuSoYa faced Golbez. "We will meet in the tower later, then. Golbez, Miss Coven... You have time to decide until the sun has set. Reflect well."

"I understand." Leah said with an earnest expression.

Golbez did not reply, as he was lost in thought, and FuSoYa gave his nephew another concerned look before he followed the Elder deeper into the tower.

"It seems that your journey has ended at last, Golbez," Edward said with a questioning look in the other's direction.

"Hmm…" The black haired man was not really listening to him.

"That was a "yes", I think…" Tristan answered in Golbez's stead. "So it's time for a goodbye drink, right? Since it will be your last, you and Leah could pay, as well!"

"I'd rather like to rest. I… I am feeling tired and my body still feels strange… Just leave me alone." Nearly angrily, Leah exited the building.

Just a moment later, Golbez, loosing himself out of his rigidity, followed her wordlessly.

"What's the matter with those two? And where are you going?" Tristan wondered, looking at Edward, who was about to leave the tower, too.

"Seems like you'll have to drink alone. Our journey may have nearly ended, but this doesn't necessarily mean that it has a happy ending… After all, we are not living in a fairytale…" Edward told him without looking back.

Tristan's features twisted in half-earnest contemplation. "Well, I'm alive, Ko Min is no longer a danger, I have money and the world is just waiting for Tristan, the great adventurer. Sounds pretty much like happily ever after to me."

xxx

Edward leaned with his back against one of the white Mysidian houses and watched the beginning disappearance of the sun - it had been a long time since he had last done so and even longer since he had felt something while doing it. Today, though, the various shades of red invoked a conglomeration of different memories in him - there were the deep burgundy streaks that reminded him of Anna's hair, the brighter carmine ones that were nearly painful to watch in their blood-red intensity and the vermilion shimmering light over the horizon, which was as beautiful and strong as his lost love had been.

"I wonder if Golbez has ever watched the spectacle of a sunset…"

No, possibly not. Although something in and around Golbez had changed on the mountain, he was probably still living in his own world, and only Bahamut knew how it was looking in there right now… Edward assumed, though, that it was still a world filled with regret and guilt - he had seen this look in the other's face all the way back to Mysidia. It was no wonder to Edward - it was visible to anyone that Golbez held feelings for Leah. She had gotten hurt just because she had been at the wrong place at the wrong time, which meant that Golbez had no one to blame except himself and coincidence - and the latter one was a bad scapegoat, as Edward knew from own experience. How many times had he wondered what would have happened if the arrows had missed Anna, or if she hadn't been in the throne room on that fateful day at all, but playing the piano in the salon or visiting another town…

But then again, Golbez was better used in blaming himself than Edward, wasn't he?

And how did Leah feel? All the time as they had waited for Golbez to return from the mountain top, she had been silent. She had trusted Golbez, but the other's loss of control was probably so unforgivable in her eyes that not even the fact that her life had been saved by the wizard could make up for it. The bard wished that he could help Leah somehow - she had taught him so much about love and life and still, she obviously had not been prepared for what consequences her own emotions would have.

"But no matter how heavy their problems weigh on Leah's and Golbez's shoulders, they know at least what to decide between… Loving another or not… Knowing the truth or not… Returning to the moon or not…"

Tristan certainly hadn't any worries like that, but to Edward it seemed as if the seemingly aimless life of the swindler was more carefully planned than any other's one.

And he? On the journey he had undertaken, he had learned much, learned to feel again, learned to fight again. But did this also mean that he could fight for his Kingdom once again, care about it, go back to it: to go back to a building in which everything reminded him not only of Anna, but also of the dark moments in which he had no longer wished to see another day?

"What am I wishing for now, anyway? To walk down one's road?" But where did this road start, where should he start? Anna could no longer tell him what to do…

He looked into the sky, again, and noticed that the glow over the horizon had changed into a rose-coloured veil, reminding him of the colours of long past breathtaking dawns in early spring. It was like the sun wanted to give a foretaste of the beauties morning held in store, so that people would forget the dark winter nights and instead eagerly await the new day.

"You have to let go…"

Edward caught himself wishing to greet another beautiful sunrise, too.

xxx

"Why doesn't she want to talk?" Golbez lay on his back on the bed, arms crossed under his head, his dark eyes tracing the bleak patterns on the ceiling above him. He had knocked on Leah's door several times, but she hadn't answered. Finally, he had noticed that the door was locked and since he know longer could just burn it with fire, he would have needed to break it open by force and he had refrained from doing so, since the Mysidian innkeeper was eyeing him already suspiciously enough.

During the last minutes, he had tried to logically weigh out the arguments for returning to the moon or not, but he didn't even know where to begin, since most of these arguments either started or ended with the factor "Leah". And he didn't even know what she had decided to do and could only speculate.

"She has to go… But when she goes, I can't…" The prospect of having to fall into eternal sleep on the moon with Leah at his side was almost more horrible to him than the prospect of never seeing her again, at all.

How could he bear to watch to see these beautiful blue eyes closing again, to watch how these soft lips he had kissed, relaxed in probably endless slumber? He would never get surprised by her words again - "or actions", he added with a little smile.

No, he would not be able to sleep with her at his side, would not be able to see her waste her life by falling into a slumber that was not hers to sleep. A slumber she possibly had already escaped, once.

On the other hand, he couldn't let her go alone if she decided to embark on the Great Whale, even more so as he felt guilty and responsible for the latest happenings.

"If it hadn't been for you, she would have never met Ko Min or FuSoYa and would never have hadto make this decision…"

Of course, he could try to change her mind and make her stay, but why should she listen to him? It was her past, her life - a life he had nearly destroyed…

And what about the wish of his father? KluYa had sacrificed his life to give him another chance and Cecil was waiting for him to return to Baron, too. Still, staying on the Blue Planet meant that he had to pay for real for his deeds, now that he had no magic to hide behind, to defend him with and he did not know if he had the strength to endure what this new life would mean for him, since-

"Leah's lost to you… No matter if you stay with or without her, no matter if you return to the moon or not…"

What should he do? Everyone seemed so senseless. He needed more time to plan his thoughts, to think through things more calmly-

There was a knock on the door.

"Master FuSoYa is asking for you." It was the grumpy voice of the innkeeper.

As Golbez rose and looked out of the window, he noticed to his horror that the sun had already almost gone down.

There was no time left now that would save him from having to decide.

xOx

In the sanctuary of the Crystal Tower, some of the Mydsidian priests had already begun to chant. Golbez's eyes searched for Leah - she was standing amongst the crowd of some spectators, talking with a Mysidia wizard. She turned around, meeting his gaze with - as it seemed to him - the most saddest of glances.

"Golbez, you are late. There's no time for a talk with her, now. We need you over here." FuSoYa commanded him to the top of a slight dais, where already the Elder and the highest ranking wizards had begun to mediate, humming lowly.

Like bidden, Golbez took his place next to his uncle and closed his eyes to concentrate. He fell into the strange chant of the wizards, making the humming swell on until it was filling the space around them. Slowly, the sounds changed into words, simple words of a simple wish whose fulfilment would not have simple consequences, though-

Oh great whale, hear our plea.

Rise from your grave in the sea

to unveil the still land

with the light of eternity

to give a new future

to the blue planet

with freedom and mercy.

Nothing happened.

An anxious restlessness laid itself over the people in the sanctuary.

"We just have to concentrate more. Shout louder!" FuSoYa had sweat breaking out on his forehead. The chanting started anew, more forcefully than before and some people in the crowd of spectators fell into the wishing song to help-

Golbez was the first to open his eyes again, as something bright shone through the crystalline window before him - with an ear-deafening roar, the coastline was ripped apart by a column of light, the waves parting to let a silvery metallic object rise. A reverent murmur went through the wizards and some were stepping closer to the window, their eyes dazzled with fascination as the Great Whale was showing them one last time its glorious spectacle of rising.

Golbez turned away from the view - the red light the last rays of the sun reflected on the steel hull of the ship hurt in his eyes.

"So, it's goodbye to the Blue Planet; isn't it?" he murmured.

FuSoYa laid his forehead in frowns, but didn't speak until the giant ship had settled on the ground of the outskirts of Mysidia. Then he sighed and faced Golbez with a reproachful expression.

"You know, child, I really thought that you would have been of more help…"

"What do you mean?" Golbez nearly snapped at him.

The old man smiled knowingly. "It is pretty hard to raise such a ship if someone is not wanting for it to appear."

"I-"

"Don't play dumb. I know that you only moved your lips. Your thoughts were far away and this is not surprising to me. You are still young; don't tell me you want to spend your life - like your young travel companion put it- with us old people snoring! My brother thought so, as well…"

"Despite what father wanted… I am supposed to return to the moon…" No matter how hard he tried, Golbez couldn't keep an undertone of guilt out of his voice. "I undertook the whole journey just for this purpose."

FuSoYa's features turned to stone. "Of course. The journey has to end like you planned it to at the beginning of it."

"Yes." Golbez tried to ignore the unusual cold tone of his uncle. He couldn't ignore the sight that followed next, though:

FuSoYa took a breath that was so deep that his face turned red and for a moment it seemed, as if the little green eyes of the Lunarian were about to pop out - the view would have been funny if it hadn't been for the fury in the old man's gaze... A fury that was proof of a temperament Golbez would not have believed his uncle to posses.

Just now, FuSoYa let out his breath together with a stream of angrily exclaimed words:

"You with your logical planned life! Life is not something to plan, but to live! You should know this by now! Had you planned to make friends? Had you planned to loose your magic abilities?"

"There's no need to shout!" Golbez tried to quiet the other as some wizards had already craned their heads in their direction, but FuSoYa was not about to end his lecture.

"Had you planned to cry before the grave of your father? Had you planned to fall in lo-"

"I understand your point!" Golbez hissed, feeling how an angry flush coloured his features.

"Do you?" FuSoYa asked in a lower voice, looking at him with an expression of doubt.

"I know all this…" Golbez admitted, grateful that FuSoYa had stopped shouting. "But try to understand… Why should I stay here if she-"

FuSoYa interrupted him, his voice no longer sharp, but weary now - his former outburst had cost him more strength than the old man could handle. "Child, has the mountain not only taken your magic, but your intellect as well?" He motioned behind Golbez. "Wherever she is, Miss Coven is not going to the moon… I already presumed this. No matter where her past lay, her future is here. And who knows - maybe someday, her memory will return and who knows what she will find out about herself then."

As Golbez turned around, Leah seemed indeed to have disappeared. He felt the urge to search for her, but-

"I-I might not be able to make it back in time, so…"

FuSoYa had already grabbed his hand warmly. "I know. It's goodbye and not even a sad one. I know that we have left the Blue Planet much behind. My kind wishes to your brother, too."

Golbez wanted to reply with something cynical, but his face broke into a thankful smile all by his own. "I will deliver them."

A content look on his face, FuSoYa turned for the back exit of the tower which led to the Great Whale.

"Uncle, wait!" Golbez called after him.

"Yes, child?"

"Why did you say that you couldn't help Leah on the mountain? You could cast cure - you had enough power left…"

The old man's eyes blinked nearly mischievously. "How would you call it? Had I helped it would have been… cheating." He bowed. "Farewell, nephew. May you find your own way like the rest of the people on the blue planet; now, that the age of the Lunarians has ended. And now run. And for once not away from something, but after."

"I understand." Golbez turned around and quickly made his way towards the exit, passing Edward and Tristan on the way.

"Golbez, where are you going?" Tristan wondered. "You will be late for-"

Golbez grabbed the other's shoulder, shaking him. "Where's Leah?"

"Ouch! The inn, I-"

"Thanks!" Golbez patted Tristan's arm in a friendly manner and was gone before anyone could ask more.

xxx

Golbez stormed down the street and burst into Leah's room, which, to his relief was not locked this time. The look of hope on his face vanished as he saw that she was packing her things in the dim light of a candle.

"What are you doing?"

Leah did not look up, her silvery bangs hiding her eyes. "I'll be leaving tomorrow," she informed him calmly.

Golbez struggled with words. "But-"

Obviously, she was not inclined to listen to him. "Shouldn't you go? The Whale will not wait forever…"

"I… I'm not going." Golbez said, nervously awaiting her reaction.

"No? Why not?" Finally, Leah looked at him with her beautiful blue eyes, but they seemed uninterested - there was no delight in her face, no relief. Had he really become that unimportant to her? If so, he couldn't blame her…

Still, he did not want to turn away now - it was probably the last time that he would see her and he needed to tell her some things - not only to lessen the guilt on his shoulders, but because she had a right to know.

"Leah… I'm so sorry for all that - Believe me, I'm really trying to change but-" the words stayed stuck in his throat as he beheld how her mouth curved into a smile.

"I know. Even though your magic is gone, this "change" could take some time," she said. "What happened to you on Mt. Ordeals did not make you into a whole new person. Even now you cannot say the truth; you hide behind a wall. It could take ages until you are able to keep yourself under control, to keep your anger and sorrow under control…"

"Yes. That is true." Golbez realized that her smile had probably been pitiful. His shoulders sacked down and he had to close the door to lean against it. He felt so sick again. How could he have thought for a moment that he could just storm in her room and that everything would be like before-

"But at least now I know what I'll be waiting for," Leah's voice was friendly. "And even if it takes ages."

He looked up slowly, seeing that her smile had now also reached the blue of her eyes. "Waiting for what?"

She ignored his question. "You still haven't answered: Why are you still here?"

Golbez's throat was dry: "Because…" his voice failed him. Once more he tried. "Because…" He failed again. "I can't… tell you. I'm too afraid, I guess…"

Leah nodded. "Yes. I can see that." She returned to checking the contents of her bag.

"And why are you still here?" Golbez asked, trying a different approach now. "Are you afraid to learn about your real identity?"

"Well, what do you think?" The retort came back not pertly, but curiously.

"No, you are not afraid to learn about it..." Golbez chose the words with care. "I think you no longer care much. You cared for just a second on the mountain, but then probably realized that knowing the full truth would not change anything. You have already found yourself, found the self you want to be - you always knew who you were even without any memories…"

Leah's smile was suddenly gone and she looked up, slowly, an expression of surprise on her face. "And who am I?"

It was now or never… Now or never to make things up to her… Now or never to show that he could do more than hide, to show that he could cope with life and with his deeds. He desperately hoped that he could make it; that the trust FuSoYa, his father and also Cecil were and had been setting in him was justified. He knew that he wouldn't be able to speak straight from the heart like some people could, but he could at least try, for one time in his life, to let his mind and heart speak together.

"You're Leah Coven and your home, whether by origin or by choice, is on the Blue Planet. You are unpredictable: Sometimes you fight, but then you are afraid. Sometimes you like to talk and laugh, but then you are very quiet. And you are impossible - so impossible that you were patient with a certain person, although…" Anxiousness gripped him once more - it was a feeling he had not known before, but during the last two days it seemed to be his constant companion and it cost him considerable effort to talk, "although this person doubted you, hurt you and in the end nearly killed you. There's one thing, though, that I don't know about you …"

Leah was watching him earnestly as she waited for him to continue and for a moment Golbez felt that her piercing gaze was ready to swallow him, ready to drown him in a deep ocean of blue, just like he had nearly drowned when he had tried to save her at the coast of the island…

He took a breath that was so deep that it hurt in his lungs. "Are…are you forgiving? Because despite everything I did… I still hope - foolishly - that you... can forgive me…" He let out a sheepish laugh, tinted with bitterness to hide his embarrassment. "Of course I know that you never will be able to forget what I did but-"

He stopped speaking as Leah started to laugh.

"This is not possible! You are trying to explain things to her, stammering like an idiot and she- "

Leah's unexpected reaction caused a hot wave of annoyance to rush through Golbez, bringing forth words from the depth of his heart:

"Damn! Why are you laughing? I love you!"

Leah stopped laughing, two mouths staying open at the same time. She was the first to regain her composure again and approached Golbez.

"Now… The last sentence was good, also the part with the 'unpredictable'. The rest in between, though, makes me really wonder if I can forgive-"

Golbez's eyes were about to darken, but were delayed by her smile once more:

"But I'm good at forgetting, you know. I might also forget in your case."

"Are you saying you want to forget about me?" Like so many times before, Leah's words were confusing Golbez.

"No!" She exclaimed nearly annoyed, her temperament showing just for a second before her voice became gentle once more. "How could I forget about you? How could I want to? You are the reason that I know who I am and who I am not, that I know where I belong… That I know where my… home is… But the way you were… maybe still the way you are makes it difficult to live in it…" She looked at him nearly fearfully, obviously awaiting a mocking reply now.

"I know…" Golbez admitted nearly helplessly - he knew that now was not the time to hide behind cynicism, although he couldn't suppress a little bitter smile, "but at least you'll be safe from my magic for all eternity. The mountain took care of that…"

Leah sighed. "Still blaming others, are we? Time will tell if you can get rid of that habit and even if not, I'll just try to forget about it, too. But aside from that, I never want to forget anything again… Not when it comes to you and not when it comes to the Blue Planet - no matter if I'm truly a rebellious woman from the moon or not, here, this place is where I want to be. This world is the place where I want to make memories -memories which are worth it that I chose to probably never know the whole truth about me… " A slight grin crossed her features, "Also, don't they say that you have to leave home to realize just how much it exactly means to you? And so, I will leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Golbez knew that he should feel disturbed by her plan, but how could he feel sad, when she was smiling at him? He took a step towards her, wishing that he could touch that smile…

"Tomorrow." She said it very slowly, stressing every syllable.

Golbez understood the message even without the use of his logic -

"What is logic worth now, in this moment, anyway…"

He knew that in this second, the Great Whale was embarking on its last voyage but this was not the time to worry about where one had to go to - or where one had come from.

Golbez reached out for a strand of silky hair, hair that, though the colour of Dawn's, was Leah's. Once, he had thought that it was strange to touch the hair of someone else. Now, it was the most natural thing in the world for him to touch her hair, and smiling, he tucked it behind her ear.

In this moment, there was no dark past to brood about and no unsure future he had to fear.

There was no guilt to remember and no sorrow he had to forget.

There was no truth to search for and no control he had to regain.

There was nothing to lose and nothing he had to find.

There was just a perfect here and now.

"Didn't you want to make some memories? Maybe we could start now." He drew closer until their lips met, slipping his arm around her and pulling her body towards him.

Leah confirmed him in his actions, her arms encircling him and as the kiss deepened, Golbez could feel how she relaxed in his embrace like he had never given her any reason to lose trust in him, at all.

Suddenly, though, she drew away, flushed. "Why were you craning your head right now to watch my hands?"

"Oh, I was just checking for safety reasons if you're in the possession of any sharp objects…" Golbez's eyebrow rose, but his mouth was smiling.

Leah laughed, bright and carefree - so much like Dawn, but even more so like 'Leah'…

"Afraid?" she asked while taking his hand and pulling him towards the bed.

Golbez caught her at the waist to lay her gently down on the blanket. "No."

And he wasn't afraid the whole night.