It was the touch of a hand on her shoulder that made Princess Lily turn suddenly from where, standing on the pavillion, she had been contemplating the sun slowly descending below the horizon, to face Queen Lyssa. "Please forgive me," Lyssa said, "I...wish to talk...if you would permit it..."
Lily looked into the eyes of the older woman before her, saw...something she recognised. She spoke: "Queen Lyssa...you honor me. I will do whatever I can for your pleasure."
Lyssa reached out and, very gently, touched Lily's hand before speaking: "Forgive me...perhaps I reach too far, but...I sense that you have been touched by the blackest evil and horror. And that it still resonates within you. Lily...I have felt the same horror come so close to me. We have both survived such...fear."
Hearing these words, Lily, though she struggled, could not prevent a single tear escaping one eye. Then she saw a tear trickling down Lyssa's cheek, a tear of understanding, of knowing. The two women held one another, sharing their emotion together, the strength of being survivors.
