Chapter Fifteen: A Worthy Price to be Paid

She'd finished her work well before the numbness wore off in my side. Once finished she tied it off and cut the loose thread. I carefully ran my hand along my side to feel how thourough her threading had been.

Afterwards she then helped me remove my bloody and torn clothes to clean, mend, and dry them on the hung up line she made between the wooden beams. She had found an old off white work shirt that was at least clean for me to wear while my clothes dried. Together with our lingering energy we managed to make a bed out of tattered fabric and straw, as well as some scraps of rations left behind. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep us from starving for the time being.

After easing myself onto the bed I opened my right arm to invite her to join me. She carefully obliged as I pulled her close. As she held onto my lean frame, being sure not to brush my left side, she would rest her head agsint my chest.

Then I heard her ask, "Duke...?"

"What is it sweetheart?"

"The images we've been shown...do they bother you?"

"Not really," I admitted as I reached up and stroked some of her hair carefully while looking up at the rafters as though making sure it was safe still.

I felt her carefully shift so she could prop herself up to look at me. While turning my head I would find myself looking into her bewildered gaze.

"Do they bother you?" I asked her with a slight bit of unease.

"That's just it...I don't think they do...I just..."

"You're scared that it means our relationship is purely based on one we may have had already?" I realized while sitting up beside her.

She quietly nodded her head in confirmation of this.

"Heart...if anythin' it tells me why I was really lookin' for ya...some part of me must have missed what it was we had in that life we've been shown. Maybe that's why I felt so lost all this time?" I told her with a steady smile as I brushed her hair out of those sapphires again, "Remember though, that we fell in love before we knew any of this. Didn't we?"

Heart:

I wasn't sure if this was helping me or not. His confidence in it was comforting, but something still felt so off. What exactly were these memories? What magic did I possibly have, and why did I give it up?

Then I asked, "Can you tell me about that journal you found? Do you still have it?"

"It's on the ship," he confirmed, "An' I poured over every page of it. If it was you that wrote those words...ya did a long time ago. You mentioned a heart ache caused by those you missed, but you smiled through it every day. You mentioned a stadium that as far as I saw still stands proudly today. The funny thing is when I went there...I felt like I was home again despite never seein' it before. I found the gravestones Mare mentioned, along with the one that should have held the seventh warrior resting beneath it...beside that of a restin' rogue I was told...-!."

Duke then looked to me a bit startled, as though a puzzle piece had been set in place he'd overlooked a number of times, "'Cause you weren't there to put to rest beside him!"

"What?!"

He grasped my shoulder while looking over me as the sapphire sparked briefly in response to this revelation. With a widened eye he said, "You came to Puck World as a kid right? You don't have any memory of anythin' before that?"

I shook my head and he breathed out, "Heart...ya don't have them 'cause that's as far back as ya went! Your magic...in the journal you mentioned how your body would try to give ya what ya wished with the rules alotted by it; becomin' the dragon your blood was bonded to, the ability to hop worlds with the energy you had, the voice to cry out when you otherwise couldn't, an'..." he trailed off while resting a hand over my stomach briefly, "The body ya needed to carry children you wouldn't have been able to otherwise..."

He then brought that hand up to my shoulder again and said gently, "I think...when your heart couldn't take it anymore...somehow your magic gave ya what you really wanted again...I don't know how, but maybe you wanted to find us...?"

"Based on these memories we've been shown...I think you're right," I said looking up at him, believing these words somehow, "but does that mean we only love each other in this life because of that?"

He shook his head with his smile remaining, "No sweetheart. When I met ya I had no idea about any of this. I thought a dragon had taken off to hide somewhere an' I was seekin' out another way out of my salvation. I never thought I'd find both by savin' ya."

As Duke now placed a hand to my chin he chuckled softly, "If anythin' I think in that previous life we shared we fought against what may have been preordained for us. Maybe this is the reward fate gifted us for goin' through that battle?"

Then he asked while looking into my eyes, "Do ya feel any differently towards me now knowin' this?"

Without a second thought I replied, "Of course not Duke. I knew I loved you when I nearly lost you to that merchant..."

"An' that was well before any of this came to light," he mentioned.

"What about you?" I heard myself ask.

He smiled still and playfully said, "I think ya stole my heart when we met Heart."

When I raised my brow at this he laughed and replied, "I knew it was certain when Falcone tried to take ya from me the first time. When Irving told me you were in trouble I woke up from the trap in my own mind tryin' to save ya before I'd known what had happened. All that registered was you needed me..."

He then added, "I will say it is nice knowin' in a way that we knew how to share some affection though...that we understood how to reach one another without too much practice this time?" he leaned forward and brushed my cheek from the side with a kiss.

I smiled at this before tilting my head just right to kiss him directly as we knew to do, "I guess you're right about that."

As we shared this moment of affection I felt Duke shift with me to pull me atop of him, being mindful of his stitches in the process. He then wrapped his arms around me to pin me against him as he knew without looking, "As I recall I've been makin' ya blush like that from day one?"
Without much warning he ran his hand down along my back smoothly. In return I held onto him carefully before trying to prop myself up to get off of him. At this his hand at my back held me firmly in place as I looked over him. He smiled while lifting his other hand to my chin and sweetly said when I tried to protest a bit, "I'll be fine Heart. Let this thief of yours be with ya an' keep ya warm through the oncoming storm?"

Duke:

I watched as she blushed deeply from this remark and I couldn't help but give a soft chuckle before sitting up slightly and kissing her cheek and then her neck. Still trembling slightly I felt her easing up as she held onto me now. Perhaps it was fear that we'd never have another chance, maybe it was the understanding of what we'd discovered, or it could have been just knowing that we loved and trusted one another. Either way she gave in as I did, gently clinging to me as I embraced her.

In the warm afterglow I held her close to me still as she breathed my name contently. Hearing her so at ease in my hold around her drew out a relaxed breath of my own as I held her barely dressed frame against my own tightly beneath the blanket we'd found and drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

Come all you pretty fair maids

Whoever you may be

Who love a jolly sailor

That plows the raging sea

I woke with a start to find Heart nearly out the door of the lighthouse. Jumping to my feet to follow after her I'd nearly forgotten the pain in my side that now seized up a bit. However I pushed through it and hurried after her in that now angry storm.

Yet no matter how quickly I ran Heart seemed just out of reach.

"Heart!" I called out in vain as she continued on in a trance.

Heart:

I vaguely recall fixing my shirt before stepping out the door. Though the wind howled I couldn't seem to hear it. The rain spit in my face, yet I didn't feel it. Even the lightening dancing in the distance over the sea ahead of me now did not bring me to pause in my steps.

Before I knew it I was standing at the shore with the waves tugging at my bare feet. Without further hesitation I took a step further in. The humming I couldn't bring myself to turn away from pulled me along, deeper and deeper into the water. The harsh cold made my body tremble, yet somehow in my core I remained warm. At the reminder of the one I loved that warmth resonated through me to fend off the frigid depths I was now floating along in.

I then barely paid attention to the giggling coming into earshot as I kept myself upright in that storming sea. Then a woman with unearthly beauty swam up to me, her voice giggling still as she drew nearer, "That's right my dear...get used to the water... get used to your new home."

Her eyes flashed as though sunlight had found treasure beneath the waves, but I didn't try to get away. Instead I listened as she hummed her melody, "Such a pretty, wretched thing you are. Did you think I'd forgotten your punishment for your crime...that I feel you've committed once again...!" I vaguely heard her hiss, startling me slightly before her voice grew to be more soothing again, "Don't be afraid...just listen to my words and my magic will do the rest. Consider yourself lucky that I've decided your fate is for you to be one of my sisters..."

Before I could answer she swam up to me and brushed her hand along my neck, "You'll need gills to breath better, whether in the depths of the sea or among the stars."

I gasped for air as I felt my throat helping me to do so quite suddenly. Then I felt the end of a tail brush against my steadily kicking legs, "Now, to lure in your own sailor bold you'll need the otherworldly charms of our kin. I've found that the shimmering scales of our tails are quite alluring, they're like gems to a thief really."

At this I felt something emerging from my hips and down along my legs. Looking down I was surprised that I wasn't alarmed as my feet twisted together and then blended into the tail she said I needed. The scales that shimmered beneath the waves were a familiar blend of sapphire and aquamarine. The end of the tail that emerged flowed out in a soft pink and burgundy fin.

Then she reached for my shirt front and assured me, "This will simply weigh you down with swimming, use your growing hair to remain modest if you must."

Yet as she began to pull at the fabric she would come to a sudden pause, but remained humming her tune as a vaguely familiar voice rang out, causing a shudder down my frame and a certain skip in my heart.

Duke:

I hadn't waited a second when I'd seen Heart step into the waves. Following after her I realized the waters were leading her deeper in, but had been fighting me at every move. The stitching in my side somehow held, but ached considerably as I pushed myself to swim on after her. Then I looked ahead in horror, crying out to her as I did, "Heart!"

She looked up, but her eyes remained as though in a deep trance, darkening their sapphire shade to near ebony. Fear gripped my heart as I took a better look and found her half way changed to match the siren holding her with an iron, grip and a painted smile. The siren looked over her shoulder at me and giggled, "Is something a miss my sailor bold?"

"Let her go Maria!" I snapped with a rush of anger, but a tremble of horror, in my voice as I looked to Heart, "Heart get away from her!"

"Why would she need to do that? I'm giving her back some magic. Perhaps it's not what she had before, but it will be quite useful to her," she giggled, "Afterall how else will she find her own sailor to be with once you've gone with me?"

"I'm not leavin' her!" I growled while trying to swim over to Heart as she looked on in a distant bewilderment.

Maria only swam to where she was behind Heart, gripping her shoulders as she hissed into her ear. I would then watch as Heart lifted up her hands to show the webbing growing along her even more slendor fingers now. Her ears began to grow, becoming fin like in appearance as well.

"Not much longer now," Maria mused while slipping Heart's shirt off as her now longer hair fell free over her trembling form.

"Heart..." I breathed still trying to reach her.

"Now I can teach her my song," she giggled, "It'll make her crave a heart of her very own...and if she can't find one she'll seek out the crimson nector I've had to sustain myself with in the meantime. The very moment she tastes it there will be no turning back!"

"Maria don't!" I pleaded as she went to start her song.

The siren paused with a wicked grin on her face. She licked her coral painted lips and asked, "Why should I stop? She deserves far worse for trying to steal you away if you ask me!"

"I don't want this for her! Please jus' let her go!" I pushed as she tried to sing again, "Heart don't listen to her! Look at me sweetheart!"

Maria sneered at the transforming woman beside her, the one I loved so much it made my chest ache to see her this way. If I could just get her free, if I could get her away from this...I would...

Then without a second thought I looked to Heart, seeing the trace of fear in her lost eyes that had faded to resemble those of onyx rather than the sapphires I knew. In that moment I said clearly over the raging waves crashing into us, "I'll go with ya!"

"What was that?" Maria asked in contempt as she paused.

"Please Maria, change her back an' I'll go with ya! I won't run from ya anymore, I won't try to escape what's caught up to me! I'll be your sailor bold if you'll just let her go!" I promised while looking at Heart still.

"You would give up your precious freedom, what you've fought for at every turn, to save this girl? It's quite the price to you isn't it?"

"For her...I'll gladly pay that price," I begged.

She seemed to ponder this a moment while I tried to swim closer only to be pushed back by the waves still. Then she looked at me with a shark like grin, "Are you sure of this?"

Not looking away from Heart as she turned to face me I swore without a doubt in my mind, "Of course."

Maria looked to me with widened eyes at first before they gleamed again with lust and greed. Releasing her hold on Heart she then swam up to me and grasped my shoulders with a delighted glee in her giggle. She then brushed my neck with a chilling kiss as she requested, "What is it you want my sailor bold?"

"For Heart to be returned to shore safely and changed back to the girl I know...an' in return I give my freedom in exchange for hers an' one last goodbye..." I swore as I lifted her hand and kissed it in a seal of some sort.

"It is done then!" She mused while kissing my cheek and snapping her fingers.

In an instant Heart's body rapidly reversed in her changes. Her eyes widened as she awoke from her trance gasping in a panic. As she transformed back the water around her threatened to crash over her. Maria then swam aside to allow me to quickly swim over and catch Heart as she tried to steady herself, splshing about in her shock, "Heart!"

"Duke?!" She exclaimed as she found herself in the middle of the sea as new as the day she was born.

Trembling now she clung to me for what I knew would be the last time. I in turn kept her afloat by holding her against me. In some attempt to warm her I slipped my shirt off and pulled it over her, "Here..."

"What's going on?" She asked before noticing Maria behind me, watching us with a relaxed smile, despite Heart shouting in warning "Get away from us!"

"Heart! Heart stop!" I pleaded while holding her steady against me.

As she looked to me in confusion I tried my best to say calmly while brushing the wet hair out of her face, "I'm sorry...but it's all I could do to save ya..."

"What are you talking about?! What did you do?!"

At first I didn't know what to say as I looked into her eyes, seeing the fear linger in them...but it wasn't from concern over herself. Knowing this made it all the more difficult to pull away from her.

"I realized just how much you're worth to me sweetheart..." I then said as I attempted to reassure her with a steady smile.

She knew. She knew and she fought to hold onto me every second that she could. To this I shook my head, trying not to falter before her, and simply hugged her as tight as I could in this alotted moment. My voice however wavered as I whispered to her, "I'm sorry Heart...I know we fought as long as we could...but I couldn't let her curse take you like that..." pulling myself together for her I took a breath and promised her, "I love ya so much sweetheart!"

"I love you too my thief..." her voice trembled as she clung to me.

Then I reluctantly began to pull away. She clung to me as much as she could as I briefly kissed her forehead, and then her lips one last time.

Heart:

When I opened my eyes as he pulled away Duke was gone. My heart raced as I looked around trying to catch a glimpse of where she'd taken from. Yet it were as though the sea itself were impedeing my attempts. Then a massive wave came barreling towards me just as I turned to face it, sweeping me up in it's fury. In a rapid rush I then was thrown onto the sandy shore coughing and gasping as I slowly realized what he'd saved me from. For as I looked at my bare legs with the long shirt I wore covering me just enough I could see the lingering scales breaking away.

I covered my mouth to stifle a pained cry as I knew without asking what his price had been to do this.

After a few moments I attempted to stand only to crumble back onto my hands and knees in the sand. My mind swam trying to figure out what to do or where to go. Somehow I knew she hadn't brought him back to this death stained town. She wouldn't bring him right back to where I'd been thrown aside to.

Looking towards the docks I would find a lonely longboat barely staying a float in the waves that pulled and pushed on it.

Next thing I knew I was jumping into that very boat and cutting it's binds to the docks. Then I grabbed the oars and began rowing against all that I could. Against the storm, against time, against her song, against my own pain racked body, against his vow. It was all I could think to to do despite all of that crashing against me.

After rowing like this for quite some time I found that my adrenaline hadn't wavered yet. Despite being tossed about in this glorified piece of wood that called itself a boat I began to realize she may not even be on this planet with him anymore. As though taunting me in this realization I looked up at the raging heavens as I heard her singing voice declare with a lustful tone.

While up aloft in storm

From me his absence mourn

And firmly pray upon the day

He's never more to roam

"No..." I breathed desperately while standing up now in this rotting pile of logs to try and find a way up.

I glanced at the sapphire beneath my collar bone, demanding to know, "You were supposed to save him weren't you?!"

When the answer I knew it would give came echoing back from the heavens in the same trembling rage I crumbled to my knees in that longboat, fighting every urge to break down.

"I'm sorry Duke...I'm sorry I couldn't save you! If I still had my magic..." I started to break down before rememebering with those cruel words, "I may not have met you at all if I'd still had that magic this time...Duke what am I supposed to do?"

Looking at the sapphire I now held in my trembling hand I would see another memory play out, this time from simply within the gem itself.

My own voice whispered to me my final wish from so long ago, "Please...I've had to face so much time without them...I just want to be with them once more...I want to adventure with him at least one more lifetime if we could...please grant us this and I'll give up my magic...so we don't have to part in this way again..."

As this played out I saw in the raging sea surrounding the boat a vision of myself from when these words were said. There I sat looking back at myself as a partial dragon with scales brushing my cheeks that had spread down much of my body beneath battle gear I had worn in those dreams. Yet I was also much older, with hair a faded pink to white, almost like the petals of cherry blossoms. Around my neck was the sapphire I'd held onto. Then again I wore the stealthsuit that matched one he wore from time to time with me in those memories.

"Please...if they're souls are willing...I just want one more lifetime with them...one more adventure...take my magic and make it so if you can...I miss them so much...please..."

Then my older self closed their weary eyes and fell asleep, wearing the stealthsuit from that previous vision, and fading away into the form of a child once more now wearing a simple teal t-shirt and black cargoes. The dragon form pulled away, leaving the stealthsuit folded on the nightstand, and grasping for the journal Duke had mentioned. Once finished with it's scribing, that being became the full dragon we would find still with the sapphire clutched to it's heart...becoming just that.

Once more I was alone in that raging storm once more, in shock from what I'd just witnessed, but no more closer to finding a way to do what I'd promised him not so long ago.

Suddenly while clasping the sapphire tightly in one hand I took a breath and looked up. Words I clung to escaped in a steady voice, "No matter what it takes!"

With that I began rowing, trying to find a way back to the dingy we'd left on the other beach to see if it would function. Yet as I did I would feel a sudden force shove my boat back a bit, threatening to throw me over it. However upon looking up my heart would leap with hope as I heard a familiar voice call out with relief, "Ahoy there sis!"

"Dive!" I cried out with rain blending with the tears that escaped along my face.

Before long I was brought back aboard the ship to find everyone freed from her trance.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" Nosedive exclaimed while hugging me tight.

"Where's Duke?" Grin asked as though sensing my growing worry.

"We have to go after him! He gave up his freedom to her to save me, but I can't give up on him!" I told them urgently.

"Easy there Heart, take a breath first!" Marestella insisted while trying to take in what I would explain to them.

"That would explain what happened up here," Avarin sighed when I'd finished.

By now I was properly dressed again, wearing my original attire I'd begun my journey in. With the exception of adding one of his vests in place of my own.

"What happened?"

"Not long ago we felt as though we woke up from a bad dream. We've been fighting amongst ourselves, unable to travel further after we performed our mutiny," Catalina explained.

"We couldn't decide where to go or what we were even after," Melodia added.

"We also couldn't pick a captain in the state we were in," Norelle mentioned with growing unease.

"I think we were also try to fight back in a way," Trent commented while checking over me to make sure I wasn't otherwise hurt or at risk from being exposed to the elements as I was.

"We seemed to know something was off about what we'd done, but couldn't pull through with all of us fighting the other," Irving said with a thoughtful hand to his burlap chin.

"I tried to keep you in the brig I think for that very reason. I think some part of me knew you'd be able to break us out of it, but you jumped ship instead," Nosedive attempted before admitting, "Not that I blame you sis."

"What matters now is that we're back and we're going to have to save our captain!" Marestella grinned.

"So where do we go?" Catalina asked while bringing me a bit of food to eat after hearing how little I'd had since leaving the ship.

"I don't know...she would have had to bring him somewhere or..."

"Or had a ship to head out on?" Grin suggested while looking out over the rail of the ship.

"What?" I asked in confusion before catching a glimpse of it myself.

In the distance on a small moon above the crimson stained planet we'd escaped from was a grand ship. It's body and sails looked to be made up of sea shells of different kinds. It was secured to the docks that lead to a palace also created out of coral and shells that glistened with starlight.

"So what's the plan?" Avarin asked.

"I have to steal him back," I breathed while looking up in awe still.

"You spend a few days alone on a crazy honey moon and now you sound like him!" Marestella laughed while patting my shoulder.

"I think it's time to crash a wedding Mare," Catalina grinned ear to ear as we noticed the bridal decor the ship wore.

"I'd say you're right, and I think that's the plan!" Marestella smiled just as wide while turning to me, "While we disrupt the preperations you get in there and find our captain!"

"Now let's set up the full plan," Trent suggested with a more structured tone as we began to do just that.

Duke:

As Maria had sung the next part I felt myself unwillingly drawing close to her. I'd maintained my sense of self, my memories, my ambition, and my desires. Yet with these words I knew it was simply a matter of time. I could run, but that would be going back on what I simply couldn't this time. It wasn't an empty threat, nor something I could fight my way through. For her freedom I had to stay.

"You've never tried to simply slit my throat through all of this," Maria mentioned to me when we were traveling up to that lonely moon above.

"Apart from that not bein' my style, it wouldn't do me any good would it?" I replied distantly as I looked down upon the waves hoping to catch a glimpse of her once more safe somehow.

"Is that so?"

"As long as your song is goin' your magic would linger to drive the victims to sheer madness. Freedom wouldn't be the result of your wrathful spirit severed from your body," I said grimmly.

"You've studied quite a bit haven't you?" She giggled while stepping up to me on her new shimmering scaled legs while wearing a glistening sun dress the shade of tanned summer sand and sea foam white.

Maria then pulled me gently from the rail to then wrap her arms around my lean waist. She rested her head against my chest, to which she unbuttoned a bit of my shirt to reveal some of my scars and feathers. Then she pressed her hand against my side and I felt the wound there sealing up and the thread falling loose once it was done.

"There now, surely that feels much better than being held together by a weak thread?" Maria asked while looking up at me.

"Ya know I actually don't mind bearin' scars when I know why I got them was to protect someone. In a way it shows a deeper bond bein' woven if ya ask me," I admitted with a blend of sincereity and contempt.

Then with a sigh I looked into her eyes, knowing saying this wouldn't do anything to loosen her now tightening hold on me. However as I had made this remark I couldn't help but remember the battles shown to me and the countless engravings my body had taken. Some from my life as a thief, including the one that repeated itself, but many more happened afterwards. Every mark in my feathers afterwards had been to keep hers shielded. A twisted shoulder from a blood hungry warlord, the further slashes from my rival, the blade to my heart that had nearly taken me from her. Yet not a one I knew even now that I regreted.

"I think it's about time I finish my song though, and once it's done...you'll still have no reason to sever the bond we'll have," she assured me with a delighted smile, "Unless you think the price you paid wasn't worth this?"

"Of course not," I said firmly while feeling the noose of her curse being woven around my throat to strip me of all that I was to become what she desired.

I couldn't run from this. Yet as long as Heart remained free out there, I knew I'd at least saved her. Now that Maria had what she wanted, she had no reason or desire to chase after her.

"Now then shall we prepare?" She asked me sweetly.

"Yes dear Maria," I gave in to appease her at the very least.

Her pearl like face was then touched with a deeper shade as she heard this from me, "I think I like that. When we are wed you'll say it me often won't you?"

"It seems so," I sighed.

"We will prepare at the palace built of shells and stardust for us. Then we'll head back into space where you, Captain, will perform our ceremony. Once it is done I will finish my song for you and weave us together where no one will be able to sever that bond," she promised me before standing on her toes to brush a kiss against my neck, "And then I will make you a very happy drake as I claim that heart of yours."

Soon we'd made our way to the palace she'd spoken of. Formed out of stardust to hold the walls of shells together, it glistened in the glow of soft moonlight the sphere gave off. Radiant pearled shades of aqua, coral, and creamy white blended in a natural aray that looked almost dreamlight. Silver shingles, spires, windows, and doors gave it the final touch to prove it was the home of the princess she thought she was on her wedding day.

I couldn't help but think back to the palace that lay sleeping long after it's peak in beauty that I'd visited. Though worn down and built centuries before I'd seen it, there was a warmth about it that kept it standing strong in it's broken down state. Torn portraits had long ago faded from showing who they once depicted still told me a thousand words. In those crumbling walls I could almost hear the voices of those long since gone, cheerful.

Then even more so at the stadium I'd visited. The one that felt like home despite not being able to go inside of it. It's walls had stayed strong despite time wearing down on them bit by bit. Yet what radiated from those walls was nothing less than a strong bond holding it together. Now that I knew Heart had called this place as her home more than that palace left me smiling wistfully, understanding just why. We had been everything to her. Our friendship, our team, our legacy, and of course our love. It was something she cherished so much for her to wish to hold onto us just once more.

Yet also knowing that made my heart sink as I looked over the woman holding onto me now in Heart's place. All she'd wanted was now taken from her hands, despite what she'd given up for the chance. Now the memories with her from not only that previous life, but the one we'd shared this time again would be stripped away.

However I couldn't help but smirk when I thought of how much we'd managed to share in that short amount of time. I chuckled to recall her getting so flustered and even more so when trying to deal with me.

Seeing this in me Maria gave a brief sneer before readjusting her smile and began once more.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold

"I'm sorry Heart..." I breathed as memories of her slipped away from my mind, along with most of the traces of the drake she knew so well.

"What was that?" Maria questioned with a smug tint to her smile.

"I'm sorry dear Maria," I said looking over her with a vague connection being tied between us.

Thin thread or no, it was enough it seemed. She then kissed my cheek and we began our preperations from there.