Valleri sighed as she watched the frying pan in front of her. The cream was just starting to melt around the broccoli and carrots that had been softening up only moments before. Satisfied her concoction was ready, she tossed in the minced garlic at her side and listened to it sizzle. Vilkas stood next to her, watching some noodles boil in a pot.

"How long until they're done?" Vilkas turned to her.

Valleri spoke with a slight smile. "You just sort of know." She paused, looking up wistfully. "At least that's what Skeeva taught me.'

"That… that doesn't exactly help me."

"You'll know," she finished. Turning back to the pan in front of her, Valleri tried not to think about the ever growing pit in her stomach. She glanced at Vilkas from the corner of her vision, focusing on the mildly confused glint in his expression. In only a few moments, Valleri smelled the sauce burn. Panicking, the Imperial pulled the pan from the flame and snuffed it out before mixing the sauce one last time. "Fuck!"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. Just burned it is all."

"Not the end of the world, Val."

Breathing out, Valleri did what she could to salvage the sauce before Vilkas drained the noodles. "I know. This was just the simplest thing to get right. I've made this thousands of times before."

The corner of Vilkas' lips curled into a barely perceivable smile. "It's fine. I know your dinner isn't going to plan. It's fine."

Valleri blinked once before turning back to Vilkas with a dejected look on her face. "I just feel bad for leaving you to go to Markarth so suddenly. And on your birthday, too. I feel horrible about it."

Vilkas clicked his tongue, "And if you had known better, you would have avoided this if you could." He paused, sucking in a breath before pouring Valleri's sauce over the noodles. The Imperial followed him to the small table at the side of the room before sitting down. "It was the deal we agreed to when Aicantar came. And from what we both know about Calcelmo, you shouldn't miss this opportunity."

"I appreciate the encouragement, but still. I just don't want to leave you alone like this."

"I'll be all right. In the meantime, food's getting cold."

Watching him take a moment to try the pasta. "How is it?"

A wide grin came to the Nord's face after he swallowed. "It the best thing I've had in a while. Better than Skeeva's."

Valleri laughed in disbelief. "You're kidding!"

"Absolutely not!" Vilkas paused as he watched the smile melt from Valleri's face in a few seconds. "You're marvelous at cooking. And you know what else?"

"What else?"

"Do you remember that book of poems you showed me? In Anvil? I couldn't read any of them since I don't know how to read old elvish runes." Vilkas scanned Valleri's face as she waited for him to finish. "Do you remember any of them?"

"All of them by heart." Valleri's eyes didn't move from Vilkas' as she began to in a rhythmic meter, even and practiced.

'Sa enelori, eneumbra raita. Sa enelori, rerum padothen.

So sad her eyes, so dark her eyes. So sad, her eyes, and the tale begins.'

Vilkas let go of the breath he didn't even realize he was hanging onto, eyes not moving from as Valleri took a deep breath in. Then she started again. Her voice was usually lilting as she spoke with a slight accent, but now it was haunting.

'Tere lo orea, lo graxis. TImbare angua, micunase tulcia.

Hame asva, frey A patiye. Virane amrae.

Arangua washe sino shantarvar

Loria va

Aran Fanascas pataye lo quera vabra.

Va nayn, Varlai tandila.'

'The White Queen Walks and the night grows pale'

'Maurea, abaadma. Ama, frey huroon.

Sa, ene angua lori. Ayleida.'

Valleri continued, voice growing stronger with each word. Vilkas couldn't look away from the woman sitting in front of him, so engulfed in her performance.

'Asma hessia ni? Man nesi ni?

A canye ama wenaya. A tandilanye runya.

Aran Fanascas, cyrod angua malanye.

A abatulcianye. Sa A naravar.'

'And still I wait'

'Adawen angua, adma gaiar angua lori.

Sa vaina, A canye. Sa oiale, A canye."

'My goddess, hear my darkest fear. I speak too late, and I'll wait forever more.'

With another pause, Valleri's voice quieted as she took hold of Vilkas hands. Her eyes were drawn to the tabletop, almost afraid to meet his.

'Rume angua tandila, mandebe.

Ene angua, nie adakelanye.

Sin sa lori, rerum narisen.

Sa rerum padothen'

'So sad, it ends. As it began.'

The two of them sat in silence after Valleri's poem finished. Vilkas moved his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. Anything he could say wouldn't compare in the slightest. "Even if I went back thousands of years and heard the author recite it, the poem still wouldn't have sounded nearly as genuine as it does when you do."

Valleri's face lit up as she turned away, hiding her smile with a spare hand. She glanced over to him momentarily. "Probably because I really meant it."

"What does it mean?"

"It's a story about a man who lives in eternal agony because the woman he fell in love is gone. He'll wait forever if only to just glimpse her," Valleri explained, recomposed.

"And I'll wait for you to get back too, Val."

"I know. I just hate to leave." Valleri hushed Vilkas before he could say another word before continuing. "And yes, we've talked about it over and over again and that this is what I chose for myself. But I'm complaining about this once for a myriad of reasons. Mostly because it was your birthday, and I forgot, and that's terrible all in itself."

"This isn't the last birthday I'll have. I'm here for a log time, Val," Vilkas said with a laugh. "And having to rush it isn't nearly as horrible as you think. What's most important is that tomorrow you leave for Markarth, talk to Calcelmo, and get your career back on track. I'll be here waiting for you."

A wide smile grew on Valleri's face as she closed her eyes and leaned in close to Vilkas. That same familiar, haunting tone returned as she spoke. "A tandilanye ni."

He shook his head with a regretful expression, "I have no idea what that means."

Placing a kiss on his cheek, Valleri leaned back, shaking her head. She laughed, light and springy. "I love you."