Julia kept on facing him as he ranted. Once Adalbert had run out of breath, he paused and looked at her and the emptiness of her eyes and knelt in front of Julia.
He knew that Julia was strong, knew that more than anything she hated being treated like a porcelain doll... and yet, part of him was aching at the thought of Julia being in danger.
He knew that Julia wasn't a damsel in distress and he wasn't a knight in shining armor, after all. But there were few things that Adalbert wouldn't be for her.
"Promise me you'll be careful," and it was strange asking that of Julia, when it was going to be him the one actually fighting. He still held her hands and kissed the back softly. Julia smiled at him, freeing her hands to touch his face, lingering as they traced his face. When she leaned forward, he kept his eyes open as she brushed her lips against his.
"Adalbert, I love you," she said. Adalbert was about to call it a dark omen before she smiled, teasing, gentle. "But you nag as an old maid."
His last memory of her is of her laugh.