"Good morning," a low voice murmured in her ears. Lazily, her eyelids opened, pushing against the urge to close them and continue sleeping. As her eyes focused, she saw Dunban seated on the edge of the bed next to her, his forehead shiny with sweat.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, the woman propped herself up on her elbow. To her surprise, no inklings of pain ran through her muscles. Testing her body once more, she sat up all the way, feeling no soreness anywhere in her anatomy. Relief surged through her: she was finally returning to normal. Brightened by that revelation, the Homs Entia scooted next to him, her eyes sparkling with greeting.

"You sleep like the dead, you know that?"

She raised an eyebrow in displeasure.

"That just means you're getting rest. How are you feeling?"

Melia grabbed her pen and paper off of the nightstand and scrawled words. "I don't have any pain. Or at least, it appears to be that way."

"That's wonderful, Melia." His smile went straight to her heart and he took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. She smiled and returned the squeeze. Then he sighed.

The Empress pursued her lips. Something wasn't right.

Releasing her hand, Dunban dug in his pocket and produced a note. "Serenity asked me to give this to you."

Delicately, the Homs Entia took the note and opened it.

Your Highness,

I apologize for interrupting your morning, but the Royal Guard is urging to speak with you. Well, not so much urging as very vehemently requesting. Captain Bernard is quite intimidating...but he's not the only one unfortunately. The People's Council as well, and now the Cabinet. Though, of course, they understand your condition. However, they do to ask when you will resume your duties. I have stalled them as best as possible, but I am no longer certain how much longer they'll entertain this response. I don't mind continuing to keep them away, but I think they'll get too disgruntled and come to you regardless of what I say.

Once again, I apologize for placing this in front of you. I do hope you're having a good morning. ^_^

Your faithful servant,

Serenity

Shoulders slumping, Melia handed the note back to Dunban. She knew this moment would come, but had hoped to delay it just a little longer. The past week hadn't been exactly the vacation she'd desired: convalescence was anything but, despite the amount of enjoyable time she'd had to spend with her friends.

Taking her eyes from the handsome man in front of her, Melia shifted herself next to him and swung her legs over the side of the bed so her feet would touch the carpeted floor. She wondered if her strength had returned since the pain disappeared. Pushing herself upright, Melia rocked back and forth between her legs, gradually stabilizing. Without the pain, she was certain she would be able to stand much longer than previously, but she could already feel a little strain on the muscles. But it did feel much better to stand than previous attempts.

"It seems you are needed once more."

The woman turned her head and met his eyes. There she saw something unreadable drifting in those brown orbs. A breeze of anxiety whistled around her heart but she brushed it away. Perhaps he too was disappointed that their (mostly) uninterrupted time was coming to an end.

Opening her mouth, Melia tried to respond, but no sound came out. It seemed her throat muscles were still not cooperating. That was something that still did plague her with worry: she would prefer to emerge from her illness with her voice intact. She feared it would be seen as too much of a disability and cause concern in her governmental bodies. But she had to continue to hope her muteness would come to an end shortly.

"Unfortunately so. I think I will need to begin these meetings today. Not too many, but enough to demonstrate that I will be ready to fully resume in a few days."

"Can I make you breakfast before you leave?"

That brought a smile to her face and she nodded. "I would like that very much."

"Good. Let me shower first." He stood next to her and reached out, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. "You could join me."

Her eyes went wide and a warm flush filled her pale face. Stunned, Melia did not move a muscle.

"I'll take that as a no." Dunban said, amused. "Just thought I'd ask." He leaned in and gave her a quick, soft kiss on her lips. Then he headed to the washroom, Melia's eyes stuck to his retreating figure.

Had she heard correctly? Was that a trick of her ears?

No. She was sure he had asked her to join him.

Melia heard the splashing of running water hitting the ground in the next room. Images of Dunban's bare chest flashed before her eyes and her imagination ran wild, thinking about other parts of his body. Covering her face with her hands, the High Entia desperately shook her head from side to side, as if she were shaking the ideas out of her mind before they took root and constantly interrupted her mental processes throughout the day.

Removing her hands slowly, the Empress swallowed, feeling her heart rattling in her chest. The mere suggestion of whole physical exposure jolted her. While she and Dunban had engaged in physical intimacy, she knew that this was an entirely different situation. The intimation of full nudity was too much. Tyrea was right: she was afraid.

And yet, her cells burned to plunge straight into that unknown. Inside raged a battle against sexuality and rationality, but perhaps there was a third player now: anxiety.

Hesitantly, the young woman took a few steps towards the washroom. The door was slightly ajar and her fingertips touched the cherry wood, trembling. Adding a slight pressure, Melia opened the door an inch. The room was filled with steam and fog. Blinking, she took a tiny step over the threshold, feeling the warmth of the tiles underneath her foot. Breathing in the humid air, Melia's eyes darted around; visibility was low. As she took another step inside, she caught something moving. Just over the fogged portion of the mirror, she saw the man standing under the shower head, running his hand through his hair. Only his shoulders and above were visible, but it was enough to make Melia's face hot.

No. I cannot.

Embarrassed, the Empress shuffled backward, away from her inappropriate desires. As fast as she could, which was not very fast at all, she removed the shirt he'd lent her to sleep in and slipped her black dress on over her underclothes. Without a second thought, she hobbled towards the front door. Tired from the over exertion, Melia plopped down into her wheelchair, grabbed the door handle and flung it open. Wheeling herself out of the suite, she shut the apartment door behind her.

Pushing her arms to rotate the wheels of her chair, she advanced down the hallway towards her suite. Squeezing her eyes shut as she continued forward, Melia felt a wave of shame fall over her. Why was this so hard for her? Why was it so hard to completely open herself to him?

I'm sorry, Dunban.

Her routine was rushed this morning. After departing — rather fleeing — from Dunban's apartment, Melia had showered, dressed, gargled salt water, and drank a cup of tea with honey in a matter of thirty-five minutes, half the time it usually took her. Preparing for the day was a tedious exercise; between Serenity's note and her embarrassment, Melia itched with stress. After punishing herself with a sad bowl of oatmeal (all the while thinking of Dunban's pancakes), she headed towards the Western Sitting Room. As she opened the doors, and claimed an armchair, the Empress forced her brain to focus. To allow the affairs of the kingdom to move on without her for so long was unacceptable. She indulged in comforts and ignored her duties. Ignored the needs of her people, even if things were progressing smoothly. Though her strength was still returning, the Empress had to resume her work, even if it was little by little.

The rest of her morning was filled with meetings. First, the Royal Guard filed a formal complaint against Tyrea. Upon handing the parchment to Melia, Captain Bernard proceeded to share a litany of grievances — although they were all contained in the document —to Melia's chagrin. However, over the course of an hour, with much listening and soothing, the Empress was able to placate him and the rest of the Royal Guard. In order to cover for Tyrea's actions, Melia concocted a story about creating and maintaing a secret governmental program of Telethia hunters in the event of the reappearance of the creatures. That story, combined with a little exploiting her current condition and the promise of a vacation for their dedication, appeased them and the matter was marked as resolved. Internally, Melia whispered a grateful prayer to her ancestors: at least one thing was now taken care of.

Her second meeting was with the Cabinet. This one she looked forward to; it was good to see them again. They too brightened upon her appearance in the Cabinet Chamber. Even Kiefer had given her a small smile in greeting. Melia was surprised to see another Entia woman in their midst. With Miriall's disappearance, Songya explained that this woman, Delilah had taken over her duties at the clinic and orphanage. At least that was one absence that was filled; Jarrack's and Camar's posts were still vacant. That would be something she would address in the immediate term. In great detail, each member filled her in on the happenings in the kingdom. In the meantime, Kiefer had taken over some of Camar's responsibilities, and Shalen Jarrack's. To her pleasure, everything appeared to be running very well. Each individual additionally came with a list of projects to be completed within the next six months to a year, rounding off the restoration efforts. Placated, Melia dismissed them. Perhaps her absence had empowered them to ensure that the progress of building infrastructure continued.

Lastly, her last meeting with the People's Council was the most surprising of all. Despite what had at first been a disaster of a governmental body, divided Entia and Homs Entia members, she found their dynamic to be amicable, even harmonious. Together, they had begun drafting certain measures and bills that would reintroduce and improve processes in government that were needed since the the Holocaust. Additionally, each expressed his or her wishes for the Empress' recovery, conveying that the people felt the same. The people were eager to see her. Such sentiment warmed Melia's heart. She assured them she was almost fully recovered and would be well enough to address the people in the next few days. Satisfied, they left her, affirmed that their Empress was satisfied with their work.

Finally, it seemed peace had come to Alcamoth.

Unfortunately, Melia had to admit to herself that the back to back meetings exhausted her. The thought of returning to this schedule on a daily basis was less than pleasant.

James and Elrich had appeared somewhere in the middle of her block of meetings, beginning to look well-rested. The dark circles under their eyes were disappearing, and she could see their bodies relaxed, free of the tension that had been a part of their natural state these last months. Since her metamorphosis, the High Entia had ordered them to take half shifts, and then convinced them to stop altogether. There were no more imminent threats to her person, and she knew they needed time to reinvigorate their health as well. Considering she had spent most of her time in her suite the past days, there was no need for extra security.

However, they were aware that afternoon, she would be venturing outdoors, out of the city entirely. Fiora had sent her a note between the Cabinet and People's Council meetings stating her intention of taking Melia to the beach that afternoon, if she felt she was up to it. Eager, the woman wrote back she was and would be ready at 1300, and then summoned James and Elrich. She knew that if she didn't they would be angry with her, and that was the last thing she wanted.

At 1330, Melia, Fiora, Serenity and Sharla descended upon the beach, the sun shining down on them from the sky to ensure a wonderful picnic. To Melia's disappointment, Tyrea had opted out, attributing her dislike of sand enough of a reason to not join the women. But the Empress knew that that was not the reason; however, it mattered not. She was not one to force such interactions upon an unwilling party. And so, the Homs Entia directed her attention towards her companions, who were setting up the picnic.

"I'm so glad you decided to come out with us today, Melia!" Fiora exclaimed as she shook out the blanket and lay it on the ground. Sitting, the Homs began pulling out tea sandwiches from her basket. "It is such a nice day."

"Did Dunban finally let you out of his sight?" Sharla asked, setting plates and utensils down in front of each person, giving the Empress a smug grin.

"I didn't ask." Melia retorted and she eased herself up out of the wheelchair and down onto the ground.

"Good. Sometimes he can be too overprotective." Fiora said.

"It's in your nature to rebel against him. He's your older brother." Sharla pointed out as she handed out wine glasses, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Empress, is it alright for you to drink?" Serenity asked, a look of concern painted across her face.

Melia nodded. "Bella has assured me that I will be fine as long as I don't drink more than two glasses of wine." Besides, Tyrea had snuck Melia a drink of "something strong" the previous day after their moment on the balcony. Melia still did not know what it was, but it had certainly done the trick with such a small amount.

Serenity sighed with relief as Sharla filled their glasses with a pink liquid.

"Cheers!" Fiora exclaimed. They clinked their glasses together and took a sip. The sweet liquid trickled down Melia's throat and into her stomach, immediately creating a warming effect. The Empress knew she'd have to watch her intake regardless of the healer's orders; she was not used to drinking much these days.

"So Melia. What were your meetings about?" Fiora asked, picking up a tea sandwich and taking a bite.

"Nothing interesting, I assure you."

"But we want to hear about it."

Melia raised an eyebrow and Fiora nodded enthusiastically.

"I guess, overall, everything is moving along quite nicely and the people are happy. That is the most important thing."

"No one has any questions about your sickness?" Sharla inquired.

"Not at the moment. Bella has advised I say it was a viral infection, as that kind of illness can incapacitate an individual for weeks at a time."

Fiora wrinkled her nose, and Serenity giggled.

"It's good that things are alright. You deserve things to be easy now." Sharla said, brushing a lock of black hair out of her face as she took a sip of wine.

"I'm not sure things will ever be easy. But I much prefer a relatively calm environment to the occurrences of the past eleven months."

"Wow! It's almost been a year since you started this stuff?" Fiora asked, stuffing another tea sandwich in her mouth.

"It's hard to believe. It feels so much longer."

"But the Empress has done a wonderful job, no matter what obstacles she's had to overcome." Serenity added.

"Speaking of obstacles..." Fiora trailed off, unsure of whether to continue. Pursing her lips, the Homs looked at her friend, intimating with her eyes the words left unsaid.

"Nae'ell?" A silence of confirmation greeted her question. In the bottom of the Great Hall, in the depths of the forgotten dungeons, her saboteur lurked. Although Melia knew she was safe, her skin crawled as she recalled the many times she had mistaken Nae'ell to be nothing other than a concerned sister, a willing ally. The shame of not seeing the evil directly in front of her still rippled within her mind and the pain of the betrayal had not healed the slash in her heart.

"When I fully resume my duties, I will put her on trial for her crimes. I have no doubt that there will be ample evidence to convict her."

Not that it would be easy. Despite what had happened, a small part of the young woman still felt a kinship to her sister-in-law. But that kinship was to a woman from the past. Not to the version of the present. But this truth didn't make it any easier.

"I still can't believe what she did." Fiora said.

"Did she tell you why?" Sharla asked.

Melia set her lips into a grim line. Hesitating over the notepad, she wrote, "It's...Nae'ell has encountered much loss. And she feels I am to blame."

"What? That's ridiculous!" Fiora said, her mouth full with egg salad.

"How could she think that? You both lost family." Sharla narrowed her eyes.

"It's complicated. And her reasoning...I cannot deny some of her logic."

Silence. They had not expected that answer, she knew.

The woman felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up. Through misty-eyes, she saw Serenity's similarly watery eyes. "Empress, none of what happened is singularly your fault. Everyone has a part in the blame because everyone's actions have consequences."

"Thank you, Serenity. You are too kind."

"It may be kindness, but it's also true." Sharla said, taking a sip of her wine. "Besides, it wasn't a well known fact that Entia carry the Telethia gene. It seems only your father and brother knew."

"Whatever Nae'ell said, don't put the blame all on your shoulders." Fiora said.

"I will try."

For a few minutes, they ate in silence, unsure of how to move forward with their conversation.

"I'm sorry, but who made these? They're delicious!" Fiora exclaimed, covering her full mouth as she spoke. Melia giggled, feeling the silent laughs wrack her body and the edges of her eyes crinkle in delight.

"Who's up for a swim?" Sharla asked as she stood and pulled off her tank top, revealing a navy blue bikini top.

"Yes!" Fiora exclaimed as she too began to remove her clothing, revealing a red polka dot bikini top.

Casting her eyes downward, Melia felt a wave of embarrassment. Between the burn scars and a few greenish lines she'd discovered slashed across her back and running along her inner arms, she was not exactly looking to expose herself. The scars made her feel rather self-conscious. To her relief, neither Tyrea nor Bella had said anything about them to anyone (as they were the only two people to see her nude since her transformation). Bella had prescribed an extra medication in the event the green lines were generated by some sort of bacteria, but the Empress was confident they were simply aesthetic. So, she had adeptly kept them hidden from everyone else, including Dunban.

Of course, swimming now presented a problem.

She had considered that the probability they would swim this afternoon was rather high. Underneath her robes she wore her own bathing suit. But she worried about what they would think. Rationally, Melia knew that they would be understanding, though on some, emotional level, she worried. They were a reminder of what happened to her. A reminder to her friends that they would have to be cautious of themselves around her forevermore. Once she showed everyone the imperfections, the sense of security would crumble. And on a deeper level, the scars made Melia feel ugly. Tainted.

"Melia, are you coming in?" Fiora called from the shoreline.

The Empress shook her head. She wasn't quite ready to face that reality. Although she reminded herself that it was her anxiety concocting that future. It wasn't representative of what would actually happen. Those thoughts didn't seem to make it any better.

Sharla shrugged at Fiora and they wadded out into the water, the sounds of their voices light and joyful flying on the wind. Serenity stood and gradually began to remove her clothing, revealing a pink halter swimsuit top and matching bottoms. "If you don't mind, Empress..."

"Of course not. Please, go on."

Serenity nodded and headed towards the women now floating in the blue water. The Empress watched her friends bob up and down, a sense of loneliness taking a seat in her heart. Despite how much she opened up, little by little, there would always be some sense of a wall between herself and them. It was how she was raised, to always be at arm's length. There were some things that she could just not share. Things that were too raw to pull from the wells of her soul.

She wondered if it were the same with Dunban. Could she reveal all to him? She wanted to. But evidenced from that morning, there were still things holding her back. Maybe Tyrea would be the only one Melia could fully share everything with, for the two women knew almost the same hardships and life experiences.

Pushing those thoughts away, the Empress brought herself back to the present. If her friends were to leave soon, she needed to enjoy every minute with them. She needed to be brave. Even if they wore expressions of shock as she revealed her body, the Homs Entia knew she could bear it. She had felt the burden of disappointing her loved ones before. If she had to do it again, she would. Standing up, the Empress gradually peeled off the white, long sleeved blouse and her black slacks. As the clothes fell to the sand, Melia gazed downward. She wore a one-piece: the top half a white halter with a sweetheart neckline that cinched between her breasts, and the bottom half a navy blue with low cut short bottoms instead of the traditional v-cut.

As Melia walked towards the water, they turned and grinned. But as the Empress entered the water and reached their positions, she felt their eyes slowly focus on the green marks embedded in her skin.

"Are those from being a Telethia?" Fiora asked gently.

Melia nodded, turning her eyes down towards the water.

"That's why you've been overdressed these past few days." Sharla said.

"They are beautiful, Empress."

Melia turned to Serenity, surprised. That was not the reaction she had expected.

"Please don't think I'm...I mean, I don't think that, I mean, well they are unique." Serenity fumbled. "They're...I don't think you should be ashamed. Not to say that you are! Oh gosh I'm saying everything wrong..."

"I understand what Serenity is saying. There's no reason to hide them or feel embarrassed. They're a reminder of your strength. You overcame being a Telethia." Sharla pointed out. Fiora nodded in agreement.

"If you're uncomfortable with them, I'm happy to help with that." Serenity whispered, shifting from side to side.

Melia tilted her head to express a question.

"Well...as you know Empress, I'm somewhat skilled with the pen."

Melia nodded; she did know that. After glancing over her shoulder a few times at the notes she was writing, the Empress had seen a few of Serenity's sketches in her notebook. They may have been just doodles, but they were quite good.

"I could...I could draw some designs that you could turn into tattoos for them..."

Tattoos? Melia blinked. She hadn't even considered that a possibility. Tattoos were rather taboo for the Royal Family, save for the family crest inked on the back of her neck. As tradition prescribed, each child of the Royal Family received that tattoo at their coming of age ceremony, around the age of 60. However, as the last member of the Royal Family, she could break with tradition. A flood of guilt poured through her; it wasn't right to throw away centuries of tradition simply on a whim.

And yet, why had it even been a tradition? What was its origin? She knew not. It would be best to investigate before she came to any conclusion.

"Of course, please don't think anything of it. I do not want to insinuate you should do that because they are ugly or anything. I do not want to pressure you should you wish not to do that. Also, if you are not confident in my skills, I am happy to bring another more experienced."

The Empress took Serenity's hand and drew out words on her palm. "Thank you for the offer. I shall consider it."

"Of course, Empress." Serenity nodded and blushed.

They all fell silent, feeling the weight of the moment in the air. A small bit of warmth bloomed in her heart as Melia looked from one friendly face to the other, expressions of acceptance on their faces.

Fiora splashed Melia and Serenity, laughing. Serenity shrieked. And Melia yelped.

Eyes wide, the Empress paused and touched her throat. She hadn't tried to speak for the past few days on Bella's orders. The gargling of salt water and tea with honey was supposed to help the throat muscles and bring her voice back. Perhaps they were doing their job.

Clearing her throat, she said, "My voice..." The sounds were gravely, almost foreign to her ears. The vocal cords strained with the words, but her voice was definitely there.

"Melia! Your voice is back!" Fiora jumped and enveloped her best friend into a hug. The Empress blushed and gave a small smile.

"I think it's on its road to recovery, Fiora." Sharla clarified.

"Well, I think that's cause for celebration." Fiora grinned. Glancing at Melia, the Homs splashed the Empress once more with sea water. Holding her hands out in front of her, Melia felt the water land all over her body. Wiping the water from her eyes, she was now completely soaked, hair plastered to her neck and body. This was not her idea of 'celebrating'. In turn, she dipped her hands into the water and flung towards Fiora, who screamed in response. This was, of course, followed by an all out water war, comprised of the women splashing and dunking each other under the water.

As the play fighting came to an end, the women swam closer to the shore where their feet touched sand and they could stand. Fiora helped Sharla retie her bikini top after it had gotten loose and Serenity helped Melia stand, as her muscles no longer had the strength to keep her upright. While the water fight had taken much of her strength, the Empress was glad she had joined in.

"Oy! Is this what you've been doing while we've been slaving away?" A voice called behind them.

The women turned to see Reyn, Shulk, and Tyrea standing on the shore. Melia bit her lip: just a few steps from the group was Dunban. From her position, the Empress could feel his dissatisfaction. There would be no avoiding him now. Not that she could or should; she needed to own her actions, even if she was embarrassed by her behavior.

"Slaving away? Weren't you helping Riki 'test' cool lemons for poison?" Sharla called.

Reyn muttered something unintelligible while Fiora, Sharla, and Serenity giggled. For Melia, her mind was no longer focused on the present and instead, stuck in remembering the morning. How would she explain her disappearance?

As they waded to the shore, Melia noticed both Shulk and Reyn's eyes had turned to the size of saucers. Shooting a glance at Fiora and Sharla, Melia immediately understood why. Their swimsuits weren't scandalous per say — well Sharla's bordered on being rather revealing if Melia was being honest — but the suits did emphasize each of the women's figures. The High Entian woman could infer what was happening in the minds and bodies of the onlookers.

Looking down at her own suit, Melia felt the hug of the spandex on her skin and resisted the urge to cross her arms over herself and hug her sides. There was no way of hiding any of her curves in it, though they weren't as round or large as Fiora's or Sharla's. Stealing a peek at Dunban, Melia wondered if he was observing her in a similar manner like Shulk and Reyn. A shade of sensuality passed through her and she shuddered.

As the group reached the newcomers, Melia took a seat on the blanket and picked up her notepad. Turning her eyes upward, she found Dunban in front of her, hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. He extended his hand and she took it, pulling herself up to stand next to him, ignoring the complaints of her muscles. Steadying herself, the Empress looked up into the Homs' eyes. Her heart fell: there seemed to be no fleck of desire in those brown orbs; instead there was displeasure where there was usually warmth.

"You left rather quickly this morning."

"I'm sorry."

His eyebrows shot up. "You have your voice back."

"A little."

"That's good." The said emotion did not reach the words.

She sighed and scribbled: "I'm sorry about this morning, Dunban."

"I don't understand why you left. Was this about the shower comment?"

She nodded.

"I didn't think I was pressuring you."

"You weren't. I was...embarrassed."

Dunban cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to explain.

"I am embarrassed for myself. It's...difficult for me to explain. This is a problem of mine. It has nothing to do with yourself."

The man scrunched his brows together. He was silent for a moment. Then he asked, "Does our physical intimacy make you uncomfortable?"

"There are...limits to my comfort zone."

"If it's too much, we can take a step back."

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Do you mean...return to friendship?"

"No. I just meant if you'd rather not engage physically anymore, we can stop."

No no, she didn't want that. What was she doing? What was she saying? Everything about their physical connection she loved. But a part of her continuously warned her against it. The part that was afraid. The rational voice in her head whispered that she ought to be careful. Oh gods, it was too complicated. She didn't like feeling this way, pulled in one direction and another and a third. It was exhausting. When would it stop? The voices in her head grew louder, trying to shout over each other, begging for her attention. Screaming, they urged her to choose one of them.

Impulsively, Melia grabbed Dunban's collar and kissed him, closing her eyes. Their lips locked, noses touching. Her heart thudded in her chest as she willed her thoughts to pass to him: she had no desire to break their physical connection. She only needed time to wrestle with herself.

"If I'd known I was going to get a show, I would've brought popcorn."

Breaking the kiss, Melia pulled away from Dunban, cheeks burning. She'd forgotten that her friends were only a few steps away. She turned her face towards the speaker and glared at Tyrea, who leered.

"What? We all know this is happening." Her step-sister gestured between Melia and Dunban. "We don't ever see it, so you could be lying. But now we know you're not."

"Tyrea!" Serenity exclaimed and smacked the woman's upper arm. Tyrea began to massage the area, still grinning ear to ear, paying no mind to Serenity's disapproving expression.

"I'll take that as a no?" Dunban asked, turning his attention back to the Empress.

"That is a no."

She could see the smile return to his lips, but something else floated in his eyes. It felt like the same thing from this morning. It was a familiar gaze. What was it?

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" Fiora asked as she wrung out her hair.

"Just wanted to...enjoy the sun." Shulk answered, his cheeks reddened.

"I like how that suit looks on you." Dunban whispered, his eyes passing over her with a knowing meaning. She smiled shyly and turned herself back to her friends, happy she'd gotten the reaction she wanted.

"Well, should we head back to Alcamoth then? It's just after midday." Sharla commented, pulling on her shirt and pants to Reyn's dismay.

Murmurs of agreement sounded through the group and collectively a decision was made. As they packed up to return to the Diamond City, Melia circled Dunban's mysterious expression over and over in her head. What was going on with him? With everything ready to go, the group began to slowly meander away from the shore towards the teleporter. From her position at the back of the group between Tyrea and Serenity, the Empress watched as Dunban walked alongside Fiora and they joked back and forth.

A cold chill ran down her spine. She knew that look. She knew where she had seen it before. That was the look he'd given her at his birthday party. That was the look of an impending, painful event.

He was leaving.

Upon arriving back at the Villa, Melia retired, using the excuse that she needed to rest. While this was true, she also could not bear to be in his presence for a minute longer until she was able to get a handle on her emotions. Of course, her assumption of his impending departure was nothing more than that: an assumption. But she knew in her bones that this was the cause of his inner turmoil. Her instincts were almost always correct, and she knew she had to rely on them.

The only question was: how to proceed?

Lying on her bed still in her wetsuit, Melia considered that she had only seen that look once he had read Serenity's note. What had he said to her when he first revealed his plans to leave? Searching her memory, the Empress took a breath as she weaved through the forest of pain she kept tucked away in the back nooks of her mind. To relieve the memory of that morning was to cut her heart once more, but she had to in order to understand her current situation.

Finally, she found it. They had fallen asleep after the party. She had awoken early, turned over and looked into his sleeping face. He was beautiful; there was no other way to describe it. She didn't have the vocabulary to do so, she just knew it in her soul he was beautiful. As quietly as she could, the Empress rose, showered, and prepared herself for the next day, all the while humming to herself and thinking about the man asleep in her bed a few feet away. The Empress planned to ask him if he would join her for breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. Maybe all of them. She had remembered telling herself not to be too giddy. There was no reason for it. And yet, each step felt lighter.

That all changed moments later, when she heard the words fall from that alluring mouth. Overwhelming emotions immersed her and Melia felt as if she were back in that room, listening to his speech all over again. Desperately, the woman pushed away at the emotions, forcing herself to hear the words. And then she found it.

Rewinding, the High Entia listened to him over and over. He had said he would not leave until Camar was found and she was safe. Well, Camar had been found, and the mastermind too. And she was now safe.

All of the prerequisites to his leaving had been fulfilled.

It was silly of her to think that the challenges they had undergone would change how he felt about leaving Alcamoth. Despite everything, his own situation had not altered. The same concerns he had about himself and their relationship still existed. No answers had been discovered or given. All that was different was the fever they felt mutually.

Turning on her side, Melia felt a few tears fall down her nose and onto the sheets.

A few hours, the Empress awoke. Sitting up, she saw the sun had just dipped below the horizon and the moon was making its ascent into the sky. As she yawned, the woman stood and wiped the specs of sleep from her eyes. Looking down, she realized she was still in her bathing suit. Begrudgingly, she rose and entered the washroom to shower. It was a tedious task, but one that had to be done.

When she emerged, she dressed in her underclothes and a silk robe. She wasn't expecting any visitors or guests, and had no other appointments. In fact, she was looking forward to a quiet night by herself, especially after this afternoon's revelations. She supposed she should eat something, though her stomach felt anything but hungry. Swallowing, the High Entia felt the dryness of her throat. At the very least, she needed a drink of water.

Treading over the carpet, Melia made her way into the kitchen and procured a glass of water. As she gulped down the cold liquid, she knew that she would have to confront Dunban sooner than later. She imagined he was trying to figure out a way to share his news with her in a way that was more diplomatic than the last time.

There was a knock at the front door. Squeaking, the door opened a crack and James called, "Empress. Dunban is here to see you."

Speak of the devil.

She looked down and realized her state of dress was inappropriate. Not exactly how she wanted to receive guests, but she was too tired to care. Or maybe she wanted to tempt fate. Tying the robe tightly around her so that it resembled something akin to a muumuu, Melia walked over to the door and held it open.

"Thank you." She whispered and James nodded, surprised at hearing her voice. The bodyguard to the side and Dunban appeared in her view, a small smile on his lips, but the same wariness in his eyes. It appeared that they were going to have this conversation now. As he entered, she shut the door behind him.

"Tea?"

"No, thank you."

Melia nodded and walked back towards the kitchen to refill her water glass.

"Is everything alright?" Dunban asked as he followed her into the kitchen.

"It's been a long day, that is all." She turned to the counter and poured water from the pitcher into her glass. The wind shifted; the woman felt him come to stand behind her.

"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to."

Of course he saw right through the lie.

She took a deep breath, preparing herself to break the dream they had lived the past days.

"You're leaving."

Despite its hoarse sounds, as if her voice had been scratched against sand paper, the tone was flat, disappointed. She felt him stiffen and took a sip of water.

"How did you know?"

Confirmation. Her shoulders sagged. She turned around to face him and smiled sadly at him.

"I don't know why I asked. I know you are adept when it comes to reading people."

"When?"

He sighed. "Next week."

She clamped her eyes shut to keep the tears from escaping. It was so soon. Too soon.

"God, Melia. I'm so sorry. I wish I didn't feel this way. But I do and I can't ignore it." He said, his voice filled with grief as he drew her towards him. He kissed the top of her head and began whispering apologies over and over again.

She rested her cheek on his chest. With all of her warring emotions, the Empress knew exactly what he spoke of. She felt the same way with regards to him, her place as Empress, and herself. There were so many things she wanted and needed, things that were required of her that denied those wishes, things she itched she could ignore. It was imprisonment, just like it had been when she had been the Telethia.

Pulling away, the woman avoided his eyes and hobbled back into the parlor. How to respond? She did not know If Melia said she understood, she would be negating her feelings of hurt and disappointment. But if she said the opposite, she would only hurt him, and that she did not want.

The High Entia stopped and leaned against the back of the sofa, bracing herself with one hand and taking a swig of water with the other. Despair pushed against her heart, threatening it to cave in. She had to pull herself together. Breaking down would not do. Forcing herself to breathe, Melia concentrated on approaching the situation as rationally as possible. The bottom line was that Dunban would leave next week. There was no changing this fact. So what did she want to do, knowing this information?

"Do you want me to go?" Dunban said somewhere behind her.

Her heart screamed, though the sound did not reach her lips. She turned to face him, seeing his face contorted in pain.

Melia shook her head, biting her lip.

"I can leave the city tomorrow if you want."

Again, the young woman shook her head. Doubt whispered in her ear. Was that the right answer? Did she want to prolong any potential suffering?

On the other hand, did she want to cut off the little time they had left together? Everything would change once he departed. Their relationship would slowly disappear, most likely never to be resumed again. The answer to that was a clear 'no' in her mind.

The Homs took a step towards her and stopped, as if waiting for her to grant him permission to enter her personal space. Her lips creased into a line as she considered him. What did she want at this moment?

She thought back to this morning, how she had wanted to join him in the steam and fog, overcome her fear and disregard self-imposed regulations. Her physical and emotional needs were something she continuously denied. Why? What could she be afraid of if he was already leaving? How could she criticize herself as being distracted if he were gone?

"Melia..."

His voice poured over her, plunging into her heart and flowing downward. It moved her. It drew her in.

Gazing into his eyes, the Empress said, "Come."

Without waiting for a response, she made her way into the bedroom. As she dimmed the light on her nightstand, Melia heard the click of the door behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Dunban hesitant, uncertain of what was about to happen. She could feel her own stomach flip flopping. As she turned and took a step towards him, she fumbled, but caught herself, seeing him ready to catch her, but she shook her head. Wavering on her feet, Melia exhaled, eventually finding her balance.

She looked at him, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.

"I...want you."

She undid her silk robe and let it fall to the floor, now standing in nothing but her underclothes. Her breath caught in her throat and she folded her right hand into a fist to keep it from shaking. Never before had she displayed herself in such a manner to anyone and it was frightening now.

Trembling, her left hand reached out and took his, placing it on her skin just below her brassiere. The touch of his fingers on her skin was enough to set fire to her insides. The woman wanted his touch all over her body, and consequently her soul.

"We can't. I can't."

"Why?"

"It wouldn't be fair."

Closing her eyes, Melia searched for the right words. Opening her mouth, she spoke: "I will not...deny that it pains me, your leaving." Taking a breath, she continued, "But I cannot deny what I feel for you. I no longer want to wait." Her voice trailed off, vocal cords burned by the heavy strain.

Dunban didn't move.

Her heart hammered.

Seconds flew by.

Her legs wobbled.

This had been a terrible idea.

The man leaned in and kissed her fervently, his lips crushing into hers, wanting to taste every inch. All doubts fled from her head and she melted.

They tumbled onto the bed, hands on bodies, lips on skin. Every part of her burned as she ran her fingertips over his bare chest as he flung off his shirt. His mouth dotted kisses down her neck and along her collarbone and she sighed, leaning her head back against the bedsheets. His hand pressed against her back, pushing her body tightly against his. Thirsty, Melia captured his mouth with hers and showered it with passionate kisses, unwilling to stop as her desire for him increased. Tentatively, her hand traveled down his backside and stopped. Even in the heat of the moment, she still felt shy. The High Entia could feel his smug smile underneath her kisses and she wickedly pushed against him with her hips, eliciting a gasp from him. Smirking, the young woman resumed her barrage of kisses, wrapping her arms around his back.

Breaking the kiss, Dunban laid her on her back, her lavender hair splaying around her, all over the bed. For a moment, he kept his face close to hers, noses touching in their ritual show of affection. "Dunban..." He laid a kiss on her lips to fill in the rest of her unfinished sentence. As he pulled away, the man ran his hand down the front of her body. Her back arched, following the fingers' path down her bare torso to where they ended at her belly button and then some more. Her heart flew to her throat as she waited. Melia gasped: a slight swish of a finger and every cell in her electrified. With a quiet moan, Melia wrapped her arms around his neck as his mouth fell on hers once more. The light touches continued and under his fingers, she squirmed, enflamed with desire.

He took his hand away and gestured to her brassiere. "May I?" he asked, his voice husky. She could bathe in that sound for days.

Between deep breaths, she sat up, pulling her hair to one side. Dunban reached around her back and undid the clasps. The straps felt limp on her shoulders and the pull on her back disappeared; her heart skipped a beat in the anticipation of his seeing. Delicately, she pulled the piece of clothing off her body, exposing her chest to him. Blushing, Melia observed Dunban as he took her in.

"You're beautiful, Melia."

Dunban wrapped her in his arm and laid a loving kiss on her lips. She accepted the kiss, feeling her heart fill to the brim, a smile of gratitude overtaking her lips. Each time their lips met, Melia drew out the embrace, savoring one at a time. She wanted to remember the taste and texture of his lips, the feeling of their bare chests pressed together, the messages in every touch and sensation he bestowed upon her and she on him.

Pressing herself against him, Melia heard him growl and giggled into her kisses. She felt him against her legs, eager and hungry and her body warmed in anticipation. But he said nothing about it and continued to engage in the dance of their lips. But Melia knew he awaited direction from her. He was still unsure of their impending coupling. So was she. They both knew that joining together in such an intimate manner would expose those last parts of their souls that were hidden from the world, and there would be consequences. Swallowing, the woman looked up into his eyes, struggling to control her labored breaths. As she peered into those warm brown eyes, Dunban cupped her cheek in his hand. The woman leaned into his hand and a well of emotion bubbled up inside her, indescribable in its nature. But at its core, she knew she felt safe.

Demurely, the young woman pulled at the waistband of his pants. He moved back and looked at her with questioning eye. She nodded in a silent response, her body craving his. As the man removed the rest of his clothes, so did she, their eyes never looking away from each other. Without any more impediments, their bodies collided, leaving no space in between.

Hours later, once each was consumed with exhaustion, they lay on their sides facing one another, only inches between themselves. As they whispered to each other in the dark of the night, she found herself giggling as he told her embarrassing stories of his past. In turn, she confessed to her own share of awkward moments and repeatedly swatted at him as he laughed. Murmuring apologies — still grinning all the while — Dunban pulled her close, laid a kiss on her forehead, and whispered of how thankful he was.

Turning around so her back was to him, Melia smiled as he wrapped his arm around her midsection and pulled her body into his. The warmth of him rolled off onto her and she snuggled back into him. As the Empress drifted off to sleep, her lips curved upward into a smile. Whatever awaited in the morning, she would treasure this night forever.