It was all going pretty well, I thought. After my little transcendent experience, I almost felt at peace. Cain had even noticed it, apparently, and asked me about it after a few weeks of us spending mornings in my garden.

I'd decided to start at the tree and work my way outward, cleaning up the beds and allowing room for new flowers to make homes. The bed around my tree was in full bloom by the middle of summer, and flowers resembling lilies and daffodils bowed and waved in the warm morning breeze. I was working closer to the gazebo that morning, and Cain was lazily watching me while he carved an apple that I'd just tossed over to him.

"You seem different somehow," he noted quietly, eyeing me periodically between swipes of his blade on the fruit.

I was doing the same while I energetically pulled and stabbed at errant weeds with my spade, almost hoping he'd ask me a more direct question so he and I could stop dancing around each other all the time. He didn't though, so I continued the subterfuge and huffed lightly before I answered, sounding equally casual. "I don't know what you mean Mr. Cain. How am I different?"

Cain frowned openly at his apple, causing me to smirk inwardly. He hated it when I did things like this, because he knew I was toying with him, just daring him to come out and say it. Instead, he huffed back with an edge of sarcasm in his voice, "I don't know. Less challenging, I guess." He leaned forward in the swing to eye me directly when he asked pointedly, "what are you up to Princess?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Tin Man, I thought you were good, but you couldn't have missed the target more if I had you blindfolded and tied to that tree, I thought to myself. He really didn't know, I guess, and I wasn't about to tell him. It was simple really. Although he and I had had a handful of small somethings, it hadn't really amounted to anything, and I didn't see any reason to make it something it wasn't ready to be yet. Besides, in the past few cycles, Cain and I had both been doing a lot of healing. I hadn't really told anyone yet, but my light was getting stronger – not because I'd really regained any tangible memories, but ever since I'd connected with my tree, it was like I could hear things more clearly. In some sense, I could probably hear the Outer Zone itself, but I wasn't sure I wanted to make that leap yet, so I was keeping it to myself for now. Cain seemed more at ease as well, although you wouldn't know it by the workload that he kept. It seemed like he was always busy, and besides that, he was still finding busy work for me to do on the side, so I'm not really sure how much the man actually slept. He was happy though, and he didn't take any trouble to hide it. He openly smiled and laughed all the time and was even witty enough to keep Glitch on his toes. I've always liked Cain, obviously, but now I was loving him. Every bit of him, and I was a little afraid that saying something would damage the friendship we'd built. That was why I didn't dare say the three words that were almost always on the forefront of my mind, and it was also probably why he always thought I was up to something. I bet it drove him crazy, but I just wasn't willing to be the first one to cave.

"I'm not doing anything, Cain, really," I laughed instead, "I just decided to stop fighting so hard. I'm good with my hands after all, and this is the one thing that I can do that mother won't complain about. So, I'm gardening, and enjoying it a little. Is that so wrong?"

Cain eyed me suspiciously, but seeing as I wasn't really lying, I don't think he could really peg me for anything just then, so he only huffed through his nose and continued whittling away at his apple. "No," he finally answered after he'd apparently thought about it, "I just hope you're not giving in too soon. I don't want you to lose the person you are. I liked her, even if she was a little too eager with sticks."

When all I could do was scoff in mock outrage, the man actually let a full grin loose and laughed. With that kind of levity, there was nothing else I could do but laugh as well. The truth was, I actually appreciated everything he said, to the point of tears, except I sucked those in so fast that I looked like I was gasping for breath in between laughs. If he caught on to me, I didn't know, because the next thing I knew, he was checking his pocket watch and throwing his apple core into the nearby mulch box.

"Well, I've got to get to my briefing, Princess. Do you mind if Gates walks you to your lesson with Tutor?" Cain asked, almost sounding contrite.

I stared down at the soil on my hands, trying hard to find a way to mask the hurt that I was sure would show in my voice if I spoke too soon. Cain had been escorting me from the garden to the library almost every day for the past few cycles, and it had only been in the last few weeks that he'd started trading off with Gates. I was starting to think he was pulling away, and although I wanted to ask why, I didn't really have a reason to, seeing as nothing meaningful had really been said between us yet. It was hard not to feel foolish though, I'm sure I still sounded rough when I answered.

"Sure," I answered weakly while I still stared down at the dirt, pretending to brush it off my hands, "I'm going to visit mother anyway. Shouldn't be nearly as fun."

I glanced up after I answered, flashing him a weak smile in an effort to seem unaffected. All I really managed to do was to make my discomfort apparent, because the moment I smiled at him, his eyes darkened, and his brow furrowed in worry.

"Are you sure?" he asked in clear concern. All I could do was nod; my ability to speak completely absent while I choked on the lump that had formed in my throat.

I could tell that Cain didn't believe me, but he picked up his dress cap and shoved it on his head all the same, tipping it to me meaningfully before he stepped down from the gazebo and strode away. I tried not to watch him leave, but it was difficult when he was in full dress uniform. The deep, navy suit left zero to the imagination, and highlighted the fact that the man had probably zero fat and all muscle on him. Of course, even if he'd been in a paper sack, I probably still would have looked after him, wishing that I could regain my ability to speak before he disappeared. As it was, he glanced back just before he made a final exit, causing me to wave stupidly to make up for the fact that I was clearly staring after him.

I don't know why I was being so stupid. As usual, I was probably overthinking everything and thinking the worst. All I really needed to do was talk to Cain, and he would set everything straight in a nerve-racking heartbeat, probably without even a single thought as to why I was being so neurotic. I would have to do just that, I determined quickly, after I met with mother. My chats with mother usually threw me for a loop, and he was probably expecting me to be a spaz about it later anyway, so I could easily mask my worry with that if nothing else. I just needed to pull the band aid and go speak with her.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't be so cagey about mother, but lately, she'd been increasingly agitated about the council. As Glitch put it, she was a nervous as a guild-fighter, and although I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, what I did know was that she and Az had had several long meetings with the council and the diplomatic core in the past few weeks, and every time they exited one of these meetings, they were both as grumpy as Cain without sleep. Glitch had also mentioned something about stepping up our diplomatic ties with neighboring realms, which could only mean one thing in my narrow experience: dating. I should have been grateful, really, that mother seemed to have been going to bat for me, and I was. I just didn't want to have the inevitable conversation where she had to tell me to take one for the team, because I was relatively certain that was where we were headed.

Sure enough, when I approached my mother's sitting room, I could hardly escape my mother's raised voice, even with the door shut. Her guards were impenetrable, though, making me wonder what they might say if protocol allowed it. As it was, I didn't even get a nod of encouragement as I turned the handle, and all I could do was take a deep breath before I entered.

I half expected mother to be arguing with some dignitary, but I was a little surprised to find my father pacing the room on the other side, while my mother stood like a statue by the bay windows, folding her arms in resolute defiance.

"Lavender," Dad was pleading as I entered, "Can't we hold them off a little longer? The girls have been through so much!"

My mother's expression, though partially obscured by her being half turned into the window, appeared stony. She shook her head to mirror her posture and replied firmly, "No, Ahamo, I cannot. I have done what I can, and the council simply cannot wait any longer. The girls must start entertaining suitors, and they must begin quickly if we are to resecure our ties with the northern realms."

Dad huffed in protest, and he threw his hands up before he turned to greet me. He was wholly silent until he was standing just in front of me, and he placed his hands on my shoulders as he kissed my forehead. "Good luck, Spitfire," he murmured to me before he exited, his eyebrows raised in warning for the fight he knew I was in for.

All I could do was stand there like an idiot until the door shut, and when it did, mother finally turned with a heavy sigh. "I am sorry that you heard that, DG. It was not my intent that you should learn of such things in that manner, but your father is very upset." She was crossing to the couch as she spoke, and she paused to sigh again as she sat down, adding, "I am very upset."

She motioned for me to join her, and I did so while I replied, probably sounding more sarcastic than I intended. "It's not like it was a surprise, mother. I mean, I was bound to have to partner up at some point, right? Isn't that part of the job description? Procreate and procreate often so that there's an heir and a few spares, right?"

I knew that saying what I was thinking in that way would hit a nerve, but I didn't see any other way to do it. If I let mother call the shots, I'd be in the dark all the way to my golden anniversary with whatever prince she threw me at. It seemed better just to be out with it from the start, even if it left a bad taste in my mouth to say it.

My mother was definitely uncomfortable and picked nervously at her dress when she answered quietly. "I would not put it in such distasteful terms myself, but you are unfortunately correct, DG. You and Azkadellia will be expected to marry – sooner rather than later if it can be helped – if we are to ensure the safety of the Outer Zone."

The lump in my throat had returned, but I had to get past it. It was too important a topic not to say what had to be said. "Are we in any danger? Is someone threatening to overthrow us again?" I croaked weakly.

I was relieved when my mother shook her head, but her expression told me that it was still dire. "No, not as such, but we are still so weak, and we will need support if we are to survive, especially while you are still trying to regain your light, but we must be careful."

"Why?" I asked, not hiding my lack of understanding of diplomatic wrangling.

My mother, for her part, was patient, and only sighed minutely before she explained. "DG, we cannot show weakness. Not even to our allies. The smallest misstep might give any one of the other realms the excuse to seize power, but if there is a promise of greater unity, it may help us avoid such possibilities."

Suddenly, I could see all my plans shatter into a million pieces. I had thought I had time – that I could slowly regain my power and let my relationship with Cain grow on its own without any interference. Now, I was being told that the very lack of strength on my part was costing me the one person that I loved. I had to know if I had any hope of fixing this.

"How much time do I have before the suitors start coming?" I asked roughly.

My mother looked down at her hands, clearly avoiding my stare when she replied quietly, "Within a cycle. Perhaps two. It will be up to the council who you and Azkadellia see first, and who answers our invitation."

All I could do was nod in understanding. A month, I thought, just a month. I took a deep breath and considered what had been placed before me – either regain my power in a month or start planning a wedding to gods knows who. Even if I had an idea of what needed to be done, I still felt compelled to talk to Cain, even admit the truth to him if I had to. I just needed someone to help me get a plan together so I might avoid being sold off like cattle.

The rest of my visit with my mother went by quickly, and I barely registered anything else while my mind was focused on talking to Cain. I couldn't think of anything else, clearly, and if bombs had been going off around me, I probably wouldn't have noticed them either. You could say that I had a severe case of tunnel vision, and I wouldn't accept any other outcome unless it was talking to the Tin Man. The trouble was, when I did find Cain, the first thing I heard was the one thing I just couldn't handle.

"General," one of his officers was in mid-salute when I entered the conference room, clearly wishing to speak with him before he departed. "Would you like me to have the minutes of our briefings couriered to you while you're away for the next cycle?"

Cain hadn't really noticed me standing at the door, as he had his back to it and me. Even so, I could tell, despite my utter shock at what I'd just heard, that he was strongly considering what the corporal had suggested. "No," he finally replied, "the Queen and the Captain's missives will suffice. Thank you Corporal."

Cain saluted the corporal as a signal that he was dismissed, which the officer took in stride, returning the salute crisply before he slid respectfully past me. It was only then that Cain noticed me standing there, clearly looking tongue tied given how his expression changed from passive to worried in two seconds.

"Hey Princess," he greeted me, "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I suddenly understood how Glitch must feel most of the time, as my brain seemed to have melted inside my skull. "A month?" was all I could get out, sounding equally childish when I added in a near-squeak, "You're leaving? For a month?"

Clearly, nothing was going according to plan, and getting Cain to stick around wasn't an option either once I found out where he was going.

"Yeah, Princess. I got a letter from Jeb the other day. He asked me to come out to the homestead. Help him set it right. Seeing as things are starting to slow down a bit around here, your mother approved of my leave this morning. It's great, right?"

I just didn't have the heart to say anything negative. Cain had sacrificed so much and had seen so little of his own son since the end of the war. It wouldn't be right for me to protest, even if I was going through a bit of a personal crisis. If I was just a little selfish, I could have made my crisis his by telling him the truth, but he looked so happy that I just couldn't do it.

"Yeah," I lied. "You deserve it Cain!"

Cain's look of excitement was undeniable, but he'd obviously caught on to my anxiousness, and he shrugged my encouragement away to reply modestly, "Yeah well, I won't be leaving for a few days. Are you going to be alright, Princess? You look like something's bothering you."

"Well, I'll miss you, if that's what you want to know. Why a whole month?" I asked, trying to sound casual. Realizing that I'd used Otherside terms on him, I added hastily, "I'm sorry, I mean, a cycle."

For a second, I forgot that Cain was watching me, and I was midway through an eye roll at myself when I realized that a smirk had appeared on his face while his crystalline eyes were homed in on me like lasers. He'd obviously seen my mental spasm, which made it all worse, and I could feel my face getting hot.

"Well, I guess you probably have a lot to do before you leave. When do you leave, anyway?" I stammered out, stomping my foot minutely at myself impatiently as I spoke.

I could be wrong, but Cain looked almost flustered, like my random, nervous ramble had infected him somehow, and his mouth hung open slightly before he answered me. "Day after tomorrow," he answered, sounding almost dazed.

I was too busy working out the logistics of the next few days to truly register how my reaction was reading to him. I was happy for him, of course, to be able to spend some much-needed time with Jeb. I just couldn't get past my own anxiety to let that particular point come through. I'm sure now that it must have stung, thinking that I was somehow unfeeling or jealous towards someone who was so important to him, but it seemed to be a necessary evil in my mind at the time. It would be worse if I involved him in my political issues before I'd thought it through. I could really hurt him if I didn't give this some thought, and that was the last thing I wanted to do. Still, I had at least a day and a half to work it out, so maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. I didn't believe my own reassurances though, and no matter how hard I tried to smile for Cain, I just couldn't make my heart stop feeling like it was shattering. I could feel my eyes stinging the longer I stood there, and I knew that Cain had probably already noticed it as well – there wasn't much he missed. If I stood there much longer, he would really believe I was unhappy about his leaving, or worse, he might corner me into telling him what was really going on. So, while keeping my eyes glued to my shoes, I nodded in understanding.

"Well, don't forget to say goodbye before you leave," I noted weakly.

"Sure kid," Cain replied, sounding somewhat weak himself. When I turned to leave, his voice called me back, and it got my attention in the way it shifted from weak to gentle and almost tender. "See you tomorrow morning?" he asked hopefully, causing me to look up at him and smile.

"Yeah, Tin Man. Be there with bells on!" I replied genuinely, not wanting to miss our standing date for anything.

For a moment, I forgot my troubles, seeing that I'd made Cain smile just then, but it wasn't long before my worries found me again. I kept trying to find ways to talk to Cain the next day, but no matter how I tried, I always seemed to come off like nothing more than a pesky kid. To make matters worse, he actually seemed to enjoy rattling me whenever this happened, as if he found my constant missteps somehow endearing. I'd have usually enjoyed this constant banter that seemed to be our status quo, but now, it only made me feel more torn, and when his eyes sparkled at me, this feeling of being torn in two pieces was coupled with guilt for what I might be putting him through if I accidentally let my feelings come out. In the end, I decided that I would have to get a handle on my light before Cain came back, so that maybe I could put an end to the council's worry that I would not be able to deliver on our family's hereditary responsibilities. Maybe then, I could let my relationship with Cain resume on its own steam, and I wouldn't have to live with the knowledge that I might have to say goodbye to him before we'd had any chance to explore what was happening between us.

This was a great idea, but as usual, my plans rarely worked out the way I saw them in my head. Although I'd been making real progress with my light in the past few weeks, it all seemed to peter out after my meeting with mother. I couldn't even levitate a feather any longer, and the progress I'd been making with relighting the fireplace by sending a neat little fireball at it was reduced to an impotent little squirt of a sparks from my finger that fizzled out almost milliseconds after it had appeared. When this happened the morning of Cain's departure, I couldn't think to do anything other than collapse on the library's couch, where I fought the urge to cry for how frustrated and useless I felt.

"What happened, Princess?" Tutor asked as he sat next to me, not doing anything to hide the worry in his expression. "You've been doin' real good up till now. Does this have something to do with Cain leaving today?"

I flashed Tutor a suspicious side eye and shook my head. I was lying of course, that it had nothing to do with Cain, but I wasn't about to tell Tutor that. "No," I replied instead, "but it might have something to do with mother's suggestion that I start dating in another cycle. If I don't get my light working before then, I don't think I'll have any other choice, Tutor. The council is apparently worried that we'll look weak to the other realms if I don't do some real fireworks soon to bring the OZ back. If I can't do it, they think we ought to start thinking about making alliances."

The word stuck in my throat, and it made me feel dirty to say it, like I was selling myself in a way. I didn't feel any better knowing that the act might do something to secure the OZ, not if I had to sell my heart and soul to do it.

"Don't tell Cain," I blurted out while I considered this thought, and seeing Tutor's somewhat baffled expression, I added honestly, "It just feels wrong somehow, Tutor, and I think it would upset him to know that after all we'd been through, I might just end up being some kind of sacrificial lamb. I don't want to ruin is vacation."

Tutor nodded, clearly understanding where I was coming from, and judging from his resigned sigh, agreeing. That, I came to realize quickly, was part of why I just couldn't tell Cain. As curmudgeonly as Cain could act, he had always acted as the heart or moral center of sorts for our rag-tag gang when we were traipsing across the OZ looking for the Emerald. Although I feel like he could relate to the "duty" portion of the task being placed before me, I was certain that he would disagree in the end, because of the example it would be setting for the people looking up to me and the rest of my family. Thinking about it only served to make me feel worse, though, so I vowed in that moment to focus instead on strengthening my light. Perhaps though, I thought, that would be better served once I took a moment to say goodbye to the Tin Man, who admittedly, was taking a piece of my battered heart with him whether he knew it or not.

Tutor seemed to have a similar thought in mind and expressed it by standing and offering me his hand to almost certainly pull me up. "Well, Princess, if that's the case, we have our work cut out for us. Why don't you and I pick this up tomorrow after I've had a chance to prepare, and you've given yourself a break." Tutor eyed me paternally when he said that, expecting that I would be doing anything but that.

I didn't disappoint apparently, by twisting my mouth into an unhappy frown as he pulled me up, and he continued to lecture me without giving me a chance to retort. "For the next cycle, we'll have two lessons a day, plus homework – and don't think I won't check to make sure you're doing it Princess – this is serious business –"

"I know –"

"and if you don't want to go batting your eyes at some smug Prince from somewhere beyond the Dying Sands, you'd better take this seriously," Tutor continued to rant anxiously.

"I agree –"

"Time to shape up, Princess. After all, do you want to marry some stuffy prince, or our Tin Man?" Tutor lectured me in a loud voice, ending his last sentence by clapping his hand over his mouth.

"Toto!" I gasped in a rather child-like squeak. "Don't say that! Someone will hear you!"

Tutor had voiced the one thing that I was afraid to ask myself, and I'd only responded the way I had because I wasn't ready to face the reality of the situation. I'd been skirting around it inside my head ever since mother had brought up the subject of suitors, and the sad fact was that the vague idea of suitors was more concrete than Cain making a move. That is, unless he'd already made up his mind, and at this rate, we'd be waiting another couple annuals before he'd do that judging by the progress we'd made so far. I wouldn't be able to wait for fate to take a hand – I'd have to move a few mountains on my own.

"Look," I murmured conspiratorially, "I think you and I are on the same page. Just please, don't say anything to Cain. This is my battle. Not his. Just give me the tools I need, and hopefully the rest will fall into place."

Tutor let out a loud sigh, "Alright DG," he answered heavily. "Once more into the fray, huh kid?"

He and I exchanged weak smiles, and I pulled him into another of my hugs before I turned to leave. "Take a break," I muttered as I exited, "as if."

I could hear Tutor sigh again as I shut the door behind myself, knowing he was shaking his head at me. Of course, I had no intention of taking a breather – I was more interested in getting some clarity, and it seemed that the best person to offer that was the man who was scheduled to take off in less than an hour. Finding Cain wasn't hard – despite the fact that he was supposed to be leaving, and probably had about a thousand last-minute missives to sort through, he'd gone to the one place I knew I could find him. It was the one place where we could say goodbye to each other where we wouldn't be interrupted and knowing that he'd probably picked that spot for that very reason made my heart skip a beat when I saw him sitting under our tree, admiring one of its fruits in his hand until I showed up. I probably stood in the archway of the garden gazing at him absently for a few seconds before I finally moved. He looked just like he had the day I first met him – tan slacks and trench coat, with his fedora shading his blue eyes from the suns' light. There was a faint smile shadowing his face, and I guessed that he either knew I was there already or was thinking about something equally amusing.

If I wanted to be self-deprecating though, the Tin Man wasn't having any of it, and the second he saw me, his smirk became a full-watt smile which he flashed at me as he watched me walk up.

"Hey Tin Man," I greeted him as I approached, trying hard not to sound sultry while I did it.

It was hard though because there was something just so alluring about the man. Maybe it was his laid-back attitude, which was a rarity, or perhaps it was the way he watched me watching him. True, I was wearing another dress – this time, a blue gingham shirt dress that I'd paired with a petty coat that made it flare out at my calves, and I'd actually done something with my hair other than pin it to the sides with bobby pins. Today, I'd managed a half-up do that showed off my neck, which I was now rethinking because it also showed off my blush when I got bashful, and let me tell you, when Wyatt Cain is watching, that's an easy thing to do. It's not like he was undressing me, because he wasn't. It was more like he was really seeing me. Not the DG Gale who talked gruff and carried a big stick, or the slipper princess who smiled more and talked less as a way of not catching anyone's attention. When Cain was watching me walk towards him, with a small smile and glittering eyes trained on me, I felt like I was in some kind of a soft light; like a dream, and I could feel my face growing steadily hotter the closer I got to him.

Cain arose easily as I got closer, and by the time I was standing in front of him, he'd removed his hat and gripped it in his hands when he spoke. "Hey Princess," he replied brightly.

I'm horrible at beating around the bush, and so my next question was a little more pointed than I'd really intended, and it seemed to fluster him a little. "So when do you leave?" I asked, trying my hardest to sound casual.

Cain passed his hat to the other hand, and he fumbled it slightly before he answered. "Just about to. I just wanted to see you before I took off."

Cain was stealing a glance at me, looking almost hopeful. If it weren't for what I'd already decided, I would have jumped for joy – maybe even given him something to remember for later. I'm awkward on a good day though, and adding my worries on top of that, I was less than accommodating in return. The best I could do was act oblivious, and I could only hope that was how he was taking it, because I just couldn't handle the alternative.

Hoping he hadn't noticed me returning his hopeful glance, my eyes shot upwards, and I smiled broadly and laughed. "I promise that I won't get into trouble while you're gone Mister Cain," I replied, trying to sound as oblivious and benign as possible. "You don't have to worry about me. Scout's honor. You'll get zero reason to lose sleep over me for the next cycle."

"Yeah, well, we'll see about that," I heard him rumble under his breath. By the time I looked back down at him to flash him a mock-scandalized look, he was already looking away and tugging the hat back down on his head. Clearly, if I'd wanted a sincere moment with him, the window had closed, and I knew it judging by the reedition of the hat. I'd be lying if I said that it didn't hurt a little, but I didn't see a better alternative.

He did at least meet my eyes when he spoke next, and although I could clearly see the look of disappointment there, there was still a good deal of warmth as well, and he smirked at me before he spoke. "Look after yourself, kid. At least eat an apple for me. What is it that they say on the Other Side?"

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," I answered on cue, rolling my eyes at his sappy reference.

He flashed me another of his full watt smiles, and I couldn't help but grin back.

"I'll miss you, Dorothy." He murmured softly then, and he took my hand so quickly that I didn't have the chance to react.

I started to speak, but honestly, when he'd called me by my true name and leaned down to kiss my hand, the words – no, my breath – left me completely. I don't remember anyone else calling me by my real name before, and if anyone else had, it would have felt wrong. From Cain though, it felt right, like it was his to say from the beginning anyway. Honestly, apart from that gut feeling that seemed to jump-start my heart, all thought was driven out of me, and all I could do was watch as Cain left the softest of kisses on my knuckles. To make matters worse, he was watching me the whole time, which made it impossible for me to act stupid. When he straightened once more, I actually had to gasp for breath, because it seemed that I had been holding it the entire time, and he was actually smiling softly at me while I did it.

When I finally managed to speak, my voice was shaky, and all I could get out was, "I'll miss you too Wyatt," before my eyes dropped to my feet again and I resumed struggling to breathe.

I felt so massively stupid for being so ridiculous. It wasn't like Cain wouldn't be coming back. It's just that I wasn't sure who or what he was coming back to. I felt, in some sense, like I was really saying goodbye. Even if I hadn't said a single word to Cain about what was going on in my head, the man wasn't stupid, and he must have intuited it, because the next thing he did put to rest all the stupid worries I'd been having. I was still staring at my slippers when I suddenly noticed another pair of feet directly in front of mine, and a strong finger gently pushed my chin up like I was made of air. Looking up, I realized just how close Cain was to me all the sudden, and his eyes were so soft and concerned that I could feel all the walls keeping my worries in crumble to dust. He didn't speak though, and his only action was to study me quietly while his hand traced line of my cheek, and when his hand returned to my chin, he pushed it up ever so gently so he could lean down to press his lips to mine.

I could feel my heart burst in my chest when my mouth opened to admit him, and all I could do was whimper while I grasped onto Cain like I was going to fall apart otherwise. Cain, for his part, wrapped me in his arms like he too was afraid I'd somehow fall away, and when he did, he deepened the kiss to such an extent that I couldn't seem to remember where I was any more. I just didn't want him to stop.

Then, he was suddenly separate from me once more, and I felt oddly empty. It was like I'd found a piece of me that I didn't know was missing until he kissed me, and all I wanted was for it – him – to be returned to me. I was completely without words and stood there as if in a daze until Cain kissed my hand again and brought me back to reality.

"I promise, I'll be back soon." Was all he murmured after he kissed my hand and shortly turned to walk away, still looking as winded as I felt.

When he turned to tip his hat to me from the entrance of the garden, that smile was back though, and this time, a knowing and hopeful glimmer was as well. I had to steel myself internally as I watched him disappear, knowing now just how much I really had to lose if I didn't get the next cycle right.