"You're leaving, aren't you?"

He looked away, as if he couldn't meet her eyes, and when he spoke his voice was gruff in the way it always got when he was feeling strong emotions, "Your parents have made it pretty clear that I'm not welcome here anymore."

"That doesn't mean you have to leave. They have no right to tell you what to do."

His lips quirked into an ironic half-smile, "Hunith, they are the king and queen, and this is their kingdom."

Hunith put a hand on his arm, as if she could physically hold him back from going through her touch, "I'll talk to them then, I'll make them see reason."

Balinor gave her a sad smile, "It's not just them, Hunith... You and I… we've created a scandal. If I stay, it will only get bigger, and if word spreads to other kingdoms, if my name gets out…"

Hunith's gaze dropped. "You wouldn't be safe," her voice was little more than a whisper, "Uther would come looking for you."

Balinor nodded, "And that could put you in danger too. I won't risk that."

Hunith could feel tears pricking in the corners of her eyes, and she blinked them back, "What if I came with you? My brother is the heir, I'm not truly needed here."

Balinor shook his head, "No. I can't ask you to give up your life, your wealth, your family, for a life on the run with me."

"You're not asking," Hunith said, almost sharply, "I'm offering."

Balinor reached out and touched her cheek, the gesture tender, "Hunith… I love you too much to let you sacrifice everything for me."

Hunith opened her mouth to protest again, feeling a spark of irritation. It wasn't his choice, it was hers.

Maybe Balinor guessed what she was about to say, for he spoke before she could, "And your parents would send their men to search for you."

That brought Hunith's protests up short. She knew he was right. Her parents would raise hell if she disappeared into the night with some peasant from another kingdom. They were already angry enough about her having had a relationship with Balinor. If they disappeared together, they would probably think he kidnapped her. She would have gladly given up her life of luxury to go with Balinor, but she couldn't put him in danger like that.

The tears began to spill down her cheeks, "I love you. I don't want to lose you."

"I love you too," Balinor's voice was rough with emotion again, "And that is why I must go."

Hunith took a shuddering breath, trying to compose herself. It did little good, "When will you leave?"

Balinor's eyes were sad, "Tonight. As soon as I'm done packing." His gaze went to the half-filled bag sitting on the bed, "It won't take long. I don't have much."

"Now? So soon?" Hunith felt a sharp spike of pain shoot through her.

His hand caressed her cheek again, wiping the tears away, "Hunith… the longer I stay, the harder it will be to say goodbye… for both of us."

She brought her hand up to his, pulling it from her cheek and grasping it tightly, "I know, but… just a little more time, please…

His eyebrows knit together, "Your parents won't tolerate my presence for much longer…"

"Another hour or two couldn't hurt," she insisted, "I just want one last memory with you. Something to hold onto when you're gone, something happy… not this painful goodbye."

She could see his resolve waver, could see the very moment in his eyes when he gave in. He drew her into his arms, cradling her against his chest as gently as if she were made of glass, "All right. I can wait a couple more hours." She felt his lips pressed to the top of her head, "I want a memory to hold onto as well."

One hand moved from her back to lift her chin, then he bent his head and kissed her. Hunith's arms wrapped around him, and for a moment, she could forget that he was leaving, forget her parents' anger, and the danger he was in. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to just exist in this moment, rather than dwelling on those that had come before, or dreading those that would come after.

There were many more kisses over the next couple of hours, interspersed with talking… laughing… tears. There was never a moment when some part of them wasn't touching, whether they were joined in an embrace, or it was simply Balinor's hand on Hunith's arm, or hers resting on his knee.

For the first hour or so, the two seemed to have an unspoken agreement to pretend this wasn't goodbye, to act as if it was just an ordinary day. But as one hour turned into two, Hunith could feel each passing second as if each one pressed a weight upon her a little heavier. Though neither of them said anything, Balinor must have felt it too. Their grip on each other grew tighter, almost desperate. The kisses lingered, deepening and then turning into something more.

Afterwards, they lay together, Hunith's head against Balinor's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as his hand traced gentle patterns against her back.

She never wanted the moment to end, and yet….

Somehow, without discussing it, without speaking at all, they both knew when it was time. Balinor shifted, carefully untangling his arms from around Hunith. She sat up. Though she knew the room was warm, she imagined that she already felt colder without his touch. Wordlessly, they both got dressed and Balinor picked up his bag. Then he turned back toward her, and she could read the love and the sorrow in his eyes. He opened his mouth, and suddenly she didn't think she could bear to hear the word goodbye. She stepped forward, pressing her lips firmly to his, cutting off whatever he had been about to say with a kiss. The moment was too short- it could never be long enough. They broke apart, and Hunith's face was wet, but she didn't know if they were her own tears or Balinor's.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," She could feel her heart breaking, a physical pain in her chest. Balinor stared into her eyes, as if wanting to emblazon her face in his memory, and Hunith tried to do the same, taking in every feature she knew so well. Then he leaned down to give her one last kiss, this one on her forehead, gentle and quick. And then he was turning away from her.

Hunith stood in the doorway, watching him walk away. He turned back just once, when he was almost out of sight. And then he was gone, and yet, for several more minutes Hunith still stood there, staring down the street toward the spot where she had had her last glimpse of him. Her chest ached, and there was a lump in her throat. She wanted to sob, to throw herself on the bed dramatically like a girl in one of the stories the court minstrels told, but she was afraid if she started she wouldn't be able to stop.

Besides, the setting of the sun told her it would be time for supper soon, and she knew if she was late, her parents would notice. They would wonder where she was, suspect that she had gone to see Balinor again, against their express wishes….

So she found a cloth and a jug of water and washed her face. She made sure her clothes were straight and free of wrinkles, not a hair out of place. Then she painted a practiced look of calm on her face and left the little house. She allowed herself a fleeting minute to turn back and take it in. It wasn't much more than a shack, but she had spent some of the happiest moments of her life here. Then she turned and began to walk down the road, the opposite direction from the path Balinor had taken, back toward her castle and her family, and away from the man that she loved. Every step felt a little heavier, but she held her head up high, and she kept moving, looking every bit the perfect princess she knew she wasn't. She did not look back again.

In the following weeks, Balinor passed from most people's memories, the king and queen had moved on and written him off as just a minor dalliance that had tempted their daughter briefly- a youthful indiscretion, but ultimately no harm was done, once he had had the good sense to leave.

Hunith knew he was more, knew she would never forget him,and yet, even she thought the consequences of their brief relationship were etched only into her heart and into his. Something know one else would ever have to know. Until she felt a change within her. At first she didn't know what she was feeling, and then her time came and she didn't bleed.

She knew then and she wondered…. If she had let him leave, if she hadn't insisted on that last goodbye, those precious stolen hours, would things have been different? Would their time together have remained safely a memory, quickly forgotten by the people and only kept alive in her own head and heart? Or had the child already been forming within her, without her realizing it?

There was no way of knowing. Not when the child had been conceived, not if things would have been different if Balinor had known… if he would have stayed… if he would have taken her with him…

Hunith didn't know what would happen now. For now, the life growing in her was a secret, but she knew it wouldn't remain that way for long. Soon enough she would start to show, and everyone would know; her parents, the people… there would be scandal for sure, and Hunith could already feel the weight of her parents' disappointment…

And yet, even with the fear of what would happen next, with the knowledge that Balinor was gone and would never know his child, a part of Hunith rejoiced, knowing that a piece of him was still with her. Her heart was filled with love for the little life growing within her. No matter what came next, she knew she would protect this child, would love him… or her… with everything that was in her.

As for the rest of it… the scandal, the outrage… she would hold her head high, and she would weather the storm.