Being that the day's advents were too adventful, Aasen decided that today would be a leisure day. He and Leila held hands as they walked the beach.
"You look beautiful with against the sun light," he said.
"Thankyou," she said and looked up at him with her crystal blue eyes. Suddenly she saw that the beach was not intirly there's. So she stopped and took Aasen over to a rock, "lets watch them," she said.
"What? No. Why?"
"It will make me happy."
"...Why...?"
"I used to watch the servant lovers laugh and play in the gardens or on the beach back home. It's the only time, really, that I love people. And look Acela is so adorable."
"And Destiny? You want to watch her and Arcturus?"
"They grew on me I guess, plus Destiny is such a forign creature to me. I want to see her in her happiest element...to see that joy you and the others seem to have."
"Maybe not Terran."
"No, I think she does, she just doesn't know it yet...and besides with Thorn watching her I'm sure she will be delighted to be with him."
"You know you can feel joy too, you're not that far gone."
"But I am," she said with a sigh, "The real Leila died when she was 15. Four years ago. She had once, only once, though felt joy. But she's dead. And Im all thats left."
"Dont say that."
"Im a realist Ace, and that is the reality. You go on about how Arcturus is an idealist, and if you think the old Leila can be revived you're worse than him."
"No Im a pragmactic. I know reality, and I know never to doubt hope. You doubt it. But one day you'll see that Im right."
Leila smiled. And as she kissed him she realized something. Something she had never known before, something that changed everything in her life. For the first time she was in love. Never had she felt more vulnerable, more fragile, more at peace. Love, I can feel it as well as believe it. Thank you Ellonai, the mystical Northern god, whoever you are, whoever you are to me, thank you for Aasen.