The Real Thing

I've seen your face a thousand times
The ocean lapped at the stones he sat upon, staring out across the sea without truly seeing what he was staring at. For a long time, he had been kneeling in a failed attempt to meditate; in the end, he shifted, pulling his knees to his chest as he bowed his head. White tangles of silk hung in his face, brushing across his cheeks and he could almost feel her delicate fingers brushing them instead.

Eyes opened, eyes closed, he still saw her face – the physical pain of falling to the floor fading into the fear of watching him leave or the sad smile she had been giving him in those last moments when her words finally reached him.

It was as if everywhere he looked, he could still see those sparkling emerald eyes…

Have all your stories memorized
Dazed, still weak from the poisons she had taken, that Faeshadow had removed despite the pain and danger, she slowly paced the house; in a whisper she sang the songs she’d written about his life in Neriak, in the Faydark, and in Qeynos now…but it was not enough to comfort her.

Unable to remain asleep for long, she took a fresh leather tome and wrote them down, and when that failed to calm her, she wrote more of them. By the time she finally crawled to the bed and collapsed again, the book was half filled with songs and poems about her lover’s long life…and about his flight from her.

I've kissed your lips a million ways
In his sleep, a hand reached out to the space next to him, finding it still empty. In his dreams, she was there with him, gently kissing away the tears he was crying; he could still taste her on his lips, or at least he fancied that he could. Shifting in his sleep, his dreams fading from light to nightmare, he licked his lips and again reached out into the empty space next to him…

But I still love to have you around
Far apart, the two dreamed that the other was there, only to awake and find themselves alone. She cried, taking his forgotten weapon and cradling it in her arms until sleep took her again; he cried, lying against the stones where they’d shared so much.

She understood that one day, sooner than either of them wanted, he would be gone, but even though she knew that life without him was impossible, she wanted him near her until that day came…

He wanted to go back, wanted to forget what may be in a few short years, but he couldn’t…


I've held you too many times to count
When he woke, the first thing he remember was lying next to her, holding her as she drifted into sleep; after so long, he’d finally let go, given up and let himself feel again.

Tears forming again, he stared down at his empty arms and hands, remembering every time they’d found her…held her close to him as though she’d always be there.

I think I know you inside out
She could read him like a book most days, gently taking his palm and reading his soul within the lines there. There was so much he hadn’t told her, and would never need to because she already knew. In a way, she’d already seen this possibility within his hand and eyes, but refused to believe that it would come to pass.

He was too noble, and she knew that’s what motivated him now…for a moment she hated how noble he was, but found she couldn’t for long because it was what she loved most about him…even though it might take him from her.

And we're together most days
Once exhausted from her search, she couldn’t think of what to do without him for quite some time. A few hours were one thing, but beyond that, it was nearly impossible for her to focus without having his gentle smile to guide her. Frantic, she found herself in the kitchens, throwing herself into her work despite her body’s complaints.

She kept expecting to turn and reach for something, only to find him standing there, holding what she needed out to her with that smile…but he was never there.

But I still love to have you around
His thoughts were miles away, imagining what would happen if he returned to her – always ending with the same results. She wouldn’t lay him to rest without joining him, and the vision haunted his thoughts; her young blood would on his hands, even in death.

He wanted her there, to be next to him…but to have the blood of a child on his hands…he couldn’t do that to her.


And you're the one I want and it's not just a phase
The many admirers did not wait even a day to begin their wooing again, as each found her alone, they did their best to put on their charms and speak of how evil the Teir`Dal had turned out to be. When they would speak such things, she would throw flour or spices at them, screaming at them to not speak of what they didn’t know, chasing them out of the kitchen with the threat of hot coals to their lips if they didn’t leave with their foul words.

Even the lowest of them could give her a better life than her lover, as they were accepted within the walls of the city without question, and could raise themselves far higher than he could ever hope to reach…but she didn’t want that.

And you're the one I trust, our love is the real thing
As the wind whispered over his pointed ears, he could almost hear her quietly speaking in her native language; it was something that was reserved nearly for only his ears now, as speaking such even to a friend was dangerous to her. Her attempts to teach him those words, her patience as he stumbled over their unfamiliar sounds…he knew she trusted him with her life.

For that, he trusted her with his heart, something he’d not done since it had been shattered within Neriak. He’d never believed that he would ever do so again…but with her, there was no question.


Don't go away, my love. I want you to stay in my life.
She remembered screaming for him as he left, screaming until her throat was raw and her voice nothing more than a ghost. Knowing the future, knowing what she faced, she wanted him there with her as long as he still breathed.

But her cries were unanswered…

Don't go away, my lover. I'm happiest when we spend time.
Before they’d realized their fate, he’d spoken of finding what few of his kin ever could in their lifetimes not once, but twice. For days, he’d tried to ignore the feelings, tried to pass them off as something else, but when he thought she would die, he couldn’t deny them.

She made him happy. She made it seem like he could never Hate again, that eternity would be filled with the love and the light he found within her…she was his happiness.

And now without her…


You're a salty water, ocean wave. You knock me down, you kiss my face.
There were many reasons he’d come to Coldwind Point, though now that he was here, all he could remember was that first day. She’d convinced him to relax and come have fun with her, to enjoy his life for once instead of spending it brooding, as she saw it.

After much run around, they ended up here, watching the waves and sitting together; it seemed every splashing wave against the rocks reminded him of her.

It was because she’d thrown them into the water…thrown them in and then surprised him with a shy kiss.

She had not been the first to kiss him since he left Neriak, but he couldn’t resist her quite like he had the others. He was drawn to her before she’d kissed him, but that only got under his skin more; her challenging words were welcome to him, and he wanted to show her the world then.

With the traces of a smile, he remembered pulling her down beneath the waves to kiss her then. As he stared out into the sea, he could almost watch everything again…and he missed her.

I know the storms will always come, but I still love to have you around.
Again she searched the city, looking for some clue or trail to follow back to him. When there was none within the city, she again wandered out into Antonica. The winds were stronger, darkening the sky with rain clouds; her thoughts drifted as she stumbled along, leaning heavily on the bo.

She knew that someday, the skies would darken for his death, and rain would fall with her tears. She knew that she might live for hundreds of years afterward, alone without him. She knew that before they could even cover his body with earth, she’d lay down beside him for the last time…and despite knowing, she had to have him with her.


Heavens knows what will come next
Numb. Even though that was the best word to describe his state, he couldn’t stop thinking. Each moment, he either remembered something in the past, or envisioned something in the future.

Forgotten was his belief that Fate moves him to where he must be. Forgotten was the idea that the future was not set in stone. In his mind, there was no other ending to the story, though there always could be something else…he just couldn’t think of anything else.

So emotional, you're so complex
For a stray, the cat was extremely intelligent; as she sat weeping after returning from her failed search, the alley cat pawed over to her and leapt into her lap. Crying harder, she wrapped her arms around the animal, letting it gently lick at the tears on her cheeks.

Before long, she’d be back in the kitchen, making more food for a meal that may never happen…but it was something to distract her, to make her believe things would be okay.

A roller coaster, built to crash; but I still love to have you around.
No one could deny that they were setting themselves up for a fall; anyone who could do the math could see that it was inevitable for them to reach the same end.

But after seeing them together, could anyone tell them not to try…and mean it.


It's you there when I close my eyes, and you in the morning.
They awoke the next day, both opening their eyes and expecting the other to be there with them. While she forced herself to work in the kitchen, he continued to stare out to the seas and try to think; but they both found themselves turning, hoping to see the other one there.

I never thought you'd still be mine, or I'd really need to have you around.
As the minutes slipped by into hours that day, she wondered if he would come back or if she’d ever find him again. She wouldn’t give up, it wasn’t in her nature – whether or not he came back that night or never again, she was his and that wasn’t going to change.

As he lost track of time, he slowly realized how much he needed her there with him, but again he’d think of what may happen in the future if he stayed, and with bowed head conceded to himself that he wouldn’t ever see her again…but he wouldn’t let anyone take her place.


Don't go away, my love; I want you to stay in my life.
The night was dark by the time she made it to Coldwind Point one more time. Standing near the edge of the cliff, near the lighthouse, she stared out over the sea and wondered if he’d fled Antonica entirely. Part of her knew that he hadn’t, part of her could still feel that he was somewhere nearby, hiding from her to protect her. Turning back towards the gates, Rhana leaned against the bo staff and walked slowly back to Qeynos.

Don't go away, my lover; I need you…
He found himself looking up to the stars, his eyes watching as one streaked across the sky as it fell. Leaning back against the cliff-face, he sighed again at the flood of thoughts that single moment brought to him. Aching to return but fearing he’d hurt her, Tarack sat and silently let his tears fall until sleep took him once more.

[OOC Note: Bolded, italic text are the lyrics from The Real Thing by Gwen Stefani.]