Morning sunlight shone through the window, waking Vell. With a sigh she pushed Thor over so that she wasn’t on the edge of the bed. The huge brown and white dog

“The poor thing hasn’t seen you in months. Be nice.”

Vell looked over at the window to see Senar standing there, a smile on his face.

“He’s happy to have my space now that I’m awake.” He saw her look and smiled once more. “I know what you’re going to ask me,” he told her. “Yes, I did put you in here. Yes, I did stay with you all night. Yes, your father does know. Surprisingly, he actually told me to.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Honestly,” he replied. “Or may my sword be melted to make arrowheads.”

“But, why?” she asked in confusion.

He shrugged. “If I could tell you that I would.”

Vell sat up. “Are you leaving today?”

Senar nodded. “After breakfast.”

Sorrow filled her as she got out of bed and fixed her gown so it wasn’t twisted. She had become so comfortable in it that she now refused to change out of it. Thor jumped down and followed her as she joined Senar. He was staring out the window at the horses. “Let’s go eat,” she told him quietly.

After breakfast Vell went outside with Senar. “I don’t want you to leave,” she told him honestly. They watched Sparkra with her colt, the two happy about being reunited.

“I know,” he whispered, taking her in his arms. “I don’t want to leave you.” They kissed tenderly and Vell found herself tearful as they pulled apart. “We will see each other soon,” he assured her. “Very soon. I promise, Peridot.”

Vell nodded reluctantly. “I just wish I knew how soon.”

“You’d never know we’d been apart,” he replied.

“Vell,” Rea called from the front door, “will you come here for a moment?”

Vell wondered what her mother could want that she needed her at that instant. She wanted to be with Senar before he left.

“Go,” Senar whispered, releasing her. “I won’t leave yet.”

She nodded reluctantly and walked over to where her parents stood just outside the door. “Yes?” she asked, wiping her eyes.

“I need to tell you something, Vell,” Nir said. The serious look on his face made her slightly frightened. “I’m proud of you, so proud. For you to have done all that you have is amazing. Ever since you were a baby I’ve wanted the best for you. I’ve wanted you to be safe and live long and well. I’ve tried my best to control what you do, to hold you here forever. You’ve always been my daughter, my little treasure. I’ve wanted you to have a simple life, but it’s not possible. The Spirits have given you a life far beyond my control, a life that involves risk and adventure. I’ve realized that I can’t hold you here forever, there are more important things for you to be doing.”

“Then let me go, Father,” Vell whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

“I am,” he replied quietly. “I want you to go. You and Senar are meant to live a life more complex than any other mortal in all Eovsb. But before you go, make me just this one promise. Promise me that you will return to visit if only for a few days a year.”

Vell swallowed. “Yes. We both will. I promise.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. “That is the only one I want you to make for me. Now go, before he leaves without you.”

She threw her arms around him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much, Father.”

He hugged her. “You’re welcome.”

Vell let him go and hugged Rea. Her mother returned the hug, tears in her eyes. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

“I’ll miss you as well, Mother,” Vell replied quietly. When they let go, she looked back to Senar. He had Kintec tied to the fence rail, fully saddled. He was whispering to the stallion as he rubbed his neck.

Vell sprinted over to him. Senar looked up at the sound of her footsteps and smiled. She slowed slightly and threw her arms around him.

“I told you that you’d hardly know I’d left,” he whispered, hugging her tightly.

“You knew?” she asked in surprise.

“Had you stayed awake a while longer last night, you’d have known earlier,” he told her with a smile. “I wanted to tell you, but your father ordered me not to.”

“Whose idea was it?” Vell questioned.

“We all had the same one,” Senar clarified, “and we all spoke at once.”

“Really?” she asked, interested.

He nodded, smiling. “It sounded very similar to ‘Please, Nir, consider-’, ‘I have a suggestion’, and ‘Listen, Senar, I-’ all at once.”

Vell laughed lightly. “Honestly?”

“Honestly,” Senar replied, then grinned at her. “Stealing my words, are you?”

She laughed again. “I can’t help it, being that I’ve spent so much time with you lately.”

“We’ll be together for far longer now,” he whispered.

Vell smiled. “So, where are we going?” she asked.

“Well,” he replied, “I have to let Father and Nitessa know I’m alive. We still have to return to Algoma and tell them we’re alive and Orlan’s dead. Plus we promised to return to the Shifters and to find Cafav.”

“Speaking of promises,” Vell said with a smile, “Father made me-”

“Not again,” Senar muttered sarcastically.

“This one’s easy,” she assured him. “We just have to visit once a year.”

He nodded. “That can be done.”

She smiled. “Let’s go make some people happy.”

“We can do that,” he said with a smile, “but I was thinking of making something else.”

“And that would be what?” she asked mischievously.

He smiled. “A statue.”

She raised an eyebrow. “A statue?”

Senar nodded. “Haven’t you always wanted to be immortalized in stone?”

“Not really,” Vell replied.

“You can’t possibly tell me you don’t want to have a statue with your name on it someplace where all can see it.” He looked doubtfully at her.

“Maybe we could have the Temple make one,” she told him, “not us. I don’t know how to.”

“Me neither.”

“Will bringing Rett slow us down?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Only a bit. We’re not in a hurry anyway. We won’t make it to Esroh, which is where I live, before dark. It’s too late in the morning.”

“I’m definitely bringing Thor as well,” she added.

“But you have me,” he said, pretending to look hurt.

She smiled. “I know, but I want him with me too.”

“Well, I’ll get Sparkra and Rett ready,” he told her. Before he let her go he kissed her fiercely.

When he pulled away, Vell smiled at him, feeling the way she had felt only twice before. “Save it, Diamond,” she whispered and he smiled. “I’ll go repack.” He nodded and let go of her.

As she walked back to the house, she began to wonder what this new life would be like. Being a Warrior seemed like it would be more dangerous, yet more exciting, than being a Speaker. She knew she’d have Senar, so it couldn’t be too different. At least that was one thing that would be constant.

“For Spirit Warriors some things aren’t all that clear to you,” Femi told them, shaking her head. “I heard you speak of marriage this evening, and I must say that I am against it. Why should you need a mortal bond when you have an eternal one? Haven’t you realized that you’ve been married since the Bond first formed during your first kiss? A mortal marriage has no meaning for you.”

Vell was instantly awake. Senar also awoke and for a long moment they stared at each other, until Senar took Vell’s Ties and examined them in his hand. “I never considered that these were the same as wedding rings,” he murmured thoughtfully.

“I never did, either,” she admitted. “You’re actually my husband? And I am your wife?”

“I assume so,” he replied. “It seems so strange.”

“It shouldn’t though,” Vell reasoned, “we’ve been Bonded for over a year.”

Senar released her Ties and sighed. “Now I feel worse about leaving you for a whole year.”

She squeezed his arm. “Stop thinking about that. What’s done is done. We’re together now, and that’s what matters.”

“I’ll always be sorry for it, but you’re right,” he replied. “I’ll try not to think about it.”

She smiled as he lifted her chin and kissed her lightly. Then she snuggled closer to him in their bedroll. “I love you, Diamond,” she murmured, resting her head against his chest.

“And I love you, Peridot,” he replied quietly.

As she fell once more into sleep, thinking over the fact that she and Senar were already married, Vell had a sudden thought. It startled her into being wide awake once more. Senar looked at her curiously when she lifted her head from his chest.

“Senar, I just had a thought,” she explained. “What do you suppose my father will say when he realizes that we’ve been married for over a year?”

“Good question,” Senar replied with a smile.