"I'll wait," I whispered at last. "One day. I can do one day. I will take one more day of pain, because I love you. One day, Lucius. Then Gwenhwyfar is done."

He brushed his lips to my forehead and shifted; dust and pebbles danced in his wake.

And I sat there in the dust and waited as the sun swung down and the moon crossed the sky and the pink of new dawn tinged the horizon.

The stones were raking the sky when I slowly rose to my feet once more.

I'd kept my word.

I'd waited.

But he had not returned.

So I flew slowly home, and alighted...