The war finally tore me away from the arms of my lover. Amarisa wept amidst her well wishes. Her face was reddened like a plucked lotus, which made my own heart constricted with sadness. We held each other tightly as we'd had such a short moment of married life together. Now I had to be apart from my wife, and neither of us could know what would happen afterward.

Amarisa raised her eyes to meet mine. I saw they were ruddy from her long secret weeping. She knew she should never cry on the day of our departure. What else could she do with the fear and distress now mounting...