"Beyond Dreaming - 03 The Gala" by Meike de Nooy

The ster-flowers were blooming and there had just been some rain so she didn’t have to water the flowers. There were already people coming in who wanted to see the queen and as usual Leila eyed them curiously. Amongst them was Tara’s mother who on her way there asked: "You still haven’t seen Tara either have you?" She knew Tara had been missing for three days now and sadly shook her head. She saw Eunie walking through the crowds. She was crying, shouting: "Don’t take her! She’s mine! Mine! She wanted to walk over to her to comfort her but at the same instant she saw an old lady in a black heavy coat leaning heavily on her walking stick, her other hand holding Tara’s.

She wanted to shout to her, run over and tell her how worried her mother had been but the sight of the old lady stopped her.

Slowly she drew her hood back showing a quite handsome man’s face. He was not from around here as he had blonde hair and lively green eyes

He spoke to her, without moving his lips: "Thetys will find me first, but it is you I am looking for! Don’t deny my teachings Phoebe; you might come to need them more than you shall ever dream to need anything else in your entire life! He walked over to her taking Tara with him. Leila stood as if of stone, she couldn’t move a muscle, not even when he pushed aside her hair and planted a warm soft kiss at the nape of her neck. As much as she wanted to pull away she also welcomed it. There was some sort of sweet smell around him which she had never smelled before. He was a stranger but somehow she knew him as well as he did her.

She woke up cold, shivering, sweating and seriously sick. She pulled her blankets tighter around herself and lay staring straight into the pitch black of the night surrounding her. She couldn’t sleep. Desperately she tried to forget but she could not. Here dreams were never this clear and realistic! Frustrated she got up to light the small oil lamp she had and however she would never in her life forget any detail of this dream she started writing it down for Eunie. First thing in the morning she would go to see her.

She didn’t catch her sleep again and got dressed around 6 so she could go see Eunie who was up early every day anyway.

She walked quickly through the wet grass not noticing her surroundings at all and didn’t care for them much either. She had to know what this meant! She had to! Now!

She had never walked to Eunies house so fast and was out of breath when she got there. She knocked on the door softly. When she got no reaction she knocked a bit harder and was just starting to get really annoyed when she spotted a small note next to the door:

Leila wanted to cry. How could Eunie not be there when she needed her most! This was so unfair! So unfair! She’d have to leave for the Agin springs before Eunie came back! What was she going to do! Miserably she sat herself against the door and cried.

After a while she got hold of herself again. You foolish girl, she told herself. Get up and go to work! It was only a dream! And although she knew it wasn’t just any dream she managed to get her despair under some sort of control and started walking towards the gardens. She paid no attention to her surroundings and put all her energy in ignoring the dream. Seemingly out of nowhere Shasti popped up with a big grin on his face. "I couldn’t…" he broke of in mid sentence. "You’ve been crying! Are you ok?" He put a hand on her shoulder, the friendly gesture being more than she could handle she wanted to explain but her voice broke and tears came welling from her eyes again. He pulled her towards him and she cried on his shoulder. She was so glad he kept quiet. He simply held her, stroking her hair.

Foolish girl she though! How could such a simple dream make you so upset? She new why, she would soon have her moon flow and this was what that did to her, it always made her cry more easily, she just never cried in public.

When she had properly calmed down again she looked up at Shasti who was only half a head taller than she. "Sorry" she said. Thinking she sounded foolish and feeling even more so.

"Are you ok now?" He asked.

She nodded.

"I’ll come by later today" he said, "meanwhile, please don’t worry too much?!"

Giving Leila one more serious look after softly wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb he started down the path, to the fields.

Leila sighed. What had she done? What must he be thinking of her! She really had to get control of herself.

Slowly she started off in the direction of the gardens for the second time this morning.

"I’m back!" Shasti shouted on opening the door to the room he shared with Rael.

Rael basically fell of his chair. "You can just tell me that without scaring me to death you know, what put you in this mood?"

"I’m just having a good day is all" replied Shasti "but I need to talk to you."

"What are you up to Shasti? Are you in some sort of trouble? Does it have anything to do with the fights?"

"Yes and no" Shasti smiled. "First of all I enter the next level after the moon ritual. Secondly Leila is coming with me to the Gala tomorrow night and that is what I have to talk to you about. I think I’ve fallen in love with her Rael!"

"What! You can’t be serious! You! In Love! Right, you are still a boy you know and young and free and so unconcerned and, my god, are you sure?"

"I think so! I seem to miss her every time I leave her and want to touch her every time I see her, I want to comfort her and I was jealous when I saw her sitting on the shed with Bedu because I wanted to be the one to sit there, next to her. I like her smell and…"

"Ok, ok I get the Idea" Rael replied, you are serious about this. "Does she feel the same way for you?"

"I don’t know! That’s why I wanted to talk to you about it! You know about girls and although she is my best friend I suddenly am not sure what to talk to her about anymore and I get so confused and all. This morning I ran in to her on my way to the fields and she had been crying, I wanted so much to comfort her but I didn’t know what to say! She cried on my shoulder and I couldn’t help her at all!"

"I wouldn’t worry about that too much, Rael grinned. Girls’d rather have you keep your mouth shut as it is embarrassing enough when they cry where someone can see, especially for Leila who is always so mature and in control of her life!"

Shasti grinned too. "What about the Gala though? I said I would organise a dress for her as she didn’t have one but as your sister doesn’t have any spare ones what can I tell her?"

"I don’t know about that Shasti, just tell her I suppose. She will understand, maybe she knows where she could get one?! And otherwise you can buy her one?! If you have the money that is and if she isn’t too proud to accept it!" Just go and ask first ok, then start thinking and then start speaking and make sure you do it in that order."

They both laughed, then, went for dinner at the central kitchen.

Leila worked through her day with no joy whatsoever. It was warm and all the plants needed water which meant she had to haul the huge caster up and down the garden which gave her a slightly sore back.

She also kept looking over her shoulder afraid that the old lady that was a young man would sneak up on her and that she would be taken by surprise. Even though she was continually looking over her shoulder her mind kept spinning and she jumped every time someone came by and she also jumped when Raga, who came out to get some fresh air at the same time every morning told her good morning. Slightly surprised he asked her if she was ok.

It was hard to lie under Raga’s frowning gaze but she managed an "I’m fine" with quite a steady voice.

Raga shook his head and walked off mumbling something about her definitely not being her usual self.

Leila sighed and wished again that this day would soon come to and end.

Meanwhile Rancha told his friend Gaera about his trip to the Agin springs.

"How long will you be gone?"

"Only three days luckily! I can’t believe I got stuck with this and only because my dad’s the queens attendant!" Rancha sighed deeply.

"Maybe she isn’t that bad" Gaera tried to cheer him up, "I mean, a girl her age that has practically always been alone must be quite intelligent! Maybe it’ll be fun to talk to her. She is definitely not ugly!"

"Oh just don’t talk about it will you?! I don’t feel like it and will not feel like it in the near future either. Let’s talk about the Gala. That will prove to be more fun! I asked Shiffré if she wanted to come and she said yes! Can you believe it?! I’m taking the queens niece to the Gala! She’s so beautiful she can get anyone and she is coming with me!"

"You really do like her a lot don’t you Rancha? I still don’t understand what you see in this girl! She thinks so much of herself."

"She’s lovely, and she has so much air! Don’t you see that Gaera?!"

"Just be careful ok?"

"Sure! Aren’t you taking Lianu?"

"I might, but I’m not sure if she feels like it. I don’t know. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to ask her to marry me and maybe I will tomorrow night. I’m just so afraid she’ll say no!"

"You’ll be fine Gaera, really! She loves you for sure and you’ve been together for so long! And even her parents seem very fond of you! What else do you want?"

"I suppose you’re right. I should stop worrying."

"Yeah, you should!"

Leila shut the door behind her with a sigh. She liked the coolness of her room and was so ready to get some sleep she decided not to cook and just go for some Tanu-roots. These roots were quite healthy and found in many places in the woods in Tanu. This was supposedly the reason they were called Tanu-roots. She chewed on the juicy root and took her time enjoying the refreshing sourness of it. Then she changed, took her book and made herself comfortable in bed. It was so nice to rest her tired limbs that she basically immediately put down the book and closed her eyes.

She sat up with a start when she heard knocking on the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, was she?

Shasti’s voice reminded her that he had said he would come by in the evening. "Are you in there?"

"Yes I’m there! Hang on just a second let me put on my cape! I was in bed already!"

It was not at all normal to see a lady in her night dress and even though Shasti was a friend, with all the things going on lately she felt the need to cover herself.

She opened the door and saw Shasti standing a few steps back looking pretty insecure.

"Is it ok for me to come in?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah sure! Don’t worry about it!"

Shasti came in and looked around. She realized he had never been here before. They always met at the barracks in the gardens or somewhere else in the village.

"You like it?"

"It’s really nice and cosy." he said, "It’s really you! I mean, everything seems to go with you, it’s your style exactly!"

Leila pointed him to the only chair and before he could protest sat herself down on the bed.

"Are you ok now?" Shasti asked carefully. He wasn’t sure it was a good idea to bring it up but he had to know what had upset her so.

"I’m fine now, it was just that I was so tired and everything went wrong and then I wanted Eunies help but she wasn’t there and everything was just a bit too much for me." Most of it was true but she still felt awkward not telling Shasti the whole truth as she had always been able to do.

He accepted it though and she was glad when he moved on to the topic of the Gala.

"I couldn’t get you a dress" he said "and I thought that maybe…"

"Don’t worry about that!" Leila interrupted "Eunie gave me one and it’s beautiful!"

"Eunie" Shasti asked with real surprise.

"Yes, she told me she didn’t have any reason to wear it anymore and thought it would look great on me!"

"Let me see!" Shasti replied

"You’ll see it when you pick me up tomorrow evening!"

"Please?" Shasti tried.

"No! And give it up now because I won’t let you talk me into it! Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to bed because I’m really tired.

"Sure" Shasti said, and kissed her softly on the forehead as he had always done when saying goodnight or goodbye. Somehow though it felt different this time and when she looked him in the eye she knew too much had changed. She would have to talk to him tomorrow after the Gala. She’d have to be the one to bring it up and she would have to hurt him. She was already dreading the moment.

"Bye Shasti, see you tomorrow!"

"Sleep well" he said and closed the door behind him softly.

Leila stood looking at the door for quite some time after it closed, thinking. She wished things weren’t so complicated but shook herself out of it. Wishing had never gotten anybody anywhere before, it wouldn’t work for her either. She put her cloak back on the hanger and once in bed it only took her seconds to forget everything this day had brought and she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Tara was sitting at the step of the moon goddess’ temple. She liked the small white building and the peace there. She brought flowers every week and would sit and think on life. She had always known she was different then other children. She had always thought them less mature than herself and so she had few friends. She considered Leila among her best as she was one of the few grown ups who didn’t talk to her like she was just a kid. She wasn’t sure if she liked being different it just had always been like that and she supposed she didn’t really care.

She wanted to go to the Gala too. She imagined herself in a dress just as pretty as Leila’s. God she wished she was older already! She wanted adventures and she wanted Leila to come and have them with her. She wanted to be pretty for a change and have her hair up nicely like all the elder women and have a nice dress instead of her usual grey and brown ones and she wanted to be strong and smart like Leila. She wanted to learn, and be wise like Eunie, she wanted to be independent, and she wanted it so much! But she knew she’d have to wait a bit.

She went to pick some bluebottles and sat braiding them into a string. She’d give them to Leila so she could wear them in her hair to the Gala. She’d be so pretty!

Slowly she sauntered back through the high grass. Not back home though. She was going to see if she could catch Leila before she left for home at the end of a days work so she could give her the string of blue bottles.

Leila was just about to leave. She was humming to herself while she put the caster away. She had decided that whatever was going to happen in her life she could at least enjoy tonight. When she looked up and stretched after the hard work she saw Tara coming down the path. How nice! She liked having the girls company on her way home. She waited for Tara to reach her and greeted her with a smile.

Tara held up the bluebottles and said:"These are for in your hair. I thought they’d look pretty on you! Will you wear them to the Gala?"

"They’re wonderful" Leila said and carefully lifted them from Tara’s hands. "I’ll plait them in my braids. Thank you so much, they’ll look wonderful with the dress!" Together they walked home talking about what it is exactly that you do at a Gala. Leila wasn’t very sure except that you danced a lot and she supposed you talked with your friends. Tara was curious and asked her thousands of questions of which most she couldn’t answer.

When they came to her room Leila knew she had to say goodbye to Tara. She would have to pack and then dress for the Gala. The next morning she would be leaving very early for the Agin springs.

Tara hugged a big hug and asked her once more if she couldn’t even come part of the way.

"You can’t Tara and you know it. Before you know you’ll be twenty too and you can go as well."

Tara sighed deeply. "That will only be in ten years and I don’t want to go then I want to go now, with you because I will miss you when you’re gone!"

Leila kneeled so she could look Tara in her big brown eyes and stroked her hair.

"I’ll be back in 3 days; you will hardly have time to miss me with the preparations for the moon ritual going on."

"I will miss you though!" Tara gave her one more hug and then ran off towards home.

Leila sighed as well. She would have to start packing now otherwise she wouldn’t be ready in time. She didn’t need much, just a set of clean clothes and some cloth for her moon flow. She was required to spend one night, cleansed by the Agin river’s water, free of human needs as clothes and food with only some water to drink, under the moon goddess’ light. The next morning she’d be twenty and allowed to wed if she wished. She’d be free to go where she wanted and needed nobodies permission anymore.

For her this wasn’t such a big deal as she was used to going where she wanted and hardly ever needed permission to do anything anyway but twenty seemed like a nice age to her. She felt ready to be twenty. She felt as if this would be where her life would start.

She stuffed a newly baked braid in her bag and a big bottle of water she also took some Tanu-roots and the small necklace that her mother had wanted to give to her on her twentieth birthday. It would look nice with the dress for the Gala, but somehow it did not feel right to put it on already. Then she was ready to change for the Gala.

She quickly washed and then slipped into the silver blue dress. It felt soft and satiny. She was amazed at how perfectly it fit and also at the image she saw in her mother’s mirror. She had never considered herself beautiful but she had to admit that she didn’t look bad at all. Just when she wanted to pull her hair down so she could brush and braid it she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Who’s there?" she asked.

Raga’s deep voice replied:"It’s me, is it ok if I come in?"

Leila opened the door for him. She wondered why Raga of all people had come to visit her and most of all why!

Raga was staring at her when she looked up after she had made him a small bow.

"You look stunning Leila! You’ve seemingly grown into a woman since I last saw you. Who’s the lucky guy taking you to the Gala tonight?"

"Thank you" Leila replied smiling to herself "Shasti is taking me and he’ll be here any minute now."

"Right" Raga said and suddenly looked serious again "The I will be quick I will only take a minute.

Please sit down." Leila looked at him concernedly. "What’s wrong Raga? Don’t worry you can tell me."

Raga coughed and started: "You know that once every seventh year the moon ritual is held as it was in the older days?"

"Yes I know"

"Has anybody ever told you what exactly it is that happens then?"

"No not exactly"

"The earths parting with itself to give a piece of him to the universe is celebrated. This piece is what we now call the moon"

"Yes I knew that" Leila replied "so what’s wrong then?"

"You are chosen by the priestesses to represent the universe!"

"Ok" Leila said, I will. Thank you for telling me.

Raga stared at her in disbelief.

"Something wrong Raga?" Leila asked.

"No, no nothing" he mumbled and left leaving the door slightly ajar saying: "Happy birthday Leila"

"Thanks" she said, more to herself than to Raga as he probably couldn’t hear anymore. What was wrong with him?!

She let her hair fall down and started brushing it. Too bad she couldn’t wear it down. She felt really pretty all of a sudden and partly thanks to Raga’s remark she felt she could take on the world ronight.

"The door was open so I thought it would be okay to come… oh my god! I’m so sorry Leila!" Shasti stepped back outside.

"Oh come on Shasti, I’m going to braid my hair so you might as well come inside and sit on my bed till I’m ready."

Hesitantly he came back inside with his eyes down and sat on the bed.

"I’ll be ready in no time" Leila told him.

He glanced up at her looking at her fingers quickly braiding bluebottles into two braids which she carefully tied up with a few silver pins.

Leila turned around to him. "What do you think?"

"Leila, you look marvellous! I think every boy at the Gala will envy me."

Leila smiled at him. "You don’t look too bad yourself!"

Then Shasti’s eyes narrowed and he almost whispered "I do think however, that you have funny little white shape at the bottom of your neck"

Leila put her hand over her neck but felt nothing "You’re teasing me right?"

"No really! It’s like… like Eunies!"

"What!" Leila didn’t feel very comfortable "how" she whispered hoarsely and her mind raced through all that had happened lately and suddenly she remembered the warm soft kiss. The memory came crushing back to her so vividly that she wasn’t sure where she was for a second. Could it be?

"I would cover it" Shasti’s voice brought her back to reality "I don’t know how you got it and I don’t think I really want to know right now but you don’t want people talking about you because of it!"

Leila put the blue shawl over it hoping it wouldn’t show and grabbed Shasti’s hand and pulled him with her. "Lets go" She wondered briefly what Shasti thought about it but was glad he didn’t bring it up again.

Raga’s mind was spining. Idiot he told himself. You should have told her.

Was it my place to tell her though? I’m a man and her mother should have told her a long time ago!

I couldn’t ruin her Gala like that, but I can’t just leave her unknowing either can I? But who else would tell her? No, he thought by himself, I have to go and tell her. No matter that I am a man. She should know.

Raga, nearly back at the palace turned back to repeat the fifteen minute walk. But when he came back at Leila’s room she was gone. Idiot, he scolded himself but was, on the other side, relieved that he would not have to inform her now. He wished she had been twenty already when a priestess thought it right to hear the news from a stranger and not from someone trusted, be it family or friend. Would they have explained it to her though? Probably they would have, but very matter of fact which he couldn’t really approve of either.

The Gala was a big festivity. Everybody was dressed up so neatly and the colours twirled though each other due to the dancing couples. The hum of talking and laughing got lauder with each minute and when Leila and Shasti arrived the party was at full progress.

"Would you like a drink?" Shasti asked. "They have some really nice white wine or so I’ve heard."

"I don’t remember ever having wine before!" Leila told him "but I’d like to try!"

Shasti looked at her with surprise. "Never!" he said.

"Never" Leila replied.

"Well I suppose it’s about time then!"

Just when Shasti was about to leave, Rael and Muni came in.

"Hey Shasti! Good evening Leila! You look amazing in that dress!"

"Nice to see you as well!" Shasti said. "I was just getting drinks, you guys want any?"

Rael looked at Muni.

"I’d like some white wine please, she said"

"Me too" Rael added.

"Three white wine coming up then" Shasti said and walked off.

Leila sort of knew Muni. She was quite nice and had talked with her once or twice quite a while ago. She was wearing a yellow dress which looked excellent on her dark skin. She had put her curly black hair up in a messy bun.

"So, how do you feel being the only different coloured couple tonight" she asked.

Leila hadn’t even given it a thought yet and said so. "We are not a couple really!"

"Not yet" Rael added with a grin but he was serious and Leila could tell he was.

"Don’t joke about that will you?!" Leila looked Rael in the eye and Muni, feeling that she didn’t need to witness this conversation, excused herself and left to talk to some friends.

"He is in love with you Leila, you must have noticed it" Rael was serious now and had lost all the humour usually dancing in his eyes.

"I didn’t Rael but you’re not the first to tell me so. I just keep hoping someone will tell me it isn’t true but I don’t think I can go on denying it to myself now can I? Rael shook his head. Then I suppose I will have to talk to him tonight.

"Are you sure you have no feelings for him? Don’t you even love him a little?" Rael nearly pleaded and remembered the sparks in his friends eyes when he first told him of his love for Leila.

Leila felt a dread growing upon her but had to say her true feelings "I love him dearly Rael, but only as a friend, and you of all people should know that!"

Rael sighed. "Leila, I’ve never seen him like this before, he is really in love with you, he can’t talk to me about anything else and trust me I like you too but I don’t need you to be my topic of discussion the entire day! Please take care with what you tell him?!"

Shasti came back with the wine and they fell silent.

"Don’t worry about me! You can finish your conversation!"

"We were done." Leila replied and almost felt that she had had an argument with Rael.

Rael picked up Muni’s glass of wine and walked over to her giving Leila one more lingering look which she ended by pulling her eyes away.

You look really beautiful in that dress Leila, almost queenly. And oh! I got some great news to tell you! I am allowed to go to the next level by the queen’s command. Rancha is also coming so I will stay sharp!" Ha ha.

Leila smiled. It was almost hard to be happy for him after her talk with Rael knowing she was going to hurt him.

"It’s good to see you laugh again." He told Leila "You’ve been looking so serious all evening. Let’s dance! It will cheer you up!"

They put their glasses of wine down and Shasti whirled her over the dance floor. They were a good dancing couple as Shasti had taught her to dance and so she knew his every move.

Out of breath the next song was a slow one. Shasti carefully put his hands on her waste, seemingly searching her eyes for approval.

She took hold of his hand firmly and pulled him of the dance floor. "I can’t do this Shasti; it isn’t fair, neither to you nor to me." She gently pulled him out the door and into the silent warm night. He looked at her questioningly.

"I don’t want to hurt you like this Shasti but I can’t go on without doing so either seeing in your eyes now the change of feelings you have had for me the last few weeks. I do not feel the same for you Shasti and that won’t change! I love you dearly as a friend but it will and cannot become any more than that."

Shasti looked at her with a pair of big sad brown eyes. Leila didn’t know what to do now. She had told him, what could she do? She couldn’t really comfort him, at least she couldn’t think of a proper way to do so.

"I was afraid that it would be like this" Shasti spoke slowly "afraid that you wouldn’t feel the same way, but I suppose that’s life isn’t it?!"

"I think so" Leila heard the words came out of her mouth feeling she sounded like an idiot.

"I am still allowed to think you look pretty in that dress now though, aren’t I?" It was so typical for Shasti to make a joke in this kind of situation when really she could tell he was so hurt.

"Sure you are!" Leila produced a small smile and Shasti smiled back.

"Friends forever then?" Shasti asked.

"Forever" Leila replied and they hugged.

She still felt a little awkward hugging Shasti after all that had happened this night but she knew he at least understood now. Though she felt so horrible that she would have cried if she had had any tears.

They sat outside discussing life as they had done quite often before. It was good to talk freely to Shasti again like she had always been able to. Part of life right now was the moon ritual.

"You know who came by just before you came?!" Leila asked "Raga! I was so surprised! I’ve known him forever but he has never come to my home yet! You know what he came to do? It was really funny actually because he seemed for some reason really nervous to be in my room or so but he only came to tell me that the priestesses have chosen me for the moon ritual which is nothing really to be…"

"They what!" Shasti said. "You really sure about this Leila?"

"Yes of course I am Shasti! What’s wrong, now you look as troubled as Raga did!"

"You don’t know do you Leila? You really don’t have a clue!"

"What?" Leila nearly snapped. What was everyone being so fussy about?!

"The ritual! Your mother never told you about the ritual!"

"Not really. What’s with it?"

"Leila, listen to me. You are supposed to represent the universe and whoever else they selected will represent the earth giving birth to the moon.

Shasti searched for words.

Leila had trouble not getting angry about the stupid sentence everyone kept giving her but she saw Shasti was about to continue so she kept silent.

So Shasti went on. "He, the earth, has to part with a part of him giving it to you, the universe." And the rest just blurted out of him "You are to sleep with the boy!"

Leila felt the blood drain from her face. She thought she had had all she could have had in one evening but this was the limit! It could not be true. She felt numb. There was no way out if it was the priestesses who had decided.

Shasti softly touched her shoulder "you ok Leila" I think that came out a little harsh.

She looked at him as if he were in another world, it couldn’t be true!

"You are so young still" Shasti mumbled.

"I’ll be twenty!" Shasti stared at the ground between his feet.

Leila took a deep breath." What else do you know about this ritual? I need to know it all, now!"

"I don’t know much really; just that it will all take place at the temple. You will both be brought in readiness. You’ll be bathed and scented and painted and I’ve heard they slightly drug you which might be for the better but that’s just a rumour. That’s all I know. Usually though they take women that are older and mostly couples that know they will be married and for whom it makes not so much of a difference if they raise the moons child or their own."

Leila gasped. She hadn’t even thought of the possibility of getting herself with child! It all seemed so unreal!

Shasti wondered what she was thinking, her face pale her eyes big and silent. She hadn’t said a word. She was so beautiful, how much could you be in love with someone, he asked himself. How was he supposed to be her friend again when all his waking thoughts went out to her? It sounded so simple and yet it was so complicated. Why couldn’t life be easy for once? He would love her for ever and he knew it. He knew there and then that for him there would never be anyone else. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall, the cool breeze of fresh air touching his face. Leila’s hand took hold of his.

"Thank you for being there for me Shasti, this can’t be easy on you either."

He squeezed her hand. "It’s alright Leila." It’ll always be alright, and I’ll always be there for you he thought.

They sat quietly, each with their own thoughts, glad for each others company and wondering what life would bring next.