Goodbye

As the Fate and the boy walked back along the path, the couple could hear Ethyn's retreating words. "Will they be alright, Hanna?"

The Fate brought the boy close and whispered her response. "Well, I suppose that depends on them, now doesn't it?"

Ethyn was not sure what she meant, but he nodded anyway. "If you say so...Hanna? How do you appear and disappear? Why do you show up when you do? Is the world as big...." They headed toward town with the boy asking every question that popped into his head. And Hanna relished it.

"You could do worse," Sage echoed, jerking her head toward Ethyn's quickly disappearing form. "In fact, I'm not sure you could find a better friend than that boy right there. I wish I had seen that sooner…"

"You see it now. That is what counts. And I agree; he is one of the best."

Sage's voice became somber. "Take care of him. Ethyn deserves a good family."

Nodding slowly, Silver looked to where the boy had disappeared. "Yes he does. I will do my best to be worthy."

Returning his attention, the cloaked man met the woman's silver eyes. They were mesmerizing.

Silver took Sage's hand in his. He had done so quite a bit the past few days and the dark haired man was beginning to find the position as natural as breathing. Silver threw back his hood. He didn't care who saw him now as long as she did. But there was no real risk; they were alone.

After a long silence, Sage cleared her throat. "Do you like the new cloak?" She asked, batting her eyes as she swished her shoulders.

Confused by her sudden change of subject, Silver examined the garment more closely. It was the usual purple color of the cloak she wore, but the fabric was different and oddly familiar.

His eyes widened slightly as he recognized it. "A violet Guardian's cloak! It's very nice. Did Hanna give it to you?"

"Yes! I can see why you like it so much. There is so much storage!" The woman's eyes sparkled at the possibilities.

Silver shrugged, seemingly unimpressed. "I am quite familiar with the garments capabilities," he answered like it was common knowledge. Then he cracked a smile. "I am quite the expert you know."

Sage pulled her mouth to one side. "Alright, smarty pants! Did you know that when both our hoods are up, we should be able to see each other's faces even when no one else can."

Silver frowned. This was news to him. "That trick would be far handier if I thought I was going to be seeing you at all." He tightened his grip on her hands.

Sage's eyes darted away. This was the part of the conversation she most dreaded having. She tried to keep her voice calm. "You know I have to go. I don't want to."

It was the duty of Guardians to go where they were sent. Being a Guardian was a calling, after all.

"I know," the man answered with resignation.

Silver reflected on how far he had come in the time since he had lost Haven. He could now accept the inevitable and no longer tried to fight it.

The fact of the matter was that two Guardians should not be living in the same place. It was a poor use of resources with so much of the world unprotected.

'I knew the price. This is for the best.' The dark-haired man reminded himself.

"Did she tell you where you are going?" The man selfishly hoped that is was close by.

Sage nodded. "Lakyle," she answered briefly, her brow furrowed.

Silver's heart went in his throat. "Aren't you wanted there? Why would she send you to the place from where you escaped?"

Sage looked up and into the distance. She had wondered the same thing when she had found out. It turned out the answer was simple.

"Because I know better than most how bad it is there. Don't worry, I have my cloak and new skills to keep me safe. Hanna is having me make contact with a rebellion group in the countryside. She thinks I may have knowledge that will help them be successful."

"To overthrow Lakyle's king?" Silver was surprised.

"If all goes well, yes." She said, hope evident in her voice. "I want to make Lakyle a safe place. I don't want others to suffer as we have at the hands of those with too much power and not enough compassion."

Silver's love was likely to be part of a full revolution! His body tensed as he wanted to urge Sage to defy Hanna and go anywhere else. Forget his newfound conviction about Guardian's having a calling! 'Sage must be protected.'

However, one look at the dreams in the beautiful woman's eyes corrected his thinking.

'No, I must let her go.'

"Promise me when this is over, we'll see each other again." Silver knew in his heart that she could promise no such thing, but he wanted to hear the words from her lips anyway.

"If the Fates allow it, I will return to you the moment I am free. Will you promise to come to me as soon as you are released from your current duty?"

"Try and keep me away." The man challenged her. His eyes flashed brightly.

The woman's mouth hooked into a mischievous grin. "I mean we don't age, right? So we have basically forever. The stars have to align sometime. You are far too loyal and I am far too stubborn for the Fates to always deny us."

"I have no doubt that we will find a way." Silver agreed. The wind blew up around them, sending Sage's hair wrapping around her lovely face. She pulled away and tucked the locks into her cloak to keep them at bay.

When she was able to see again, Sage noticed a small object in Silver's hand. Looking closely, she could see that it was a small bracelet composed of colorful horsehair and tied off with twine. "I made this for you to remind you of home." He held up his own wrist on which a similar tiny rope was tied. "Someone very special to me did the same for me once."

While the bracelet for Sage was carefully braided with shades of white, auburn and black, the one on Silver's wrist was haphazardly entwined and far from smooth. The woman's eyes widened.

"Haven?"

"Yes, Haven gave me this the day we were parted. When I look at it, it is almost like she is here." Silver pressed his lips together. "I know it isn't a fine piece of jewelry, but I hope--"

"It's perfect," Sage stopped him. Holding out her arm, she allowed the man to knot the twine on her wrist.

Silver chuckled softly, "Then it matches its wearer."

Sage's eyes brimmed with tears. Silver took her in his arms and held her for many minutes. "I love you." She whispered into his cloak.

His keen hearing registered the words perfectly. "I love you too," he told her.

The brunette tilted back her head, and her silver eyes looked into his. She lifted her chin, went up on her toes and pressed her lips against his.

The world around them blurred as his senses were filled with only the woman before him. Her smell, her caress, the sound of her soft sigh as she kissed him--he would etch all of it in his memory.

Even while the joy of the moment flooded his being, he couldn't help but feel the sadness in her touch. This was really goodbye.

After the sun had moved a distance across the sky, the female Guardian reluctantly escaped the man's embrace. She kissed his cheek one last time before mounting her horse. With a flick of her hood, the oval where her beautiful face had been went dark. Silver raised his own hood and discovered that he could once again see her face, though the soft light surrounding it was faint and otherworldly. He smiled sadly.

"Goodbye Sage," he said as bravely as he could, his heart aching.

"Till next time," She responded, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Before either could speak again, Sage kicked her heels into the dappled mare. It whined in response and took off in the trees.

"Till next time," he whispered to her retreating form. "I'll be waiting."