Brianna stares at the painting then slowly her eyes move to Atepa. "You mean all this time....?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
"My first vision was of this..." he motions towards the painting, "Your face, your eyes. I looked for you all that time. As time grew on, I was certain you did not exist."
Brianna feels a wave of emotions wash over her as she gazes up at Atepa. "I knew I recoginzed you..." she says softly, reaching her hand up to caress his face.
"All this time," he says taking her hand within his. "Yes, for a very long time, and it has not left, nor died, nor even faded."
Brianna stares at Atepa in amazement and wonder.. feeling her heart near to bursting for the love she feels for him.
Taking her in his arms, he leans forward to kiss her gently. "I have waited for so long. Since I was just a child." he says looking into her eyes.
Brianna melts against Atepa, responding to his kiss. "I have loved you from the beginning" she says when she can again speak. "Though memories from my mortal life clouded everything..."
"That life is over, soon this new life shall be ours, and things will begin anew. The road shall be difficult, but the web has tightened."
He looks to the painting once more then back at Brianna. "This is one of the few things that held me here, within this existance."
"With you at my side, I do not fear a difficult path, Atepa.." Brianna says his name, savoring the word on her tonuge.
"You said that you didn't know that I was real... how did you find out?" Brianna keeps her arm around Atepa, comforted by his nearness.
"Once I crossed over, I knew." Looking sad for a moment he smiles. "I shall be by your side, no matter the distance."
Brianna leans up and shyly kisses Atepa, slipping her arms around him to hold him close. "I didn't tell you, because I never dreamed you could have felt the same way... and now I find that not only have you felt the same way, but you knew about me before I was even born.."
Turning away and towards his chamber wall he nods. "Yes, I even looked for you for a time. Not knowing that you would not be born for a very long time. I traveled the Shadowlands, every passing year."
"All my life I felt that there was something missing.. and no matter what I did I couldn't find out what it was.. until now."
"The pieces have come together. All this was for here, this moment coming. You must be prepared."
"I have prepared as best I can...I will bring with me all of your teachings and your advice.. I hope to make you proud of me, and that I can live up to what is expected.." Brianna turns her face, once more looking at the painting.
"I am already proud of you, and soon no longer will you be my student. I have taught you all I can." He once again stands next to her.
"What will happen, after?" Brianna asks. "When this is all finished? Could we at last be alone together, in peace?"
"When all is said and done yes, we shall." He says quietly.
Brianna leans against Atepa, content to just be near him, and she once again slips her arms around his waist. "I love you," she says, sighing softly. "I wish that we didn't have to part so soon.." her thoughts drift towards their impending journey to La'Harago and she feels a knot of trepidation form in her belly.
"I love you, and have...always." he says soflty turning to her once more and kissing her.
Brianna clings to Atepa, not wanting the moment to end.
He holds her tight to him. Sensing her reluctance to let go. Looking down at her he smiles sadly as his eyes cloud over. Brianna gazes up into Atepa's eyes and nestles against him, happy for the first time since she awoke in the Shadowlands.
Sensing her happiness, once again a sad smile touches his lips. "Know that no matter what the cost, no matter what happens, I will be with you, and if we should seperate, I will find you. If I have to search the Shadowlands I will." "I know, and things shall be different, but I will be there...always."
"Different?" Brianna asks.
He smiles and strokes her hair, "Things will be known to you. But I will be there."
Brianna closes her eyes, loving the tender touch of Ahuru's hands, knowing that this is what she has been missing all this time.. and now she is finally complete. At that moment, Atepa picks her up. he kisses her and walks slowly, purposefully towards the other chamber. Brianna entwines her arms around Atepa and softly kisses the corner of his mouth, to his jaw, down to his neck. Entering the chamber he lays her softly to the bed and kisses her once more as the lights dim...... Brianna pulls Atepa to her, kissing him tenderly, passionately, posessively.
Afterwards......
He holds her to him, watching the moon from the skylight. "A long time has it been since I have done this."
Brianna rests her head on Ahuru's chest, idly tracing the fatalism marks on his skin. "Not since the Lady of Fate."
"Yes not since then. A long time ago."
"I'm sorry that you were alone for so long...I wish that I could have been here with you all this time.." Brianna murmers, heartsick to think of the millenia Ahuru lived in solitude.
"It was worth it all." he says kissing her forehead. "You are here now and that is enough."
Brianna smiles and tilts her head up to kiss Atepa on the mouth. "What will you do while we are away?"
"Prepare, begin, things for the future, our future."
"I will miss you, " she says, caressing Ahuru's face, memorizing every detail to bring with her on the journey.
