“Go away.” She barked. He heard her hammer crash against the floor.

“Are you not willing to see me?”

“Go away, you're not real!” She growled.

“What do you mean I'm not real?” He reached for the knob and before he could, it opened.

Ana looked up at him once again and extended her bandaged hand to his cheek. Her digits gently stroked his cheek, her weary eyes drinking in his visage. Tears welled from within her eyes and flowed like a river. Her lip trembled and she sank to her knees as the realization took shape in her mind.

“The last letter I had received from you...was approximately three winters ago. Many of us believed you were dead. Arden and Rena returned, they said...they said...you had vanished! You were in their encampment with them and then you were GONE! Arden admits she was too busy documenting everything she possibly could...” Ana trailed off as she held onto him for dear life.

“Come...we should get inside.” He suggested and helped her stand up again. She gripped his arm and focused onto him utterly, her emerald gaze never leaving his.

Gelehrter closed the door and faced her once again. She had situated herself near the forge, the warmth of the blaze seeming to comfort her.

“If you are feeling up to it...perhaps you could tell me what I've missed?” He proposed.

“Ovelia had met with Accalia, her new Royal Vizier. She traveled her alone. When she was confronted about...certain things...she could not answer. The North was in shambles and the news of the defense matrix there killing vampires caused more disarray. Everyone's afraid we will go to war because of King Thalanil's wish to live among the bloodsuckers. Rena and Arden have been keeping an ear out for you. They ask me if I've received anything from you, anything at all. Gavilis has asked me to testify in front of the Council concerning your absence. The Council has been in an uproar because of what happened in the North and want to hold the Justicar who were involved accountable.” She stopped suddenly and furrowed her brow. “There is something different about you.”

He blinked in surprise and shook his head. “No, nothing at all.”

She seemed unconvinced and took a few steps toward him, wiping her eyes. “You're hiding something.”

He bit his lip and then countered with a quick change of subject. “E-err...I am not. How has your business been?”

“Business is business.” Ana brushed off the question and crossed her arms defiantly. Her keen gaze focused onto him. She took a few steps forward and rested her hands onto his chest. The sudden change in her behavior caused him to blink in surprise, but her aura reassured him. He rested his hands onto her hips and they merely stared at one another.

What on Sanctuary is supposed to happen next...? The thought struck him as rhetorical and he swallowed nervously.

“If...you don't have lodgings for the night...” Ana bit her lip and then continued. “Perhaps you could stay here...with me?”

Her eyes pleaded to him. He turned away at the sight of her begging and his thoughts took him from the room with Ana. The heat of the dying forge, the scent of soot rising into his nostrils, the warmth of her touch—these aspects tied him to the faint doubt in his mind. Deep within his psyche he reminded himself of the Lower Sector. Its granite floors and the dim lighting. Air which siphoned the body of its strength and forced one to hallucinate.

Ana brushed the hair from his eyes and turned his head to look to her.

“Arden and Rena will be here soon. As chance would have it...they planned on visiting me today. Perhaps you can talk with them and then afterward...I can make your bed for you.” She offered once again.

His silence was perceived as a confirmation. Her fingers daintily unbuckled his weapon from around his waist and she rested it against the counter. Ana's aura shone brilliantly in the dim light emitted by the forge.

“I will go to the kitchen and prepare us some food. If you are finished gawking...you may come to help me.” She exited after gathering the pile of her rags. He remained in the forge, staring at the floor in disarray.

He shook his head and rose to his feet. A few steps into the forge and he found himself standing at the door to the kitchen. From behind the barrier, rattling of cutlery and grunts of effort were heard. After turning the knob and entering, he found her carefully preparing a few chicken breasts with spices. Ana glanced to him and beckoned for him to approach her.

However, he met her halfway. He resided on the other side of the table in the center of the gallery.

“You've become quite a chicken these few years.” She commented, finishing the preparation on the chicken. With a turn of the faucet, she gingerly washed her hands of the prepared refuse.

“A-Aye...though for me, it appears I was only gone just a day.” Gelehrter attempted to continue but she raised a hand as she opened the strange device—he blinked as he recognized the thing she was using as a stove top which focused magical crystals to create heat—to place the chicken inside.

“While you were gone, I believe Gavilis had been looking for you. Since Arden and Rena returned whole, the mystery of your disappearance troubled him.” Ana shrugged it off.

At least she is returning to the cynical girl I remember in her letters. He observed and preferred to listen.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“The escalation in conflict allowed me to sell more weapons and armor, though it leaves a toll on my arm. I am not as strong as papa, nor do I have his endurance. I've been switching arms when I get tired, but it is not enough.” Her words expressed a deeply rooted desire to be touched, but he was unable to discern it.

“I am sorry, Ana.” He apologized out of reflex.

“'Tis alright, but I would hope it settles easily. I had prepared a gift for you when you returned, but I seem to have misplaced it.” She glanced to the door leading to the staircase and then continued. “Perhaps you could help me find it?”

“E-err...of course.”

She beamed and her attention was diverted by a knocking at her door.

A rhythmic rap—one, then a pause, two, another pause, then one again—and after it was heard, Ana opened the door to her kitchen. Arden and Rena stood in the threshold and they merely stared at him in confusion.

“Who are you?” Rena raised an eyebrow and reached for her sword. “You're supposed to be Gelehrter, aren't you?”

“A-aye.” He was unarmed and assessing her own abilities without any data was extremely dangerous.

“Where have you been?”

“What happened to you?”

“We were so worried, we had a formal investigation opened for you when we returned.”

“What on Sanctuary were you thinking when you wandered off alone?!”

Their questions ceased when he raised his palms in surrender.

“Allow me to explain...though I will save some of it for Gavilis and Ovelia. There are some--”

“You will tell us everything.” Arden demanded.

“Especially since you left us to fend for ourselves in that God forsaken place.” Rena growled.

Ana motioned to the seats around the table and remained standing. She worked feverishly to finish preparing their meals while Gelehrter labored to explain his situation to them. The two fellow Justicar hastily scribbled into their notebooks as he droned on and they raised a hand for him to halt once Ernald was mentioned. Ana also stopped in mid-preparation to focus onto him now, her eyebrow raised.

“You...say you met Ernald's spirit?” Arden's brow furrowed and she pursed her lips.

“Aye, I did. He's probably listening and thinking all of this is a joke!” He growled and then continued. He described the facility and his initial thoughts, the strange machine which cured his hallucinations. The details concerning Accalia and Hannibal's character were called into question as he then moved into the subject of the construction of each room. They jotted down each of their findings and offered him their notebooks. He scrawled several images of the devices he had seen and they peered at it for a spell.

“Perhaps we shouldn't tell Gavilis.” Rena suggested and turned away.

“What do you mean? He's going to find out anyhow, you can't hide anything from that man.” Arden surmised and rubbed her temples. “As angry as it makes me that you are considering the option of hiding this information from our Grandmaster, I can't help but wonder why on Sanctuary you saw Accalia there. It's mind boggling! And who is this Hannibal? I have never heard of him.”

“I am sure the answers for that will come tomorrow...” Gelehrter sighed heavily and was met with a gentle kiss on his cheek from Ana. His cheeks flushed scarlet as she placed a plate of food in front of each of them.

Her emerald hues simply watched him as he tried to compose himself.

“What will you say to Gavilis should you meet him again?” Rena asked.

“The truth, it would be wise not to hide anything from that man. He lived during Ernald's time and would give me more clues as to how this relationship would work. I don't underestimate the man's abilities, but this seems more parasitic than symbiotic.”

Rena eyed Gelehrter as he stood upright with his plate as he finished. She took note of Ana standing up after him and taking his plate from him. Her lips pursed as she crossed her arms.

“Come, Rena...we should get going. You may stay with me for the night and accompany me to the Council meeting tomorrow.” Arden suggested but was met with a glance of contempt.

“Ovelia had recently opened a position for the Royal Guard. It is a newer program for Justicar who work closely with our Overlord to continue to aid her. I was appointed to this position by Gavilis following my return.” Rena announced.

“I am happy for you, Rena. Strange...did they offer it to--”

“It would be seen as favoritism for Arden to be considered part of the Royal Guard. She instead aids Gavilis in his day-to-day activities. On the off chance she is selected for a mission, it is given to her via Gavilis himself.” Rena explained, though Gelehrter peered through the ruse. Ana had taken their plates as they finished them and washed them gingerly.

“Aye, we should get going. Come along, Rena.” Arden motioned for her to follow and waved to Ana as she left. The eldest of the four nodded and headed after.

“See you tomorrow.” She departed shortly afterward.

Gelehrter sighed and shook his head. What on Sanctuary have I gotten myself into? Did I detect...jealousy?

Ana's voice tore him away from his thoughts. “Are you ready for bed?”

His cheeks flushed scarlet as she approached him, her hands reaching for his.

She is acting strangely toward me. Before she would not dream of--

“I-I...I'm sorry if I seem strange to you. I've been thinking of us meeting again but in different circumstances. Should that ever happen, I was ready to face the worst. Seeing you whole and hale again set my heart at ease. I would not waste this chance to be with you as a lover, for if I should wait...then you will be torn away from me again to some forsaken place! Stolzer never loved another his whole life in such a way and died not knowing the nuances.”

His heart sank as she mentioned Stolzer.

“But I want you to know what love feels like. I want to know what it feels like, please understand me. I-I...I don't know if you will survive the 'morrow!” She exclaimed.

“It is a loveless life, that one. Be careful and don't throw your life away.” The words chimed in his psyche as he remembered the knight's words. Though to him it only seemed a month ago, to Ana it was years. He turned to face her and his eyes met hers.

To his surprise, she stood defiantly and shook all at once. Her strength rose from within and she reached up to him, her arms aiding her in closing the gap between them.

“...I don't mind if we spend just this night together.” She whispered. “I will cherish this night for the rest of my life...should we part.”

He could not choose the correct words to respond and instead placed a gentle kiss onto her lips.