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"The bond between us has been stronger for awhile now When Jack helped you escape from the palace, I lost my vision completely When you were taken this time, I never lost my vision at all It wasn’t the best vision, but I could still see, and that was long before last night, understand?"

She closed her eyes as a single tear slid free "Yes" He brushed the tear away, his fingers slid over his fresh biteed "I think your blood has helped theer than I ever knew I could be"

"And if I’one?"

"I don’t know, it ain I will get through whatever happens though Don’t concern yourself with that Aria, that isn’t one of the things I want you to worry about"

"I’d like for you to move on, to find soers stilled His entire being recoiled at the thought, revulsion twisted like a poisonous snake through his belly "No"

"You will require an heir"

"There is Jack for that, or Ashby and Melinda"

"Braith…"

"No Aria, no I can pro and that I will stay in control of myself and lead justly Those are promises I know I can keep, but I will not make that one I will not be able to uphold it and I won’t lie to you"

"Maybe not now, but you have years ahead of you You will need love, companionship"

"No!" he said forcefully "No There is no one after you Five hundred years, another thousand years, hell forever is not going to change that Don’t push this Aria; the ansill not change no ht she was going to argue again but she finally relented "Ok" She kissed his nose tenderly, her fingers traced over the faded scars around his eyes "I’ht I’d have this kind of life, and I’m afraid to lose it I wasn’t afraid to die to be away from you, and I shouldn’t be afraid to die to be with you"

"Great way to put it," he muttered sardonically

"But I am," she continued "I’oes wrong, and though I know I’ll survive, or at least I’m fairly certain I will…"

"I know Aria; you don’t have to explain it to ers slid through her hair before stroking over her shoulders It was easy enough to jump all over this, to say yes to the promise of eternity, but to be faced with the certainty of death was frightening, and the last thing he wanted was for her to be frightened He wanted eternity, but he wanted her happiness more

"It doesn’t have to be now Aria, you don’t have to decide right now We can wait and discuss it further once you’ve had time to think it over"

She nodded; her eyes becahtful "Yes, I think that would be for the best" He was relieved that she was actually going to think this through Even so he felt the sharp knife of disappointut "I’m not ready for children Braith No e soon or if ait a few years, I’m not ready for children"

His arainst his chest "I want theht now We just discovered this world of relative peace and we’re finally able to be together without having to hide our feelings I’d like the time to enjoy it, and you Human or vampire, children are a lot of work"

"That they are," he murmured

She peered up at hih"

"A brood?"

"Well at least three"

He laughed as he rested his chin on her head and nestled her closer against hiuarantee we don’t have children right now," he reruntled look "Well that’s just not going to happen"

He laughed as he rocked her a little "Minx"

"My birthday’s next week"

"I didn’t know that"

She sed "William and I don’t really celebrate it; it’s just another day in the woods, and this year… Well this year, with dad being gone, it seeht I’d hteen, especially after I was captured"

"I think we should celebrate it this year"

"Maybe it would be nice," she h she didn’t look convinced

"Are you sure you can live with this life?" She frowned at hiestured around the garden "This isn’t your world Aria; I know that, you know that I remember how unhappy you were in the palace, how much you missed your woods, your freedom There will be many demands placed on us, lots of pressure, and even less freedom Even if you choose to stay human this is not the life you expected"

"Braith…"

"I mean to make sure you understand that Aria I won’t force you to stay If you choose to leave because you won’t be happy here, I won’t make you stay I’ll abide by your wishes, but I can’t, I siht now, maybe not ever" He choked on the words; it took all he had to get theh," she whispered

"It’s always enough, but so to put so to let go Aria, if it’s necessary, and I will let you go if you ask me to I’ll set you free if that is what you require It will destroy me to lose you, but I will not harm anyone, and I will let you live the rest of your life in peace I will not take your freedom from you"

"I know" She rose to her feet and walked over to him Her arms encircled his waist, her head tilted back to study hio but I don’t want you to"

"You can’t rush into this decision"