“My king,” she breathed, her forehead falling to his, her fingers curling tight around the sides of his neck.

He slid his hands from her hips to wrap his arms around her waist, and he held on.

“Now that I have this happiness, I understand it, I do not wish to lose it,” he whispered.

“Of course, you don’t,” she whispered in return. “I do not either. But we will prevail.”

“I fear the other possibility, that we will not.”

She lifted her head slightly and erroneously surmised, “And you’ve never feared anything and now do not understand how to cope with this feeling.”

“I have known fear, Ha-Lah. I have fled angmostros. I have battled ibex-whales. But it pales to nothing at the thought of losing you.”

Her face, already tender, became more so as she repeated, “We will prevail.”

“What if we do not?”

“We will.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t,” she shared. “I just refuse to consider it will happen the other way.”

“I see the wisdom of this,” he muttered.

“I cannot guide you into that place,” she replied gently. “Even if I very much wish I could. But I can encourage you to seek it as best you can. And as always, be here to listen to you when you are in need.”

He nodded to let his queen know her words were heard, and they had meaning to him.

But he did not feel better.

“I should seek my people,” she declared.

The arms Aramus had about her tightened.

“Ha-Lah,” he said.

“If they are needed, I can ask them to come to our aid, but they should know, and prepare for that time.”

“And you think they would help those who did hideous things to them? Things that sent them into self-imposed exile?”

“I do not know, but I will not know unless I ask.”

“Is this dangerous for you?” he queried.

“No.”

He studied her closely. “You are sure.”

She relaxed against him. “I am.”

“We will endeavor to do this, and soon, if you wish to attend Elena and Cassius’s wedding.”

“I do,” she confirmed.

“We will talk later and plan,” he murmured, beginning to move them to put them in bed, though he was doing this wondering if he wished to sleep, or if he wished to recommence other activities with his wife.

Ha-Lah clamping her thighs on his hips and calling, “Aramus,” made him stop. She then announced, “I have something to tell you.”

Oh shite.

“Something to tell me or something to admit to me?” he asked.

The knowledge his wife was Mer was not given to him by his wife.

Thus, he would be gladdened she had something to share and she was the one who shared it.

Nevertheless, if it was something she should have shared some time ago, this would not gladden him at all.

“Not to admit, or even share,” she answered confusingly. “I do not know, and I am troubled for I do not think it is mine to give. I still feel deeply you should know it.”