Two Rivers Isle This world is only gonna break your heart

She came at him suddenly, and he jumped in shock, pulling his face away. And words came cascading out of her and flowing over him, and he was... overwhelmed.

You can lie to me... I don't care what they would say back home... I won't find anyone better, and I won't look, either... And now we are here, and I could have you for me... I am in love with you...

Ulrich choked. On what?--on nothing--on air--on the words that she spoke that seemed to drown him as he sat there. He had not expected this. Never in a million years would he have expected this. And now it was all there, out in the open, and he had no idea what to do with it. He tried to speak several times but his mouth and throat felt dry. And now she was turning away from him, saying that they needed to find a place for him to warm up. He had forgotten he was even cold...

He did not want her to turn away. He wanted her to keep yelling at him, to drown him in words. He stood up and stepped so close to her that they were almost touching, his nose hovering near her cheek. His breath shook and his stomach fluttered. Do you truly love me? he whispered, and prayed that she would say yes. If her answer was anything else, he was sure he would die right here.