Lion Head Mesa forty-seventh

look to the others, he had once said to her. but as he pushed forth this flower, as he looked to her then, she thought now that he said, look to me. not merely as an afterthought, as once she felt he meant for himself. and she had listened to him, all without forgetting him—because how could she, for all that he had done? but that was practicality.
and this was... she did not know! for all of her wisdom above her years for her kingdom, in this she was a girl lost in a story. the main character had never been her, but Akashingo. it must always remain Akashingo—but if she let it be herself, just for a moment, what might she want?
she heard it, and she saw it—but she did not yet know what was meant by it. they two were of the same mind when it came to Akashingo. he, too, understood that it must come first. but that had never changed for him—
what did? was this that storybook romance whimsy? was this her imagination? did he want this passion she had been told of...?
did it matter then, before his journey? Toula smiled slowly, looking to meet his gaze for a long moment. how could I not, Erpha-Ha? no added gravity, only the truth of it. but she too must learn to look upon him with new eyes, and as she looked to this flower—can you think of me, the same?—there came suddenly the feeling of the possibility of it! 
but there were other princes too she must consider. he had said so himself! still, it soothed her spirit to think, perhaps to even see, himself in the light that she did.