'She waits by the gate.'
A young magician stared out of the window, scowling at the blue tinge of sky that fell over the horizon and embraced the green mountains and even deeper blue ocean. He had been granted his wish of a sole room, and now wondered why it was so empty even with himself as a companion.
'She waits by the gate.'
The feeling of loneliness and anger washed over him and he pushed the brown curls that fell of his eyes to stare into the busy little street downstairs below the castle, where people shopped and met and talked. And wondered what it would be like to be there himself.
'She waits by the gate.'
A lone figure stood at the end of the street, near the entrance to the great castle. The figure was almost always there, staring off into the distance, never knowing he was watching, always wondering what she was seeing and why her face always looked so sad.
'She waits by the gate.'
Zamza closed his eyes and sighed.
She waited by the gate.
~ * ~
By night, he returned from his dinner from Hai Yo's restaurant and looked out again. The moon was not in sight; it was still in the other side of the castle. By late night, or early morning, he would be able to see it. He squinted against the darkness, trying to make out the darkness, listening to the empty whispers of the people down below.
He tried to see if she was still there, waiting for something, waiting for anything, waiting for nothing.
She was gone.
Maybe she had never been there at all.
He stared out for a while, to the deepest and bluest ocean he had ever seen, tried to see beyond it, wondered what it would be like to leave.
Wondered what it would be like to be with--
He shook his head and left his room once more.
~ * ~
She was at the tower. He had not expected her to be there, but she was there, and she smiled when she saw him. "Sit by me," she invited. "I'm not going to bite."
He hesitated for a while, then followed suit. Silence reigned and, for a moment, all they heard was the chirping of the crickets and the sleepy sounds from the tavern below. The people walking to and from the barracks were becoming fewer and fewer, and the library was closed for the night.
"This telescope," she said suddenly. "This telescope...can never seen beyond the sea."
He had to smile. "Yes."
"I've been beyond it. So far away, and I've only discovered the things I have discovered before and had forgotten." Her voice sounded wistful. "So maybe I've learned nothing new."
"Is that so bad?" he asked, frowning.
"Yes," she whispered. "Because I've forgotten." She turned to him and smiled sadly. "But here...here. Here, I have discovered a whole lot of things that I never knew even existed. I learned how to weep, how to feel the deepest pain, learned how to laugh to the truest joy and learned to...maybe..."
"Love?" he whispered, because he knew what she was trying to say.
She looked enraged for a moment before looking away. Almost sad. Almost. "Maybe."
"Nanami--"
Nanami turned to him and Zamza held her in her arms before pulling him to her into a kiss.
~ * ~
"Come with me," she whispered.
He shifted on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. His own room. His own bed. No. Nanami...she was there with him. He smiled at the thought and closed his eyes, feeling hot tears press against his eyes. He could not imagine the reason. "I can't."
Silence, then her whispered reply, "I had to try."
He held her again and slowly made love to her, lips seeking the skin that tanned with the angry light of the sun. She wept with joy as he entered her, murmuring encouragement even as he murmured of his love.
The moon transferred outside his window and bequeathed them with a very gentle beam.
~ * ~
'She waits by the gate.'
He stared out of the window, smiling at the blue tinge of sky that fell over the horizon and embraced the green mountains and even deeper blue ocean. He had been granted his wish of a sole room, but it would not be his own anymore.
'She waits by the gate.'
The feeling of loneliness and anger washed over him and he pushed the brown curls that fell over his eyes to stare into the busy little street downstairs below the castle, where people shopped and met and talked. And wondered what it would be like to have his feet walk over the stoned street, beyond it, to the grassy outfields, where there were monsters he had faced and yet had not faced.
'She waits by the gate.'
A lone figure was walking at the end of the street, near the entrance to the great castle. The figure stood straight and erect, proud even in her loneliness, staring off into the distance.
'She waits by the gate.'
She turned suddenly and raised a hand in the littlest wave of goodbye. And even though he knew she would not clearly see him, he smiled back and waved as well. He knew, then, that she would return.
'She waits by the gate.'
She waited by the gate.
Now, it was his turn to wait.