Living On, Weeping Sorrow
by Sayermyst

Chapter Twelve: Epilogue

Randi sat up swiftly, the white sheet slipping to his waist. He scanned the dimly lit castle room warily.

Purim rubbed her eyes open and drowsily wrapped her arms around his sculptured midriff, laying her chin on his shoulder and snuggling against the warmth of his back. "Mmmm Randi...what's wrong?"

Randi found himself distracted not only by the presence he detected in the room, but now also by Purim's body. "Uh...nothing," he mumbled quickly.

She smiled into the curve of his neck. "Even as the soon-to-be King of Southtown," she sighed, amused, "you still pout."

"Pout?" He glanced at her incredulously. "I do not pout!"

Purim quirked an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his arms. His eyes followed her blue gaze and he saw that his arms where folded in a most dissatisfied manner.

"Your lower lip is sticking out, too," Purim added, sounding as if she could burst into a fit of giggles at any moment. "So I know that something's bothering you." She twisted her head to nibble at his full lip, but he clamped down on his lower lip with his teeth. Now his upper lip jutted out a bit, but she wouldn't tell him that; he would hide that one, too, and with his present expression, he was just plain adorable.

Randi dropped his arms to his sides so as not to portray what Purim called "pouting." He did have to remember, though, that they both read each other's feelings with extreme clarity, and it was no use trying to keep disturbing thoughts from her. Besides, Purim was well past being-actually, she never had been- overly sensitive to hints of danger.

"I feel a spirit in the room...I think," he explained.

He felt Purim tense behind him, then relax just as suddenly. She made a tsking noise. "It's Popoie."

"Popoie? You can tell?" It was getting harder to concentrate on the topic at hand, what with Purim's unique scent wafting about him.

Purim shrugged, causing her shoulders to rub his skin. "I guess so. I mean, it feels the same as when I was near him around the Mana Tree."

Randi perused the room again. "Well, then I have just a few things to say.... Popoie, I'm really glad to...'see' you.... But I swear, if you don't get out of here in a few seconds, you're going to see some things I guarantee you'll regret seeing!"

Purim felt the sprite zoom out of the room just before Randi swooped down on her lips, trailing his fingertips along her ribs as they both fell back onto the bed. A spark of anticipation tingled down her spine.

Randi stopped and looked at her with concern. "You're shivering."

"With delight," Purim answered. Her hands locked within his silky hair.

"Good." He released a glad sigh. His voice turned seductively husky. "Because, my Queen Purim, I make it my personal duty to see to it that you never become cold ever again."

There was no more emptiness, no more pain. Only joy and happiness remained at finally having found the one who could fill the heart's void with love and complete the utter being of the former warrior's spirit. Needless to say, they spent a considerable amount of time kissing each other's souls.

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