The windows are open with a light breeze moving though the curtains. The smell of eucalyptus from beyond the garden rides the wind into our room. As Mari finishes up the last few items she has to pack I walk to the window and breathe deeply. These past few days have been amazing… peaceful… restful… I smile slightly… well mostly restful. I close my eyes and shake my head realizing it’s at an end… and silently vow to return.

Mari is finished packing and looks up… “What is it?” she asks.

“There is a Valley of the Dead here on Crete? Must be a well guarded secret I’ve not heard of it before.”

“Actually neither have I. Hektor gave me directions and I trust him. We should be able to reach the gorge in about three to four days. And that isn’t why you were shaking you’re head! Was it?”

What… I ask myself… She knows me well enough to read my face even when I’m turned? I turn and face Mari… watching her smiling eyes I answer. “No it wasn’t”

How is your arm healing?

“Slow but sure” she answers “I’ll need to begin some lifting pretty soon. I don’t need this arm to become useless. Care to share?”

“Absolutely” I reach over to pick up our bags… “Ready?”

Mari punches me with her no-so-injured arm… “I meant… Care to share what you were thinking at the window? NOT the lifting!!”

“Ohh !!” I pretend understanding “I thought you meant…”

“Yeah Yeah” Mari interrupts “There you go thinking again”

“We both laugh as we leave the room closing the door behind us.

The hallways are as empty as when we had first arrived. Huge tapestries from battles long ago dampen the echo of our lone footsteps. In a hushed voice I tell Mari of my earlier thoughts… vowing to return. She smiles telling me she had similar thoughts when I had been out buying supplies. Silence follows us the rest of our way to our mounts. We spend a few more minutes binding our bags and checking the harness. Before long we are on our way.

Riding South and East, away from our short retreat… the sun casting long shadows ahead, we make our way to the coast.