...on the way to bed he stopped outside her room. He quietly opened the door, just enough to see her.



He was in such moments two people, the one who had made so many promises to her, and still wished to honour every one, another who wanted to wander freely through life plucking the fruits as they came to hand, as the whim suited him. He smiled, maybe he could be both, maybe all three of them could be happy. Closing the door, he considered for a moment slipping along to another door somewhere near the slaves' quarters, but then the fatigue of the journey smothered the thought, he made his way to his own room.