Even the best of us break down. I just couldn't take it anymore. Years and years I had to be strong for everyone. I had no one but me to rely on, but now I didn't. He was back.

After he had carried me and placed me on his lap, laying my head on his chest as he kissed my head repeated while whispering sweet nothings in my ear, and I had cried and I felt drained, I simply sat unmoving on his lap. He knew I was awake and I knew he knew.

"Nora?" He called.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"Do you understand why I left now?" He asked.

I nodded against his chest, taking his left hand between both of mine. It was still gloved, but it was warm. I wondered why he didn't take it off but I didn't ask. He'd probably have given me a lecture on touching me.

"Ok." He said then stroked my hair. "I was alone. I couldn't rely on anyone. I couldn't trust anyone because everyone was out to kill me. I had to sleep beneath bridges and in stables. I did whatever work I got, no matter how horrible it was, but I never did work that wasn't legal.  It went on for five years.

I tried to make sure I didn't have a bad reputation, but that went down the drain when the fear of Mylidreds spread. Someone was giving Mylidreds a bad name and I couldn't do anything about it. They tried to kill me, you know. Many times." He told me. I stiffened.

"I always prayed it'll work." He confessed. I tightened my grip on his hand but didn't interrupt. "I didn't have my parents. I didn't have you anymore. You might as well have been married by then.

You probably wanted me dead because of what I did, but you come first. You always do. Remember that. I believed you'd never forgive me, but as long as you were safe then I was fine and I could die peacefully." I gripped the hand harder. Snuggling closer to him. I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon and neither was he.

"The first time I tried to kill myself. I hung myself, but my Mylidred cut it and didn't let me take control of my body for a month as punishment. I wasn't just killing myself, I was trying to kill it and it wasn't going to do without fulfilling its purposes." He declared.

I looked up at him. "Purposes? More than one?" I asked.

He smiled very faintly, stroking my cheek. "I'll tell you later." He assured me.

"The second time I stood still as the people in the town ambushed me. I simply lay there. My Mylidred struggled to overpower me and teach the people a lesson but I kept reign over it. When I didn't die and I didn't move either, the people ran away. I was disappointed.

I hoped they had found a way, but of course they hadn't and my Mylidred punished me again. It was like a cycle. I pray to die, people tried to kill me, I waited for them to kill me, they didn't succeed, my Mylidred punished me, I got control back, repeat. All this happened within those five years.

When I got frustrated I decided to look for the culprit. The one who had given us a bad name. I told you we had two purposes. The one you know is to protect those who are in danger per generation. Right?"

I nodded against his chest.

"Well, we have predestined partners. Someone made specifically for us. We need someone who can bring back our sanity. Our equal. We must find them. That's our second purpose. My mother found her match. My father. She died content."

"I found mine." He confessed. I stiffened then pulled back to look at him. His eyes were searching mine. I tried to get off his lap, as I grit my teeth. He didn't let me. His arms were like iron around my waist.

"No! No! You don't get to do this to me. Leave me alone!" I demanded.

"No. You didn't let me finish. You promised to hear me out." He said in a controlled voice.

"And I did, let me off." I commanded.

"You didn't hear me to the end." He pointed out.

"I don't need to. I can practically hear the rest." I told him.

He regarded me for a second. "No you can't. Listen to me. Let me finish."

"I don't want to hear it. I hate you." I seethed.

He stiffened but still didn't let me go.

"Am I that bad?" He asked softly.

"What?" I was confused. What was he going on about now?

"Am I that bad? Do you hate me that much?" He asked louder. I could guess he wasn't talking about listening to him.

"What are you going on about? You found her so why the hell are you here? Why are you talking to me? Why are you with me? Shouldn't you be with her?" I yelled. I was angry.

"What are you saying?" He was confused now. "Are we talking about the same thing?"

"Are you messing with my head right now?" I asked fixing him with a glare.

"What? No! Why would I do that? I'm wondering if we're talking about the same person! Who did you think I was talking about?" He asked.

"Tania, of course. Who else?" I spat.

"What?" He asked dumbfounded. Then guess what he did. You have three guesses. Did he let go? You ask. No, he most certainly did not. He tightened his grip. Did he agree or disagree you ask? No. He didn't. I'll tell you what he did. He laughed. He fricking laughed. What did he take me for? A clown?

He laughed and I just got more pissed off by the second.

"You're laughing right now?" I asked. "You think this is funny?" You could practically see the steam coming from my ears by now.

"No. No it isn't." He replied sobering up once he saw my face. "It's not funny. Which is why you need to stop jumping into conclusions and listen to the end."

I was definitely going to kill him but he hugged me closer laying my head on his chest again. I felt the rustle of leather then the soft thud of the material hitting the floor. Then I felt it. His bare hand on my face. There was warmth, sweet warmth and then there was fire. I felt fire. Everywhere. It was spreading rapidly from my face to the tip of my toes. Everything I was thinking remained forgotten.