A grey tabby archer sat in his usual corner of the guild hall, the bag on his back was well packed and his quiver was full to the brim. The various pouches attached to his belt were bulging and closed tight. He looked a man ready for a very long trip. As he waited for something, or perhaps someone, people began to steadily file into the hall from outside, evening had come and with it a number of the guild members were retreating inside for food and drink. First came Sir Maximillian, the Alsatian guardian, followed not too long after by Dietrich, the Doberman warrior. The latter immediately headed to the counter to get some supper.

Max broke the silence first, calling out "Greetings Iestyn, how is life going?"

The archer looks up, a great big smile was plastered on his face, all the nervousness he usually carried himself with seemed to be gone. "It's going as well as it possibly could Max, and you?"

Their conversation is briefly interrupted as one Ring Sefu, snowy Egret pyromancer suddenly barges into the hall through the front door wearing nothing but a pair of trousers and holding in his hands a bundle of clothes. He gives everyone present va smile and a nod, especially Dietrich. "Evening all! Thought I'd get some washing done, most of my outfits were dirty from my travels and all"

Sefu walked over to the counter to talk with Dietrich as Max and Iestyn continued their conversation from where they left off. "Same I guess. So Iestyn, are you going out on a quest or something? You look like you're ready for a long trip."

Iestyn nodded in reply, seeming to look all around himself, right past Max, never looking directly at him. "Aye, I'll be gone travelling once more Max. It's time I see the world again, I feel as though I've been cooped up here for far too long."

He got a sigh and a calm knowing smile in return "Waiting for someone before you leave?"

Iestyn finally looks straight at his conversational partner, smiling brightly back "This is not a trip I will be taking alone Max."

Max's ears drooped, disappointed to see the guild's two best archers leaving, but he kept smiling anyways "I have to say it will not be the same when you go. We don't see each other often, but I already see you as a good friend" He leans back in his chair, wanting to confirm his guesses "But who are you going with, if you don't mind if I ask?"

Iestyn just chuckled, looking back towards the stairs "Yous should know Max."

Quite suddenly a messenger appeared at the door "This is the guild right?" Not waiting for a response he digs through his pack "Is there a Xavier or a Iestyn here?"

Iestyn looked up, surprised to hear his name coming from a stranger, he raised his hand and waved the messenger over "I'm Iestyn, what do you need me for?"

The messenger heads over "Well, I've got a letter and a package for you, but I was told to be sure you read the letter first."

The grey tabby looked at the letter curiously, standing from the corner he took a few short steps to quietly speak with the messenger. "My reading is quite weak, I don't suppose you could recite whatever is on there for me eh?"

The messenger shrugs "Sure, why not?" He opens the letter and clears his throat "Says here it's from someone names Amunet

"Iestyn, I know I was to meet you tonight to go to Kemet, and by the time this message reaches you I'm probably already late for that meeting. I couldn't face you, but I needed to say: I love you, and I would choose you over Xavier.

"I don't deserve your love though; I don't even deserve your forgiveness for what I have done. You gave me your heart and soul and I broke them. I know you don't understand right now, but when you do I'm sure you will understand my decision to leave the guild forever. I truly hope that one day you will find someone who deserves you."

The messenger seems to take the nature of the news in stride, probably having to carry such fairly often "Tough break buddy, you want the package now?"

Everyone else in the hall reacted differently, Amunet's letter having gotten most of their attention. Max's ears flopped down again and he frowned, looking at Iestyn sadly. Over at the bar Dietrich just sighed, thinking that the results of this weren't going to be pretty and Sefu braced for the fireworks.

Iestyn though just froze in place, his overjoyed smile turning to a look of overwhelming fear. He stared at the package, managing to raise a shaky hand to the messenger, for a moment he seemed not to be able to find his words, simply mouthing a response before managing a whispered "Yes."

The messenger nodded and handed him a small sack, tied at the top. Iestyn carefully took the sack, his normally nimble fingers fumbling on the simple knots. After a long minute the archer managed to loosen it enough to peek inside. He stood perfectly still as he stared down into the bag, his face displaying various emotions. Those watching could see sorrow, fear, things that he normally kept hidden from the world around him. There also seemed to be something else though, a certain happiness or peace which seemed to push back the worry. Max reached his hand over to the archer's shoulder to comfort him, but at the last second retreated it, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

After what seemed like ages of stillness Iestyn shut the pouch and hooked it to his belt with the rest, he turned and smiled at Max "Looks like I'm late for my own journey." With just that he darted out the door, faster than the guardian had ever seen him run before.

He ran through the town as quickly as he could, the heavy bag on his back and the pouches seeming to barely weigh him down; his golden eyes dashed to and fro as he whizzed past people on the street. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, each step widening the smile across his face. He dashed across the town entirely, never stopping, not until he had arrived at the docks. At the sight of ships he slowed to a fast paced walk, scanning the crowds as his hand fell to the new pouch on his belt. He had no idea which ship Amu was going to be on. He had to start asking around, finding out which ship was sailing Southwards, towards the desert lands.

After being forced to pay a couple of people for information he found the ship he wanted. It was a mid-sized cargo ship, currently being loaded with goods to sell, but it also had rooms available for rent. He boarded the boat quickly with but one goal on his mind. Heading down below to where the rooms were he listened and watched carefully for any sign of her. His ear perked up though as he heard something coming from behind one of the doors, crying. He raised his hand and tapped gently on the door.

Inside the room was another cat, a sphynx. The hairless cat heard the knock calling back "Go away!"

Iestyn nodded, confirming that it was Amunet inside the room, then leaned in close to the door, speaking only just loud enough that he could be heard inside "You left someone behind Amunet..."

Amunet continued to cry, managing to speak between sobs "Why, why did you come? I can't... I just can't face you after what I did."

Outside the room Iestyn sighed and rested his head against the door frame. "I came because I love you Amunet, please just open the door."

"But didn't the messenger..."

Trying the doorknob Iestyn was surprised to find that it was unlocked. He quietly pushed the door open and slipped inside. "I received the message and the parcel with it Amunet."

She looked away from Iestyn, she felt too ashamed to look at him "Then why did you come?"

Iestyn sat down on the edge of her bed "I came because I love you Amunet, nothing will change that. I made you a promise when we first met, a promise that we would go to your homeland. Nothing has stopped me from fulfilling that, and nothing ever will."

She looked up, tears still in her eyes "You mean you really don't care that I..."

Before she could continue Iestyn loosed the pouch from his belt, pulling off the strings binding the top and pulling out the two split ends of the obsidian arrow, holding them out to her. "I could never hold something nor someone in higher regards than you. This arrow, my most prized possession, it means nothing to me if it means you cannot smile. Besides, I gave this arrow to you to keep, split or not it belongs in your quiver, not mine."

She took the two halves in her hands and grasped them tight, looking between them and Iestyn, tears still falling from her eyes, but a smile had replaced the frown that was there before. She didn't say anything, she just wrapped her arms around Iestyn in a tight hug.

He tucked his ear against his head as she reached out to him, wrapping his own arms around her too. He smiled, content to be here with her, regardless of everything else that had happened. "I've told you so many times, I just want you to be happy Amunet."

Amunet just kept holding on tight to Iestyn "I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say." That got a quiet chuckle from him, he patted her back gently a couple of times "You never do Amunet, and you'll never have to."

Finally the hug ends and Amunet pulls away, arms still wrapped around his neck though, Iestyn seemed to beam back at her as they both leaned in to kiss each other. Their first kiss. It seemed to last forever, but eventually their lips separated. "I love you Iestyn, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize."

He held her close, a gleam in his eyes as he stared into hers "It didn't matter how long, I'm just glad you eventually did."

Suddenly the boat started to move, both jumping a little at the sudden start, Amunet chuckling a little bit "Oh, it seems our journey has started for real now."

"So it has, I guess I should see if there are any spare rooms eh?"

Amunet didn't let go of him, not giving him a chance to go ask about spare rooms "There's... there's no need for that." Her face took on a slightly pink hue.

Iestyn raised his eyebrow and chuckled "Only if you are sure Amunet, but the bed is yours, I can rest on the floor."

The playful smile on Amunet's face seemed to indicate something other than sleeping on the floor "Well, unless you want to share the bed. There's no need to do that, but I wouldn't mind cuddling with you at night."

She got a little smirk from Iestyn as he set his floor on the bag with a thump. "I think I'd like that, I'm happy just knowing you would share your bed with me."

Suddenly he finds himself in another kiss as Amunet pulls him close. He enjoys the kiss for a while before breaking away "Come, let's go up to the deck and say goodbye to Fair River before it's out of view.

She nodded, then swept in for one last quick kiss before getting up. Iestyn was grinning ear to ear as he led them up to the deck. As they looked out over the edge he wrapped one arm around her, holding her close as they watched Fair River shrink into the distance. "The end of one adventure, the beginning of another. I am glad we can share this together Amunet.

She snuggled up close to her now boyfriend "So am I Iestyn, so am I. But it's not like we're leaving forever, we'll be back in a month or so, all things go well."

He took his eyes off the horizon to look down at her "We're not leaving forever, but we'll not return the same as when we left. We'll return far happier than when we left." At this he pecked her on the top of the head, smiling as they sailed away on their new journey.