I WILL LIVE FOR YOU

Xanthos was speechless. How could she remember the hellion Elizabeth, but not him? He had been the one at Romani's side that day at the beach, the one to step in front of the deadly horn that had threatened to plunge deep within Romani's chest. He'd done his best to keep from uttering her name to anyone within the Basin, keeping any and all thoughts crammed inside the mess that was his head. The grullo was admittedly surprised that the Plague had not set out to try and harm the palomino, but he wasn't complaining, even if she couldn't recall his name at the moment. At least he could still remember.

There was a brief moment where nothing but silence hung in the air between them. Not even the birds sang their happy little songs, nor did the grasshoppers go buzzing past as they made their way to a new blade of grass in the distance. Even the little white tigress next to Romani had quieted with her curios noises, and for a split second, he wondered if the cub could understand what was going on.

The grullo's heart was a heavy stone in his chest, bearing a great weight upon the legs that held him up. With each silent second that passed, he felt his connection with Romani growing further and further away, not that there was one there anymore anyways. Upon his confession, she had looked beyond shocked, undoubtedly forming a thousand questions within her mind. He wanted to say something, anything to ease her mind that she wasn't crazy, and neither was he. But what more could possibly bring an inkling of a memory back to her? He'd explained all that he could, and to ask any questions of her would certainly be looked upon with even more confusion by the mare. Obviously, she knew not what had even happened for her to have lost her memories in the first place. Then, she spoke again.

'Did I love you?'

Oh, how he wished to know the answer to that himself. He'd only declared his love to her moments ago, and now, she was asking if she felt the same. The poor boy wasn't sure he could take much more of this. Heaving a sigh, a melancholy look filled his golden eyes as he met her own of the brightest blue. "I would like to think that you did," he finally spoke up, choosing his words carefully and trying his best, but failing, to keep the tremor from his voice, "But I cannot give you an answer, for we have never confessed it before. I'm sorry." An honest, but nevertheless painful statement.

Unable to handle the whirl of emotions rampaging inside of his mind, the stallion pursed his lips before taking a step forward, keeping his eyes locked on Romani's own. "I'm sorry," he repeated, coming to a brief stop just a couple feet before her, "But, I... I just need to get away, to think for some time." By saying this, he hoped that he wouldn't anger the palomino, but he feared that staying any longer would only engage his own rage at the situation. "If you ever need me, or find that your memory has returned, you may find me in the World's Edge. If I've not any word of you within two weeks time, I will come to the Foothills to find you again." An unusual request and promise, he knew, but he would keep to it. Hopefully, though, Romani would be able to remember during that time.

With one last, sorrowful sigh and a longing look in his eyes, Xanthos bid the mare he loved goodbye, and feeling like a kicked dog, he headed back the way he had come, making his way back towards the Edge.

BEFORE I DIE