[Sadrain]

His mismatched eyes bore into hers, as she spoke. How strange, he felt as if her words were important, quite important. And her voice, stumbling, but soft, it wrapped around him in a way one's dreams normally would upon touch... She had strong aura, strong heart, this strange girl. And what strange things she said.

"It seems that while I've been gone, people have become very... foolish," he said softly. "Wish to help and protect, as well as the strength and courage to carry this will out is one of the greatest strengths a living being can possess. It asks for much more than a simple sword flinging to protect someone, and a true, caring heart is always burdened, for it wishes to protect and avoid hurting others. And this path, that it finds, is the one we all should walk. That's why compassion is the greatest strength of all." Saien's voice and grimace around his mouth grew firm, yet there was something akin to sentiment in his eyes. Those words, were not fully his own, someone had told him that long ago... Yet from her, he knew that compassion was indeed the greatest weakness of all. A double edged blade, it cut down everyone.

"And if I must die, then it is my fate, and I shall be honored my death met me while I was protecting someone. And no one, I tell you, not a single living being, is worthless. We all have our own purposes, good or bad. So, indeed, people of this country, have been led astray from the truth... And I feel pity for them, for they are who will also suffer in the end." It took few moments, but then his expression softened up, and all the seriousness was wiped away, like wind blows away the fallen leaves in autumn.

Saien looked down at the circle in the book, then at her and smiled sincerely. "I feel that it is a good destination."
"You need not worry about my destination, my lady, it will come to me," he finished mysteriously, offering her elbow. "Let's go and enjoy the culinary wonders now indeed."

-------------------------------------------------------

The cakes were truly wonderful and Saien enjoyed more than any normal food he had eaten in a long time. It amused him a bit, that all the normal things, such as opening door for her, or pulling chair for her, flustered Annabelle slightly. As he spoke about half meaningless things and told her about some of his adventures, his mind created a question after question, about her. And then...

Black darkness, in front of him, around him, inside his lungs. Everywhere. Just a faint glimmer of light, that he was suddenly pulled to, and trough. And two figures, no, three. A man, and woman, holding hands, and another looming over them... With a gasp, he was thrown back into the reality, eyes fixed on Annabelle's face. He did not know how long he was gone, what he had said, but for one thing he was sure - he had seen and felt Iantha. And Annabelle.

"Forgive me, I get these headaches sometime, they are very sudden," Saien said in apologetic tone, rubbing his forehead. "It must be the weather and air pressure change, you see, before I came here, I spent some years in tropical place," he explained with a crooked smile. His head, indeed was in pain. Or rather, just one spot, his tattoo. "Would you like one more cake or you wish to depart?" Saien asked.

OO C: Bleh?