"It's really beautiful here."
Verona walked slowly through the garden, her steps surprisingly cautious for someone merely admiring flowers. She wasn't sure why, maybe because it was the first time in two lifetimes she actually noticed the place. Not just saw it, but noticed it. The velvety red camellias, the little bursts of blue starflowers that peeked out like shy children, the butterflies fluttering lazily from one petal to the next.
She paused near a row of hydrangeas, their heads so heavy they dropped like sleepy nobles after a long banquet. She lifted her handkerchief to dab the sweats gathering at her forehead. The sun was bright, but she didn't mind. She tilted her head back slightly to feel the heat on her cheeks.
Then the light dimmed.
A soft shadow slid across her vision, subtle enough she thought a cloud had passed overhead. But when she blinked and looked up, a hand hovered just above her head, blocking the light with quiet intention.
Not a cloud, but Elric.
