The steam rose into the early morning air as Dea looked in awe at the waterfalls before her, never having seen one of these natural hot springs before, let alone one like this. This far away land had been amazing from the moment she first stepped off the yacht Miro had talked her into traveling on with him. She would never have thought he would want to take a boat instead of a jet, even if it was a private yacht.

He had insisted that they enjoy a 'romantic boat ride' on the way to their faraway destination in the land that had once been known as Italy before he had taken over much of the world's nations. It was amazing how much power someone could gain when they had all the time they needed in their grasp and oh how Miro had grasped at power. He told her over and over again that it was all done for her, to ensure her safety and thus their future together.

Dea was becoming accustomed to these odd remarks of his, finding them more eccentric and cute than disturbing. After all, the world these days was filled with strange things, so it was easy to adapt to his odd phrases and mannerisms. It didn't hurt that she was finding herself falling even deeper in love with him than she had been already.

So when they spent two weeks on a large boat travelling from his coastal city in what was once the US to what was left of Italy, she enjoyed being pampered and showered with gifts. She especially loved when he surprised her one night with a beautiful necklace, one that looked to be centuries old, the delicacy and workmanship not like anything that would be seen in that day and age.

Instead, it looked like something out of an old history book she had found in one of the abandoned buildings she had spent some time living in during her childhood. She had enjoyed looking at the pictures, even if she couldn't read the words.

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Settling into the warm water, Dea looked up at the stars as she leaned back against one of the smooth shelf walls of the pools that Saturnia had to offer. Apparently, it was a hot spring that had been forgotten and lost for hundreds of years, found in the later part of the last millennium. Supposedly, it was believed to have been hit by a plague of some kind but Miro had other beliefs for what had killed off the small population it had in the distant past.

Either way, Dea was intent on simply enjoying the calming mineral-filled waters that covered her to her nearly bare shoulders. If not for the almost sheer gown that draped down her body, she would be more of a temptation than Miro could resist. As it was, he was having a hard time not giving in and taking her to the room he'd had his servants prepare while he and his beloved had sailed across the ocean to reach this spot.

If only he'd known how close she was to giving in to him.

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Each night spent at his side brought Dea closer and closer to simply telling Miro the truth but each day brought her fears of his reaction back to mind. If she wasn't careful, she would end up telling him before they left to head back home at this rate.

How odd, she called his place home so easily now. Sure, she had been living there for a while now, but to consider it her home? She was definitely in trouble if that was the case. She hadn't considered someplace her home without living there for at least a year since she was 6. And she rarely had lived in the same place for a year, forget about more than a year.

She could count the places she'd called home on one hand and have fingers left over.

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Miro was beginning to worry. Dea would seem so comfortable around him by the end of each night but upon waking up the next, she would be back to the shy creature she had been since before they had even started the trip.

Had be said something to upset her that he didn't recall? Had he acted in a way that offended her? He didn't dare to ask yet, but with each passing night seeing her shy away from him before growing comfortable again, he came closer and closer to finally saying something to her.

Seeing her trust grow, only to watch it shrink again, was slowly breaking him apart and his heart couldn't take much more before it shattered into tiny shards. He didn't really have a choice but to confront her.

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"Dea, talk to me. I need to know what is going on. Tell me the truth, Dea. Please. I love you and this is killing me to see you pull away from me like this!" Dea could hear the ache in his voice, could see red tinted tears forming slowly in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Miro. I should have told you earlier. I should have been honest from the start..." Lowering her gaze, Dea breathed out the words that froze him in place, his heart giving one final thump before he felt his world come to a halt.

"No... You're lieing. You have to be lieing. Right?" His voice cracked as the words spilled from his lips, tears finally spilling over as they stained red tracks down his cheeks. "I won't let it end like this. I refuse."