Phabel had returned within a few hours, his closely guarded secret held tight to his heart. When he returned to the castle, he found Olive with his mother in the parlour, going through the city names. He smiled sympathetically at Olive, knowing his mother was a hard taskmaster. She looked tired and probably wished to be free of her. His mother turned as he stood in the doorway and smiled softly at him, she would continue to occupy Olive for a little while longer as he had requested. Islana didn't know what her son was up to but figured it wasn't something she wanted to know about. She hoped he didn't take too much longer, she didn't know how much longer she could keep Olive interested.

'Well?' Lucian waited by the door to their wing 'Did you get it done?'

'I did.'

'And?'

'It's all good Lucian, don't stress.'

'Everything has been done as you have asked.' he sighed 'Don't say I never do anything for you.'

'I appreciate it, it will all be over soon enough and you won't need to be tiptoeing around.'

Lucian sighed wondering if Phabel was thinking straight. He was so preoccupied with his memory loss that Lucian worried Phabel's life was becoming a blur. Lucian didn't want him to regret such hasty decisions, thinking that a few more days might have been beneficial. 

'So you are actually going to do it?'

'It is the natural course of events, isn't it?'

'I suppose. How do you think she will take it?'

'Tears, no doubt.'

Lucian nodded, watching as Olive wearily trudged up the stairs. Her hand ran over the rail as if it was the support she needed to make it up the stairs. She looked like she hadn't slept all night, her face was pale which accentuated the purple tinge under her eyes.

'You might want to abort the mission Phabe, she looks rather tired. I can't imagine a good outcome if you did it tonight.'

'I can't.' he paled as she drew closer 'It has to be tonight, I have to get this over with. I can not continue with things the way they are.'

'Alright.' Lucian sighed 'Good luck.'

He slapped him at the top of his shoulder and smiled at Olive as they passed on the stairs. She returned the smile but couldn't help but notice the odd look on his face. When she reached Phabel she noticed he had a similarly odd look.

'Everything ok?'

'Of course.'

Phabel smiled, hoping that the emotions that were building would hold behind the facade his face was trying to maintain. He pushed open the main door for her, enclosing them into the corridor between their rooms.

'Olive stop for a moment.'

She did as he asked, feeling the tension rise between them. Her thoughts of there being something wrong were being confirmed, the odd looks that Lucian and Phabel had were falling into place. Something was definitely wrong.

'I just want to say before we go through this door that the expectations that I hold aren't what would normally occur. We have agreed that this weekend would be restrained with our love and I want you to know that I will continue with that agreement.'

'Uh, ok.' she crinkled her face in confusion.

'I also have no expectations of what you will say but to me this is what I want and I hope that you do too.'

Olive could feel her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach, wondering what he was talking about. Her mind thought the worst, he was acting odd, he had been all morning too. She wondered if he had grown bored of her and no longer cared about the stone or their mated love. Tears prickled in her eyes.

'What's wrong?' he frowned with concern.

'What are you talking about Phabel, why are you acting so peculiar? Is there something wrong, am I wrong or something?'

'What? No, Olive you are perfect.'

Phabel wiped the tears from her eyes, kissing her lips softly.

'Forget this old man, he forgets he sometimes speaks in riddles. And you are tired my love, a terrible night to do this.' he smiled softly. 'But nonetheless, I can not change the night, so this is how it has to be.'

Phabel opened the door to the lounge area of her room. It had been altered as he had asked of Lucian and Danika. Olive took a tentative step into the room, it had been changed into something from not so long ago. All of the furniture that had been in the room had been moved out for the night, replaced by fake grass. The gardener had brought in potted plants creating a little area that surrounded the fire place. In front of the fire was a bed cover, one that had taken Danika a long time to source. It wasn't exactly the same from Olive's memory but it was pretty close. The fire was lit for comfort, to remind them of the warm night that had been their first night together. Olive's eyes darted to the darkened roof, fairy lights were wrapped around the beams and strung between them to represent the night sky. A knock at the door startled Olive as the tears welled in her eyes. Phabel opened the door to Rosa, he took the tray of food from her with a smile and a nod. As he turned back to Olive, she was engulfed in the smell of hot chips and fish with lemon. She cried happy tears as she looked at him, a sweet smile crossed his face as he walked to her.

'What do you think?'

'It's perfect.'

They settled onto the bed cover and ate their fish and chips. Much like that night, Olive ate far too much and as they laid back to look at the stars, she wondered if he would get another memory. She nestled into his embrace, feeling the weight of a long day pressing down on her.

'Would you like to continue to rest here or would you like to do something more relaxing?'

Olive sat up and straddled him, pulling him to her embrace. She liked the way the glow of the fire danced across his face, lighting up his eyes.

'I think relaxing might be more fun but can you behave yourself?'

'I'm always up for a challenge.'

The knock at the door broke their fun moment, Olive climbed off his lap as he rose to open it.

'Your highness, I came to see if you were finished with your dinner dishes.'

'Of course.'

Phabel collected the tray and passed it to Elena.

'Your parents asked that I mention to you that they have retired for the evening and wished you both a good night and they will see you and Miss Matheson in the morning.'

'Of course, thank you Elena.'

He closed the door and turned the little latch, retrieving a box from the mantle.

'Aui leabu, how much of my language did you learn today?'

'Not a lot.'

'Well then, maybe we could have a lesson now.'

He sank to his knees, placing the box to the side. With both hands he pulled one of her feet up and pulled away her shoe.

'Tola for one, tolu for a pair.'

The other shoe was placed beside it's mate, Phabel's hand grabbed her legs and pulled her closer.

'Piosa.'

His fingers fumbled through a few buttons on her skirt, pulling it down her body. He took her hands and lifted her to sit up, removing her shirt.

'Piolta.'

He leaned closer to her, running the tip of his nose over hers.

'Aui leabu, may I be so bold as to ask if I can auist you?'

'Oua.' she breathed.

Phabel kissed her, pleased that she remembered her positive response. He kissed her until she reached to his shirt, becoming too close to his secret.

'Aui lonya, give me but a moment.'

'Oua.'

He stood to his feet, looking upon the glorious body before him. She laid upon the rug in her underwear, looking heavenly. Phabel shrugged off his jacket, shoes and socks and returned to the floor.

'Now, back to it. Where is aui piolta?'

'Fola.' she grinned undoing his buttons.

When she was done, she cast it aside and placed feather light kisses over his chest.

'I would like very much for you to remove the salni, do you know what that might be?'

'Anou.' she shook her head.

His finger traced over the lace cup of her bra with a wicked smile. Her hands reached behind and removed her bra.

'Ina salni.'

'Aui lonya, may I auist your bala?'

'Oua.'

Phabel's hands moved from her back to her shoulders, pulling her back slightly to kiss her sternum, or rather her heart.

'You have learned so much my love.'

His breath was warm on the skin of her chest as he pressed his lips to the soft skin.

'Lomdre.' she whispered.

Phabel darted his eyes upward, thinking he had not heard her correctly. Her head was tilted back as she enjoyed the delicate touch of his lips. He lifted them slowly, moving lower as he thought he had heard and pressed them down to the beginning of what was her breast.

'Lomdre.' she whispered again with a grin.

Phabel chuckled as he did it again, only this time he didn't hesitate. She gasped as his lip pressed hard against her, his tongue darting over. Olive looked down as he moved to the other side, lavishing his tongue over her, his eyes never leaving her gaze.

'You never cease to amaze me.'

'And tease you.' she grinned.

'That too. Now on your stomach and I will give you that relaxation that clearly deserve and have earned.'

Olive did as she was asked, seeing the box of sweet smelling oils being opened. She could feel the warmth as he dribbled it down her spine and then pressed deep into her skin.

'You have an amazing touch.' she sleepily murmured.

'Wait until you're a shifter, then you will really understand how true that statement is.'

'How so?'

'I am the first born of the leader of my realm, I have healing abilities for my own kind.'

'Do people ask you to fix them?'

'Sometimes. It's hard not being in my world, they find it difficult to reach me. That's why I have a rock wall in my office. I've come back to it being something that looks like a doctors waiting room.'

'Must be hard.'

'Yeah.'

'Why don't you want to live in your world?'

'I don't know. At first I thought it was because of Lucian and his father and since your arrival I thought that it might have been because of you. This has been my home for over nine hundred years, to turn away from it seems wrong. But truthfully, I don't really know.'

'Your mother wants you to return.'

'I know.' he sighed.

'Offered lots of incentives to try and tempt us.'

'Like?'

'A place of our own with however many staff we desire. A bank account with lots of zeros. When she found out what I was studying, she offered a fully funded business venture. Said that I would never need to advertise. One publicised outing in one of my outfits, she would mention the design house name that I choose and she said I would be inundated with requests.'

'Yeah.' he sighed again.

His hands squelched over her skin as he spread the oil, rubbing it deep and hard. She hummed appreciatively.

'I know you have never seen it, but what do you think?'

'Wherever you decide is fine. So long as you are there and I can visit Danika with ease, I do not mind.'

'But what about your education?'

'Wouldn't it be the same as your job? Wouldn't you have to travel through mid jump to get to it?'

'I would.'

'Then I could do the same.'

'Ok, I guess we can consider when you have become a shifter.'

'Will it hurt?'

'I don't know. I haven't met anyone that has done it. You could ask my father, he is always present at a humans turning.'

'How many are there?'

'Not a lot. It's mostly for love that they join us. We aren't ones to go around freely offering it.'

Phabel watched as she yawned again. As much as he loved to caress her, to give her relaxation with the touch of his hand, he knew that sleep was imperative. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow with dealing with his mother and her lessons and studying for her classes.

'Bed time my love, into the shower while I clean up.'

Sleepily she nodded, sitting up to kiss him. With a delighted grin, he watched as the almost naked love of his life walked across the room. He would give anything to join her, to pull those pretty little knickers down to her ankles and continue their love but for tonight, it would wait like they agreed. Phabel doused the fire and turned off the lights, taking his jacket with him. There was one final piece left to the night. He hoped that she wasn't too tired for it.

When she appeared in a tiny towel, Phabel grinned broadly.

'Such a delightful view my love, but for a brief moment could I ask you to put on a dressing gown?'

'Sure.'

She slipped into the wardrobe and found a deep blue satin dressing gown, it barely reached her mid thigh. As she tossed the towel into the hamper, she could see Phabel become increasingly nervous. When she reached him, he pulled the gown closed, covering her bare chest. Olive couldn't help but wonder why he was obstructing his view, she knew he liked it.

'I didn't want to be presumptuous of our future, you know, with the necklace but I bought this for you.'

Olive sat on the edge of the bed as Phabel placed a little box onto her palm. He knelt at her feet with his hands resting on her legs, watching as she opened it.

'It will shift with you, that is when you become a shifter it will.'

She didn't know what to say as she stared at the diamond ring. It had one large square cut stone in the centre, followed by two more smaller ones either side. Phabel took the box and removed the ring, casting the box aside.

'Marry me, be my mate forever, love me as much as I love you.' 

'Oua.' she whispered through the tears.