Revelation

Seth has decided to reveal a little more of his past to me. This is what I managed to get out today and yesterday.

"Take me with you!"
Seth turned to look back at her. Seeing her there at the door to the abandoned hunting lodge they'd been hiding in, he felt his heart catch in his throat. She was beautiful. Her hair caught the moonlight, as did the tears in her eyes. Mara...
"You can't follow me where I'm going," he said quietly. How he wished he could take her with him. Maybe then he could be brave. Maybe then the pain would stop.
"Then don't go..." She stepped out into the night. The soft sea breeze tugged at the oversized, button down shirt she wore; his shirt, given to her shortly after he'd kidnapped her, three months before. He actually blushed when he realized she wasn't wearing anything else. He turned his gaze away, towards the shore.
"I have to go, Mara. This is...it's a matter of life and death."
A wince crossed her features and she slowly approached him. "Then you have to."
He looked back over at her as she came to stand within arm's reach. The sadness in her eyes tore at his heart. He reached out to her, his fingers brushing against her soft cheek. "Please don't be sad...I can't bear it."
"But, I..." Her eyes squeezed shut and she thrust herself forward and into his arms. "I'll never see you again once you leave, will I?"
He held her close. The smell of her hair filled his senses, and he found he had to fight off a sob, swallowing hard. "No, I don't think you will, not on Earth."
"Then..." She pulled away from him, one hand lifted to the top button of that shirt. "...let me-"
"No!" His eyes widened and he pulled her hand away from that button. "No," he said again, sternly.
"But why?!" Tears filled her eyes and she searched his face.
"Because, Mara, you're pure. Everything about you... You have a chance to make it to Heaven... I won't be the one to send you to Hell."
She stared at him in surprise, obviously not expecting that answer. "Then marry me. I could never love someone else, Seth, please. I want to give everything to you."
"What would you do then when I left? You could not marry again, how could you take care of yourself?"
"I don't care! I don't care what hardships I find in life so long as I could spend even one night with you."
His hand cupped her cheek and he gazed at her in the moonlight. She was even more beautiful to him now than she'd ever been before. He could not deny her that wish. "Very well. Mara, marry me."
A smile spread wide across her face and she threw her arms around his neck. "Okay!"

Seth lay beside Mara, for the first time in the same bed. Her bare skin was warm against his, and so soft. His ring was cool around his finger, and he could feel hers on the hand resting on his chest. This was the most perfect place he'd ever been. And he was leaving, just as he found it. It just...wasn't fair. But he had to go, of that he was certain. If he didn't go, something terrible would happen. At least, that's how he interpreted the bile in the back of his throat.
He couldn't linger. If he did, he knew he'd never leave. He very gently pried himself from her, doing his best not to wake her. Perhaps it was cruel not to wake her, not to say goodbye. She would cry, he knew. How he'd worked to make sure she never cried. He gazed down at her for a bit longer, then stood and moved away from the bed.
He got dressed as quickly and quietly as he could, forcing himself not to look at her. It would only make things harder. Just as he strapped his sword belt on around his hips, he heard a rustling behind him. He sighed softly, eyes drifting shut. She woke anyway... He slowly turned to face her, hand passing through his hair. "I was going to just-"
He stopped short when he saw her, eyes going wide. She was on her knees on the bed, clutching something to her chest; something metal; something hise. His hand darted down to his belt, only to find his dirk really was missing. His vision blurred and his stomach did a flip. "Mara," he croaked out, his throat tight. "What have you dont..."
She smiled ever so faintly. "I've released you from our bond. I hope...that you will love someone...who can follow you where ever you go." Blood trickled from her lips and she began to drift forward.
"Mara!" He darted over to the bed, catching her in his arms before she could hit the sheets. "Stupid girl..." He wiped the blood from her lip with his thumb. "I could never love anyone else... Now you've condemned yourself... Why?"
"What's it like?" She gazed up at him, though her eyes seemed to look past him. "In Hell..."
He clenched his teeth and held her closer to his chest. "You will not be there long. I will come for you."
"You can't...follow me...where I'm going."
"You're wrong. I will come for you. I promise. I will save you."

Oh, by the way, a lot of the stuff up here is going to disappear pretty soon. I've realized I'm giving a heck of a lot of the story away with this site, so I may not be using it for much longer. At least, not for any story tidbits, just updates on where I am with the books and other grumblings.