[Crystal Heart]

"Thank you for the drink. I think it is exactly what I need," Crystal said as she took a sip, the warm drink slid down her throat and warmed her insides just as the woman named Buttercup had informed her. She smiled in satisfaction. She had never had a drink like this before, but it was exactly what she needed. The worries and stress of her life began to lift with each deep breath of she took in from the cup.

Crystal had been asked if she would like to have supper for an couple of extra coins. She nodded, wishing that she had more coins. She hadn't had a nice warm meal in weeks. It smelled wonderful and totally amazing. She held the spoon and looked around. The Inn was bustling with activity. She brought a small portion of the food to her lips and blew upon it softly to cool it. She put the spoon in her mouth, an explosion of flavor broke in her mouth.

"Pure magic," Crystal whispered to herself as she ate another bite. Not even her mother could cook this fabulously. She ate it slowly, trying to prevent from looking like a famished woman. Even though she had been hungry for several days. She couldn't find anything edible in days and had been on her journey with a very upset and empty stomach.

"Whomever made this, please tell them that it is truly delightful," Crystal said to the bartender as she continued to eat.

The bar was lively. She watched in interest as the hobbits danced and sang in a drunken stupor. She laughed lightly, the first time in months. She had never seen such lively people. Or ones that couldn't hold their liquor very well. They obviously never had gone very far in a drinking contest. If she started a drinking contest here, she could probably win a lot more money then she had now. She didn't think she would though, they all seemed so kind here. She wasn't in the mood to swindle money from such kind people.

Every hope and dream that they had seemed to live in this Inn. She had never felt so alive, so happy before. Not for years anyway. She couldn't believe the understanding, the kindness that seemed to fill this place. She knew she could be entirely wrong on what she was feeling, but right now she didn't care if she was wrong. She just wanted to bask in this thought, these feelings. She didn't want to feel sad anymore.

She knew she was being silly, but it was hard not to dwell in the memories that had pursued her in her quest to get away. She had been trying very hard to get away, to run away from all that had happened. And now she was here, stuck because her funds had slowly left her. Like the life that seemed to have left her long ago.

She began to have thoughts of finding someone. A man that would give her all the money she needed to get her away. Maybe he would even accompany her on her quest to run away from memories and time itself. Yet she knew that that was a silly notion. Who would fall in love with her again? No one would. No one, but the one she called Arty.

Arty was perfect. His hair dark and his skin tanned. His light sky eyes shone through her soul. They found all her secrets, all her wounds, and all of her hopes. He knew her more then anyone else in this world and now he was gone. Gone to that place after death. She had to believe he was there, she couldn't believe that his soul had perished and that she would never see him again.

That's all that kept her going now. The thought that he had survived past death. That he had survived even death, even though she knew that to be impossible.

Her eyes glistened with tears as she continued to eat her supper.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:41 PM January 19, 2004: Message edited by: Crystal Heart ]