Instinctively, though, Merri seemed to know that their friendship should be kept private. The others would worry how Riland came into the castle and vanished every night. Undoubtedly her nurse would think he was a demon and a bad influence. Regardless, if anyone found out, she knew beyond doubt that she would be banished from the garden, and she'd never see Riland again; something she could not bear to risk.

     And so, they kept their friendship secret. He set a small spell on the garden entrance, so when someone came, there would be a soft chiming sound in the wind and Riland would quietly vanish always to reappear the next day. Sometimes, though, it would rain, keeping Merri in. The first time that happened, she stood at her window looking out over the wet garden, worrying that Riland would be there waiting for her getting wet. The next day it was with relief that she found him waiting for her the same as ever. They agreed that on the days when they could not meet in the garden, then instead they would wait until another day, and always he would be there waiting for her.

     Time passed. Merri grew and began changing from the small girl she was into a lovely young woman. Riland too grew taller and more handsome each day, and quietly, they each found the deep friendship they had for each other blossoming into something deeper and stronger.

     But some things are not meant to be.

     One brightly colored autumn day, Riland sat waiting for Merri under the rose bower where they always met. He looked grave, and older beyond his years. As soon as Merri saw him, she knew something was wrong, and she hurried to him, sitting next to him, grasping his hands.

      "Riland! What is it? What's wrong?" Her voice was full of concern for him.

      "Oh Merri..." He put his arms around her and held her tight a moment before releasing her to look deep into her eyes. "Merri, I must go away."

      The young girl felt confused.. "Away? For how long? When will you return?"

     His hands rested on her shoulders as he continued to hold her gaze. "For a very long time, Merri. A very long time."

     "But...you can't! I'll miss you too much, Riland. I love you! You're my best friend! How can I live without you?" she asked, her heart near to breaking.

     "Oh Merri, I will miss you badly too, but it can't be helped. I'm being sent away. But you're my best friend too, and I love you as well. Look...I brought this for you." From his pocket, he took a small crystal ball that was filled with a milky mist. It hung on the end of a chain, and he placed it about her neck. He raised up the crystal ball so she could see it and gave it a small twist. The mist within the ball cleared, and there was an image of him, smiling at her. "Keep this with you, and I'll be with you as well. Talk to me, and I'll be able to listen, and though you won't hear me speak, I will be thinking of you, and if I can, I will even help you. And someday, dearest Merri, someday, I'll come for you, and I'll bring you home with me.

     She gazed at the image of her dearest friend and love, and shook her head. "I'll wait forever for you, Riland."

     And he shook his head, and kissed her cheek, then gently stroked it. "No, dear one. You'll go on in life, and marry, and have children. But so long as you remember me and speak to me, I'll be there with you, and I'll come someday."

     Merri was confused. She would marry? And have children? She didn't want any of that, only Riland, and he was leaving her! But she also knew, loved and trusted him enough to know that he wouldn't do so, unless it couldn't be helped at all and so she put her arms about him, and clung to him for long moments until they both knew it was time for him to go. And so, with the crystal ball about her neck, she tearfully bade him farewell, watching him until he vanished from sight.

     From that day forward, everynight, Merri would give the small globe a small twist, and gaze tenderly at the image, and speak to it. She told it of her day, what she did, her thoughts and feelings, and in her mind, she could almost see him listening intently to her, sometimes offering gentle counsel or comfort. It wasn't much longer that her father sent for her telling her that he had arranged a marriage for her. It wasn't anything she wanted, but the match was a good one, and the man she was to marry not much older than she, and a nice lad. And while he was not Riland, she learned a fondness of him, and by the time they were wed, they had become friends.

     But not once, did she fail to tell her absent friend Riland of her days. Sometimes it seemed to Errol, her husband, that she spoke to to the wind, perhaps in prayer, but he found he didn't mind, so long as his Merri was happy.

     Time continued to pass, and with it, came children. Through it all, Merri told Riland of the children and how they were, what they did. It was as if he were there with her through the years they were apart. The children grew up, and found lives of their own, leaving Merri and Errol to begin their own families. Silver first frosted their hair, and then covered their heads with a soft silver radiance as time advanced on them. And then one morning, Errol did not wake up.

      Merri was surprised how much she missed him. He had been her friend and companion all this time, and now he too was gone. Old, and withering with age, she still held an inner strength and grace that was impressive, and all who knew her were fond of her.

     But still every night, she would speak into the small globe, telling Riland of her day, of her grand children, and how she missed him and Errol.

     One morning in the late spring the air was filled with the warm fragrances of flowers. Merri walked down a garden path, a warm shawl wrapped about her fragile shoulders against the morning chill. She couldn't say why she was drawn to the garden this morning, only that she was. She rounded a corner, and there stood a young man, with his back to her. She stood there, studying this stranger who stood beside the rose bower where she'd last seen Riland.

     His hair was pulled back into a tail at the nape of his neck and it glistened in the sun a blond so light it looked silver. He was dressed in a deep blue silken shirt that hardly hid the strength in his shoulders. His black trousers were tucked into polished black boots that shaped to his calves. He turned slowly. His bright blue eyes shone in a well tanned face that was only lightly lined. The lines increased about his eyes as he smiled gently at her.

     Merri's eyes widened in surprised shock. It was Riland, Riland only a little older than when she had lost seen him. He looked young and handsome and vital and as her heart leapt, her knees weakened as she whispered his name in believing disbelief.

     He caught her up in his arms and supported her, helping her over to the bench She clung tightly to his hands, refusing to release them. “I don't understand…” she murmured.

     He lifted a strand of silver that had fallen to the side of her face and studied it a moment, before stroking it back into place. His touch felt wonderful and comforting. “I told you I would come back for you, Merri. Its time now.”

     “Time?” She felt confused. He had promised to come back for her, but how was he so young?

     “Time.” He told her. “All those years, I was with you, though I could not be there. I was there when Errol came to you, and when your children were born and grew up. I was with you when Errol left this world and now I've come to take you back into mine, dearest one.”

     “But Riland, you've stayed young, and I've grown old. I can't go with you, it wouldn't be fair.” It broke her heart to say so, but her love for him was such, she didn't think it right to saddle him with someone who was aged, no matter how much she still cared for him. “It wouldn't be fair…” Her voice trailed when his finger fell across her lips to still them.

     “All this time you were faithful to me. Through all the years, you never failed to come see me when we were young, or speak to me when we parted. I loved you through all the years for that, and for who you were, the special person you are. I love you, Merri, and I want you with me.”

     She grasped his hand, pulling it against her cheek. “But you are still so young,” she protested one last time.

     He drew her hands towards himself. His eyes were merry with laughter. “Look, beloved.” He raised her hands before her eyes. They were smooth and unlined, the hands of a young woman!

     “But…how?”

     He stood, and drew her over to the pool they used to splash in. It was mirror smooth in the morning quiet. She looked into the reflection of herself when she was no more than twenty. Her hair was thick and black, her face unlined. And she realized that the ache that had settled deep in her bones these recent years was gone, vanished. She looked up at him in wonder. “How?” she asked one last time.

     “I was a child-prince of Faerun who wanted adventure, and so I came into your world. I was lucky, blessed, for I found you. You taught me the ways of men, and I have learned to deal more fairly and kindly because of you. And you opened your heart to me and I could not but help open mine in return. You were my dearest friend and that has never changed. But I had to leave when I was called to my responsibilities, and I could not shirk them, though I knew it would take me far away from you. I had to learn the ways of the fairy court and I knew you would grow old in my absence, but all those years, you were faithful. Now, I am finished my training, and I can take you away with me. I've given you back your youth…will you come away with me?” His eyes held eager longing, impatient for her answer.

   For a long moment she stood there, the stillness of the garden steeping deep within her soul, studying the reflection before her. He too had remained faithful to her all these years, keeping his promise, and she still loved him so dearly. Her arms went about him, her kiss giving him her answer, and they vanished with the shadow of a cloud passing over the sun…

     Sometime during the spell woven by the telling of the story, the rain had stopped, and the clouds begun to disperse. The sky was ablaze with the crimson colors of a sunset that was fading into night. For a long moment, the only sound was from the peepers and crickets that sung from the grass and trees. Even the chess players had given up their friendly competition to listen to the story. On the porch, some thoughtful person had lit a lantern.

     "Friends are forever, aren't they, Mama," Kelli sighed softly breaking the spell of silence cast by the story.

     Kia smiled down at her youngest child. "They are, if they are true and faithful friends."

     "It would be wonderful to be loved like that," Rune murmured softly, a touch wistfully. "How do you know when you meet the right person?"

     Kia was thoughtful for a moment, thinking of something said in another time and place. "I think it happens in an instant, and all the wishing or nurturing in the world won't make it happen." She reached her hand over and it was taken by Sorone's who raised her hand to his lips. Their eyes met in an instant of knowing affection.

     "How did you know?" It was Anna's turn to speak.

     "When I first met your father, I knew there was something special about him. Then, when he asked me if he could help me raise you, I knew, though I was afraid to hope for more than the friendship that was already there between us."

     "I knew there was something special about your mother," Sorone picked up, "The first time I saw her. Then, when I came to speak to her about you, Anna, there she was coming up the stairs, looking like she was rising on clouds above the cliff, I knew I wanted to be with her, and I was afraid of what she would say when I asked her if I could stay."

     "And what could I say but yes": She squeezed his hand, still holding hers.

     "Yuck! Mushy stuff!" Kelli squirmed around in Kia's lap. "I'm hungry!"

     "Hungry!" Kia laughed and her father mussed her head. "There's soup on the stove. Lets' have some and then finish up the applesauce cake!"

     The porch quickly emptied of the inhabitants, leaving the lantern to shine on in the dark night lit by stars that sparkled through the now scattered wisps of cloud, and allowing the peepers and crickets to once more reclaim the peace of the night.

     It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and perserving courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations. Kahil Gibran