Sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, Howard watched Samantha as she slept. The witch had used her magic to restore her memories of Brian and he fully expected her to be scared and lose her forever. He was tempted to go into her dreams but he resisted, knowing that he had to win her love honestly.

The wait wasn’t long. Her eyes began to flutter open and focused on him. A gentle smile lit her eyes as she touched his hand. "You’re here," she whispered.

"You did too much," scolded Howard lovingly trying to avoid the inevitable.

"No, it felt good to feel the sun on my face again and to get out," insisted Samantha. She saw the tortured look in his eyes, more than normal and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Placing his other hand on hers and casting his eyes away from her knowing they revealed his soul, Howard asked, "Why aren’t you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Me…this place…what happened to you….and to Brian."

"Please look at me," requested Samantha. When Howard looked at her, she said, "I’m not who you think I am."

"What do you mean?"

"I have visions…I can see what’s going to happen in the future." Samantha watched as the realization of what she’d told him sunk in. She went on, "Several months ago, when I met Brian, he gave me a flower… a rose…and when I touched it, I saw the gardens, the ones here. After that, I had several more visions…all of them were about this place….you, Kevin, and Alexander."

"What did you see in your visions?" asked Kevin. He had been waiting silently for Samantha to wake too, without Howard’s knowledge. He knew that the witch was going to restore Samantha’s memories and he wanted to be there to work his magic for Howard’s sake.

Looking up into his emerald eyes, she said, "You’re looking for a girl with a half moon mark who is pure. She must bear you a child, Kevin…a son…in order for you, Howard, and Alexander to retain your powers…before your thirtieth year. What you don’t know is that she will also bear a son to Howard and one to Alexander. The three boys will be a powerful force…charmed…each having their own powers."

"How do you know this…through your visions?"

"Yes and no. I went to my….."

Her hesitation prompted Howard to urge her to continue, "Your what, Samantha?"

Softly, on a whisper, "My seer. She is the one who has been guiding me, helping my powers to grow."

"Are you the one? Do you bear the half moon?" questioned Kevin anxious to know.

"I was brought to you, to give you your destiny…to bring light to your world and ease your suffering. All of you have good in you but you’re tormented by wrongs done to you in the past." Looking at Howard, her eyes softened even more as she said, "To love you the way your heart aches to be loved."

His heart melted as his eyes took on life hearing her words but he didn’t say anything as he continued to gaze into her eyes.

"Why marry Brian?" asked Kevin.

"I had no choice. Like I told Howard in my dreams, I liked to walk in my father’s gardens…"

"Without a chaperone," added Howard.

"And my father said I’d cast a cloud over our family name by doing it. He insisted that I marry Brian and I didn’t refuse because he was my only way of finding ‘Eternity’."

"How did you avoid the marriage bed?" questioned Howard. "Did you use your powers on him?"

"No, I couldn’t reveal myself to him. It wasn’t difficult to avoid though. I simply pretended to be scared and ashamed. From the very first vision, my soul belonged to the Dark Lords of the Black Forest….and my heart to one."

"Are you strong enough….for Howard to turn you?"

"Not yet. Give me a little more time." Seeing the anxiety in his eyes, she took his hand and reassured him. "I promise, Kevin…everything will happen as its written in the stars."

Reaching up, he caressed her cheek. "I have no doubt. I’ll leave you two alone. Howard, we’ll dine at sunset….with the lady of the manor joining us. We have much to celebrate."

With Kevin gone, Howard asked, "When did you remember all this?"

"Not until the witch gave me the flower in the garden and I woke up."

"But you were so scared when you were ill."

"Fever. I wasn’t sure where I was or who had found me. After you visited me in my dreams, I knew where I was. I just didn’t remember Brian."

"Alex did that…to help me. I was the one who brought the witch to you today. I didn’t want to live through eternity with this between us.  You told me that the first time we kissed was a special day. Was that Brian?"

"I guess so but it was only special because I had a vision."

"Was I in that vision?"

"Yes," she answered shyly.

"We haven’t shared that first kiss yet," reminded Howard.

Taking her hands, he helped her up and led her out to the gardens. Finding a spot that was exactly like he’d seen in her dreams, he stopped and pulled her to him. Taking her face in his hands, he leaned closer to her, his lips brushing hers like a cloud. He felt her hands move to his waist, holding on, as he deepened the kiss. Their souls melded together as their tongues danced a passionate waltz.

Whispering on the wind, Howard promised, "I’m eternally yours."