He came upon her under the dying moon’s glare, sitting in the ruins of her once stone sanctuary. She swirled fingers through the shallow pool humming her own delirious tune. Chocolate curls pushed behind her ears, blue eyes reflecting in the waters.

“My darling.” He soothed as he approached.

“Yes, love?” she didn’t look up from her pool.

He breathed deep and knelt down beside her. “I come to you in confession.”

The water paused and she met his gaze. Her head tilted and she stared into his eyes, wicked eyes filled with secrets. “What have you to confess, my dear?”

He clutched her knees that adorned an ivory dress. “I have fallen for another.” His words echoed, reverberated through silent stone pillars.

She smiled softly, “How could that be? Your soul already belongs to me.”

He looked away and looked back to her. “You’ve claimed my soul yes, but my heart has been stolen by another.”

Her smiled faded and now reflected the distilled water. “Your heart. Your heart? What a frail thing to be passing around!” She shouted and stood to her feet. “How weak and fragile an organ! An organ! How can you love with such a pathetic thing?”

Now he stood to his height. “My darling, the heart controls where we are.”

“And what of your soul?” She stepped away from him, voice rising slowly.

“Your soul that is your essence: who you are. Does that not matter?”

He sighed heavily. “My soul is where I’ve been, where I’m going. But my heart… That precious delicate entity is where I am, where I want to be.”

“How dare you. How dare you come here in my place of worship and insult me with such words!” Her hand flashed across his face. “Your heart you speak of, this—thing—that is so sacred,” She placed a fist over her chest. “Well mine breaks in its cage!” Tears stung and spilled over her pale cheeks. “Yours leads you to another while mine, mine bleeds in your wake.” She trembled.

“My dear sweet goddess,” he took her hands in his. “My soul aches for you, I call out in the night for your translucent embrace.” He stroked her cheek. “But you leave me cold when the sun spills down. My heart yearns to fill the day’s hours.”

“If it is the sun’s warm arms you so long for, then go. Love another while I love your shadow.” She hid her sapphire eyes from him.

He looked at her with adoration. “Hold onto my soul, my darling. I’ll rejoin with it at the falling of twilight, when the stars bear the only witness and the moon caresses us gently. I will return to you. My goddess of the night’s sins.” He kissed her softly upon stained lips.

“You hold my heart and soul,” she whispered. “And I have only your soul to grasp.”

Sadness played across his face. “Yes darling, only my soul.” He kissed her hands and let them fall to her sides. “I trust you to care for it, guarded in your arms, until I return for each nightfall. Every time the sun melts away into darkness, I’ll come back to bathe under the moon, at your mercy.” He turned from her then, and started to walk away.

“You’ll never be satisfied,” she called after his shadow. “Giving her only your heart.”

He paused only for a moment, turning slightly he smiled. “It is the existence of this warrior.” And he left her in darkness once more.