For the first time in his life, Azdrubaal felt tremendously awkward and uncertain. It was a feeling foreign to him. They finished eating and she cleared the dishes from the table. There was a long moment of silence when she returned to her seat. She turned and looked at him expectantly. "Is there something wrong, dear Azdrubaal?" He laid the artifact on the table and watched her eyes light up. "I had dream last night." He proceeded to tell her about it as her finger traced the raised figures carved upon it as he spoke. "You dreamed I was Tanit?" She laughed. "I think your mind must have taken that from this plaque." "Aye, Tanit." Azdrubaal stared at the plaque. "Is it...? Are you really...?" "I am only a woman, Azdrubaal - not a goddess," she smiled touching his face tenderly. "I am greatly honored that you would dream such a thing, but nay, I am not Her." In some odd way, that was a relief. Her explanation made sense. He'd kept forgetting to give it to her, so it had been in the back of his mind. Azdrubaal's uncertainty fled then. He pressed his lips to her hand. "It is evident that I think you are a goddess in the flesh, dear lady." He looked down at the thing he'd given her. "What is this plaque? Why did Sergius ask me to fetch it?" "It was my grandmother's. We received word of it from an old acquaintance of my family that it was in Ras al Hadd with some other things. This is all I wanted though. I asked him to find someone to retrieve it. It's worth nothing to anyone but me. It's all I have left of my family. Thank you." He told her then of the other things that had been on his mind that afternoon and before that. "I care about you Domna. You are not like any other woman I have ever known - except my mother. I would even say I love you. I know love takes time, but I am not such a fool as to pass up the opportunity to ask you if you will have me." She moved closer to him, blushing. "In the blink of an eye, I would. Of course I would! What goddess said to you in your dream is true. I would not dispute her word, ever." Domna lowered her eyes and a blush rose on her lovely cheeks again as she squeezed his arm. "There are other things we must speak of...but in the morning." He didn't need a further explanation of what she meant. "Oh aye, my lady. Most definitely." ***** Okay, it's not quite as mundane as it sounds. You'll see ;) Thanks for your comments and have a lovely day dear friends! Rayvn