Our eyes lock, and there is nothing but the beautiful suspension of time.

We feel the beating of our own heart slow to a standstill.

Try as we might to resist, we are captivated by her enchantment. We cannot look away, for our eyes do not desire to gaze upon anything else.

It is with stone in our heart that we admire her elegant beauty, for she is barbed with pain and regret.

Yet the emptiness of our home sinks deeper than our flesh and bone, and shakes us to our very core. The silence mocks us, no matter our efforts to avert our attention elsewhere.

The Fallen One has left a void, one where haunting specters emerge, painting twisted memories of her upon our walls. They echo words that were once tender and loving with shrill ridicule.

Yet we cannot help but admire this one.

We know the dangers of courtship.

Yet she commands our thoughts.

We understand that a truce with the Solitude is necessary.

Yet she comforts us through the cold silence.

We have tried and tried to rid these feelings, but they are relentless, and our resolve is weakening.

We fear.

At first, we feared of the harm the courtship would bring us.

Though with each passing day, we fear harming the object of our infatuation.

For the sake of preserving the beautiful smile upon her face, we shall leave our heart distant.

For the sake of hearing her laughter, we will remain joyful through the pain.

For the sake of being greeted by her each day, we shall seek her company.

For the sake of remaining unharmed, we shall keep silent.

This secret shall remain with us, until our passion has burned our tongue, never to be spoken of to her.

*Perfection save us.