Rial may be watching the stars, but Isplourrdacartha is watching him.

She can read his face, for once; can see the yearning and the heartache and how he wishes he were away from here, and she glances away, briefly, unshed tears stinging her eyes and burning in the back of her throat.

But she composes herself, she swallows the hurt, even if she can't cover her sorrow for him, for all he has lost. She lays her hand on his opposite cheek and turns his face to her.

"My prince," she says softly, and she rests her brow against his, giving everything and asking for nothing in return.