"Oh my lovely little Snow Lily, of all I have missed in the years I've been here, it has been you I missed the most," Hikaru said to the young woman, "step back and let me have a look at you."  As Lilith stepped back a couple of paces, the old man remarked, "But as I see, you are no longer the scrawny, awkward little girl child I once knew.  Instead I now behold a beautiful and graceful young woman."  Then continuing, Hikaru added, "but to me, you will always be my precious child of the heart."

"Hikaru, my old friend," Lilith addressed the man, "you seem to not have changed at all, though the hair has gotten a little grayer than the last time I saw you."  "You forgot to mention the many wrinkles that have formed over the years," Hikaru replied with a smile, "or are you trying to flatter an old man?"  "Wrinkles?  Hmmm, now that you mention it, there do seem to be a few extra lines here and there," Lilith jokingly answered her old friend, "but they only add to the handsomeness of the man that wears them." With a laugh, Hikaru responded to the woman, "I see they were finally able to teach a certain brash young girl a little diplomacy at the Enclave... and she wasn't too bullheaded to learn, very good."

Taking Lilith's hand in his, Hikaru began walking toward his new guest's encampment, "come Lily, we have kept your friends waiting long enough, it is time you introduce me to them... I am sure they will have many questions."  "It would be my pleasure," Lilith replied, "they are a wonderful group of people, Hikaru... kind, loving, loyal and courageous.  It has been my honor to have been included into their ranks.  Come, Father of my Heart, let's introduce you to my friends."  As the two old friends started walking toward the group once again, Lilith turned to the old man and began to speak, but before she could get a word out, Hikaru raised his hand to silence her.  "I know you have a burning question on your lips for me, my child," Hikaru whispered to Lilith, "and I promise I will answer all that you may have, but now is not the time.  I ask you to be a bit more patient, I know these questions have been in your mind for many years and you are eager to know the answers, they can wait a little longer."  "As you wish, old friend," Lilith whispered back with a sigh, "right now, I'll be content with the fact that you are here and one of my deepest wishes has been fulfilled."

As the pair approached the camp, Cailin turned toward them as she carried a bowl of food to the makeshift table and said, "dinner is almost ready, will you please join us, sir?"  "It would be my honor, young lady," Hikaru replied, "smells absolutely delicious."  "Marren's a pretty good cook," then adding with a small laugh, "well, he hasn't killed any of us, yet.  By the way, I am Cailin Brightstar, Marren told us a little about you... pleased to meet you, Master Hikaru."  "Thank you, Cailin... but please, it is just Hikaru," the old Jongtai responded with a slight bow, "and again, thank you for the gracious invitation."

After introducing Hikaru to Petra and Lyranda, everybody sat down and began eating.  Little was said between the group during the meal, though the group was more than curious about their host, they all seemed to know that he would enlighten them soon and respected the man's quiet demeanor.  After the meal was finished and the last bit of sunlight disappeared, the conversations began.

First to speak was Lyranda, "you recognized me as M'Buri, how do you know of my people, Hikaru?"  Looking toward the druid, Hikaru responded, "over fifty years ago, after I left the Jongtai Islands, I lived with your people.  My ship was wrecked by a typhoon and I washed up on the shore of your homeland.  Clinging to a piece of wreckage, I was almost dead when the woman Mytiri, a shaman, found me.  She brought me back to her village and began to nurse me back to health."  Then as if he were reliving the time, Hikaru continued, "I was very weakened by my brush with death, but Mytiri had a special method of helping me recover my lost strength," then with a smile added, "a very special and most pleasurable method.  But I digress, any way, we fell in love and stayed together for quite some time.  It was one of the happiest times of my life and one I will never forget."

With a slight blush to her face, Lilith looked at her friend and said,  "Hikaru, why have I never heard this story until now?"  Looking back at the young woman, the old man replied with a slight grin, "my dear, there are some stories and experiences a man does not share with a child, especially an eight year old girl child."  For a brief moment, light laughter broke out around the table from the man's response.

Then once again returning his gaze to Lilith, Hikaru spoke to his young friend, "It is time Lily, time to ask the question that has been burning in your heart for many years.  Ask your question, my child."

With a tear in her eye, Lilith reached to hold the hand of the man that she had loved as if he were her own father for all those years, then as if she would choke on the words, asked the man, "why did you leave, Hikaru?  I looked all that morning for you and could not find you.  The Headmistress found me sitting in the garden, crying.  She told me that you had left and would not be coming back... and I remember, that she too was crying when she told me."

With a tear in his eye, Hikaru gave the young woman's hand a strong, yet gentle and loving squeeze.  "Of all the things I've done in my life Lily, that day will forever be the saddest.  I did not leave because I wanted to or was told to... I left that day because I had to."  Beginning to openly sob, Lilith forced the question from her lips, "you had to leave, I don't understand Hikaru, why did you have to leave?"

With tears still trickling from his eyes, Hikaru turned his head from Lilith and bowed it in shame as he stoically replied,  "the bounty hunters had found me..."

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