Nishani followed him from the bustling, warm banquet room to the cool courtyard in front of the house beneath a full sky of suns. He motioned for her to sit but remained standing. She looked at him curiously, and he rolled his shoulders back, prepping himself physically for the verbal discussion to come.
"Nishani, have you enjoyed the evening?"
"Yes, thank you. I met all your Council members. I didn't like Ulri but the others were good."
"I travel tomorrow morning with my counselors. It will be some time before I return."
"And you still won't take me with you?" she asked again.
"No, nishani," he said quietly. "I go to Anshan."
"I thought I was supposed to go to Anshan."
"Someday," he said. "Do you know why?"
"To save your people and your planet. Then you could send me home, and Ne'Rin could pick you a new nishani that he likes."
A'Ran absorbed her words, which fell hard upon his ears. He met her gaze, and she shifted at his intensity.
"What is it?" she asked with a sigh. "What have I said wrong this time?"
"Nishani, you must make a choice."
"What choice?"
"You must choose to remain with me or to return to your home."
"You would send me home?" she asked, puzzled. "But I thought I was supposed to save the planet."
"You must choose to stay or return," he repeated.
"Won't Anshan die without me?"
"You cannot remain here at my will," he said with some difficulty. "You must remain here at your will. Or you must go home."
Realization made her blanch. Disbelief and sorrow crossed her face as she began to understand her options. If she chose to stay, she would never see her home again. If she chose to leave, his home would be destroyed. It was not a decision he envied; he alone knew what a burden it was to know the fate of a planet and its inhabitants rested upon his shoulders.
"I thought … I thought …" Her voice cracked. She drew a deep breath, cleared her throat, and asked, "I can't do both?"
"No."
Her gaze slid to the stone floor. She stood and paced, and emotions flew across her face. A'Ran was uncertain what to expect but found himself disappointed she didn't instantly volunteer to stay.
"I need … I need to think… about this," she managed. Her eyes welled with tears, and she ducked her head, turning white, then red. "You want me … to walk away from everything I know, my family … I knew it was possible, but I didn't think I'd have a chance to go home at all … but still, I couldn't leave a whole planet to die!"