Selene pushed past the door the delicate sound of the sea and lite music resonated through her ears as she walked through a straightforward enough route which inevitably lead her to the heart of the ship. She pushed through another set of doors and found herself in a room similar to the last but the accommodations were able to acomodate far fewer. To her surprise the room was vacant bar one bottle of wine and two glasses.

No sooner did the door close behind her and she came further in to the room did she here the voice.

"It has been eternity waiting for you here my sea Lilly." His voice rang out as his arms wrapped around her with him standing behind and pulling her to his chest.

“Au-Aurelio?!” Was all that escaped past her ruby painted lips, shock plain across her face as she turned slightly to look at him, “But, if you’ are here, then...!” It didn’t take much time to sink that the elusive Doge of Venice was someone she knew nearly intimately. Trembling, she clasped both her hands over one of his, “You’ve been hiding in Venice all these years?”

He nuzzled against her it took a few moment for him to so much as acknowledge her words outside of the moment his breath was a soothing kind of cool as he was breathing against her.

"I am indeed the Doge, or at least I have been for many years now. I took up residence here to be a part of the world but still separate when I needed, it is a perfect city for those looking to escape." He spoke with a sense of peace in his words as his fingers laced with hers and his grip held her close.

"I see though I am not the only one who has found solace in the Danse Macabre but now we have found one another again. Not a moment has passed in my mind without a thought of you since the Masquerade so long ago." His words were full of sincerity and sentimentality.

Selene breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she relaxed against him, “I understand why you lied in your letters, but we could’ve continued to message one another?” She knew even before she spoke, it could’ve never worked. She thought Aurelio married and with children of his own and a life that she was shunned from. She couldn’t grasp it then, but after decades, she had realized that he was saving her a lifetime of longing, but things were different now, “I’m sorry, we’re not here to talk of such things...”

"What I am, makes keeping people close dangerous at best but with the the conflux of events being what they are, we can resumes where we once were, my eye need not loose your light." His words were like honey in their sweetness as his embrace remaind as tender as she could have remembered.

"We will have ample time Selene to discuss our past and everything that leads to our future." His words were spoke filled with deep emotion and a sense of deep relief.

“Not everything is as it once was... I...” she looked at her hands, devoid of the stolen wedding ring, “But shouldn’t we begin with why the emperor has sent me here?”

Selene felt like she could melt into his embrace forever, but she was also torn with her emotions. She had devoted herself to Haloise, as such their vows... But Aurelio was an enigma to Haloise because she spoke so little of her love lost.

"Diligent you your duty." He noted her professionalism "Things have changed since we last could hold one another but my feelings for you remain the same." He held her tightly and whispered to her.

"I would almost think your Emperor knew my identity and our connection." He said with some jest before giving a lite kiss just on the back of her neck.

Selene practically swooned as his lips touched her skin, “I... I was abandoned... And there were complications...” She was nearly in tears as she recalled everything that had happened after his final note to her, “I never stopped being in love with you... But I was nearly forced to marry the monster who killed my sister... and even now I... I have a husband, but this...” Selene felt weak, as though her heart was shredded, but she couldn’t hide her feelings, “Aurelio I love you.”

Selene pulled her hands over her face, concealing the blush and few escaped tears and waited for the rejection she knew had to come. Haloise had made a mistake sending her here. She had ruined everything.

He patiently listened to each and every word as it came from her the depth of her sorrow affected him and he held her even tighter as she spoke. A silent pain ran through him as she made mention of her marriage, of the misery she suffered because he was not there for her. He could hardly hold it against her for finding another it was only natural, a sliver of jealousy ran through him a certain undeniable desire for her to be his yet he understood and he knew how she felt telling him all of these things, he held her close.

"I never stopped loving you." He said on a whisper to her "I am sorry for everything m, that I could not be there for you but we are together again, I leave it in your hand what we can make of it." He spoke close to her ear a tremor of emotion running through his words.

Selene was breathless as his words traveled across her skin, her anguish temporarily displaced. She had no idea what to do. But surely if Haloise could love her and Xaver the same, couldn’t she too love Haloise and Aurelio the same.

“It is through no fault of your own,” she held his hand tightly, “I know that you took the actions you did to save me from pining for you, not that I ever truly stopped. But...” she took a deep breath, “My husband... the emperor and I... we are not forbidden to have other loves in our Requiems.” Selene couldn’t believe what she was saying, but it was certainly a truth of their house. She had to hope that it wouldn’t be impossible for Aurelio to stay in her eternity, she had to hope to make Haloise understand even if it meant divulging a past that may he hurt him, as much as she didn’t want to.

The Blood Rose probably would’ve been in less distress if she was being quartered.

"I would love you until the final star in the night sky grew dim and without condition." The words pored from the deepest parts of him and he continued to hold her close

"I have missed you so very much, there is so much to tell I do not even know where to begin." He said with some levity "Might I offer the lady a drink and a seat." He gestured just ahead of them.

“I... Ye-yes please...” Selene stuttered at the beauty and sincerity of his words. The world seemed to be spinning around the two of them as the moment became surreal, like a dream, “Please... tell me everything.”

Slowly they made their way to the two chairs and small table that has been arrayed for them, not a moment passed where his hand did not hold hers as he offered her a seat and filled her glass then his.

"Before we get to stories and business, a toast to us finding one another again, the sea cannot be complete without its moon." He said raising his glass to her.

Selene blushed deeply, but held her glass to his, a smile flourishing across her lips, “To us.”

As she looked at him, Aurelio seemed to be the only thing in her vision that wasn’t obscured by her dream-like state. He was crisp and clear even when not directly in her line of vision. Everything else surrounding them, the table, the chairs, the walls and decorative objects were almost indestinct, with blurred lines and details. Never before had she experienced anything quite like it. It was all magical, even the gentle sway of the ship.

His glass came against hers and then to his lips the small amount of liquid quickly passing.

"To forever." He added after the wine and his lips found hers for a delicate kiss, he then took his place beside her where he looked at her as if a miricale sat before him.

Selene tasted the wine, savoring the taste as it rolled on her tongue. After the sweet affection from Aurelio, she averted her eyes from his gaze as it was so intense. She fingered the stem of the wineglass, tearing through her mind for all the things she could ask, but nothing came to the forefront. She opted for a second taste of the crimson liquid, again letting a few precious beads of the wine roll over her tongue, but one slipped out spilling from the center of her lips.