Clef and Emerria walked silently through the dawn towards the springs. He had been silent since they had begun walking. Emerria turned to look at him. In the morning light his light lavender hair shone a little, and his eyes, though they were downturned towards the ground, still reflected the deep pinks and purples of the sunrise. She had been taking these morning walks ever since she had moved into Clef's house in the forest and become his apprentice, but she had never taken him with her before. This usually was her only break from the demanding sorcerer.

Clef walked slowly, though matching Emerria's pace. The only thing running through his mind was the nightmare. His face was pensive and he looked at the landscape in front of him without really seeing it. His face must have revealed this distress because suddenly Emerria stopped and looked at him as he continued walking.

"Master Clef" she said as he continued walking without her. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Hmm?" he answered as he continued to walk. "What?" Looking up, he noticed that his companion wasn't walking next to him. He turned to see Emerria standing approximately twenty paces from him.

"Dajoubu desu ka?" she asked, walking closer to him.

"Dajoubou, Eme-chan. Just a little distracted." He walked back to Emerria and took her hand. "Lets keep going on to the spring. I just don't feel like working today."

Emerria looked at him confusedly, but her body soared at hearing that today she would get a rest. Usually, the long, exhausting sessions of learning magic took all the strength she had and when she got into her bed at night, her body ached. Today would be a welcome rest. She continued, not noticing that she still held Clef's hand. They continued on at a reasonable pace and Emerria marveled at the beauty of the morning.

Reaching the spring, Emerria leaned over the calm waters at the edge of the banks and splashed water all over her face. She had taken to wearing a long green dress since she began her apprenticeship, and it was very hot sometimes. Feeling refreshed, she walked to a large rock and climbed up on to its top. She streached out along its wide surface and let the early morning sun seep into her pores. She sat still for a few moments until she realized that she could no longer hear the sound of Clef's footsteps walking around. She sat up and looked around, finding him across the spring from where she sat. She looked at him and began to laugh, seeing the expression on his face.

"Master Clef!" she said in between fits of laughter. "You look as though you've never seen me before!"

Clef again drew in his breath. "Eme-chan, kire desu...."

Emerria looked at him and her eyes widened. "Clef, you think I'm pretty?"

Clef shook his head as if it was filled with water. He couldn't have said that outloud. "Um....hai...I suppose." He sat down beside her on the rock and reached for her hand. "You've always been very pretty. But in the light, and sitting like that....You looked beautiful." he sighed. "It makes me wish I was artistic."

Emerria patted him on the head and then spread out her skirts. "Arigato, Clef. For some reason, that makes me feel so much better."

The pair sat by the spring until the sun reached its zenith, watching the greenery that was all around them. Emerria couldn't help but feel that this beauty was partly hers, since she was technically still connected to the earth in some way. She drank in the cool air, and reveled in the warm sunlight. To any passerby, she would look like a newborn babe that had never seen the forests before, and to some extent she was. Unlike her companion, Emerria was really only a year old. Having been created by the spirit of the earth, she had only been given this form permanently because Clef had willed her back from the brink.

Her thought of Clef interupted her reverie. She turned to look at the silent sorcerer at her feet and saw that he wasn't there anymore. "Clef!" she called out. Looking around the grove, she saw him in the distance, walking back towards his house. "CLEF!" The figure turned.

"Emerria..." he began as she ran towards him. "Emerria, I can't stay here at the spring and play all day. If you will remember, I have to meet with the others for council at the palace today. But you can stay here if you want."

"You were just gonna leave me here?" she asked.

"Well, you looked so happy."

Emerria looked at him with a pout. "I wanted to come with you."

Clef just groaned inward and picked up his staff. "Well then, come on. I have to get ready, and if you're going, so do you."