"I'm leaving you, but I need a few things first." the woman told the man softly.

He looked quizically at her. "Where are you going love. You've not been out in the world in around a century, it will overwhelm you. His voice was gentle, not at all unkind, he was simply curious what had come over Cecily. It was so long since she had expressed an interest in anything.

"I know a few things about the world, your computer has proved most useful for that. Late at night while you slept I taught myself to use it. There are too many other things that I do not know. So you must answer my questions...."She was not sure what to call him. For as long as she could remember they had not used names, only pet names, beloved, love, my heart, and such things.

"I must? No, but certainly I will, but you don't compell me to. Ask then you seem serious today."he said with a soft sigh.

"I need things to go live out in the world. Identification, money, to know my name. So I need your help." she said, it almost sounded meek, but she was not about to relent on leaving.

"So you do. You need those things, and I have them, I have always kept up with such things for you. But you don't know your name, do you know mine then?" he asked her, this really did startle him, had he been so inattentive?

"I know neither, for so long we have used pet names, though the sentiment they once carried long ago died." she admitted.

He nodded, she was right, and until now, he hadn't seen it. He frowned and answered her. "I am Jubal.....Your name is Cecily. You do know you are not human, do you remember that much?" he asked in a very tired voice.

"Yes Jubal, I know I am not Human, as you put it, and that you are not either.....but we are different things.....I seem to remember." she answered.

"Yes, that's right I'm an elf and you are, well the most apt word is Angel, though really I'd describe you as some sort of light elemental being. What do you remember, we have lived together an aweful long time, do you remember?" He asked, his voice was getting thick and a few tears caught in the old man's eye lashes as he cried quietly. How had he not seen this coming?

"I remember nothing before you, You raised me, loved me, we had children, and their children in this house once, now there is only you and I and this aching loneliness. Do you not feel it? Or does your work with magic consume you that much?" there is no anger in her words, simply she is resigned to the truth of them.

"I have never felt alone, for you have been here, though I think you are right. In my consumption I have sorely neglected you. What do you wish of me? For I do love you still and so I am willing to let you go, if you believe you can find happiness." Jubal said, his voice was raw now and tears flowed quite freely.

"I believe I can find feelings outside yes. Here I feel dead, though you have not been unkind. Time simply passes around our mutual neglect of eachother. It was a very long time to be together though, wasn't it.....do you know how long?" her words were soft and tenative, she regretted hurting him, but this had gone on longer than it should have anyway.

"Most of your life, somewhere near three centuries, I am vague on the details myself. Forgive me, I never meant to let this all wither this way. I will miss you." he said.

"I need money, a bank account, take a trip with me, help me set these things up. If there is record of us being married, we should undo it." she said.

"No, we never married, but I will take you and help you, show you a bit about the world, so you can fend for yourself." he said.

"You could come with me." she offered.

Sadly he shook his head."For a time to teach you the rudiments, but my life, with or without you, is here."

"I understand." and she did, she had expected this. He rose from his chair and changed from robes into modern garb.

"Come." he told her softly and he led her to a closet, "Anything in here will be suitable for you to wear out. When you are ready I will take you." he left her then alone with the closet.
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"What do you think happened".....he asked her one day just before he left her forever in the world....


"I think our love burned itself out, it burned a long time with brilliance, but it ran out of fuel....we changed, our feelings changed, and I grew distant, couldn't feel, and you couldn't see. I am sorry." was her answer.

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Jubal spent a month in the world with Cecily, she learned all things quickly. He taught her to drive, manage her money, how to use a phonebook, the little details that make up modern life. When he was satified she had no use at all for him, he went back to his remote and now empty home.