Chapter 271: About To End
John Rigen's perspective
Day 25 of the Second Winter
December 25th, 1177 - God's land - Euro Grant - 8:33 AM
Till this time, two days have passed since that incident happened according to me. Right now, we're staying on this island, waiting for all races' representatives to end their alliance meeting. An alliance is about to be formed, soon. We are going to have a battle against the invaders from the sky, we'll protect this world.
The voice that sounded in our minds was actually an emergency message that Kaori and Amanda had sent to all Euro Grantians. They're hopefully waiting for those people to fill the alliance pact. One day after this, the invasion will come to all of us. With all hope, I hope that this world is gonna be saved, although it's now targeted by the Goddess.
"Urgh...?". - I woke up from my short nap after that
I look around, then see my wife looking at me. I realize that my head is on her thighs, she is gently cuddling my face. I want to have a moment to be sweet with her but... maybe I should keep my eyes on the mission now. We are having a trip with these Madame Deities to get inside the Sword Mountain, the location placed under the stone Palace.
"Princess, please hurry". - Sarah asked my wife to hurry to keep up with her
"Wait for me a bit...". - Shera replied to my subordinate, then slowly patted my head. "Get up, John... hehe". - She smiled at me
I slowly get up after that, then look around me. Right now, I'm standing before the Sword Mountain's entrance, we are about to head inside the place. I look around for more, and see Sarah and Hatano crouching before a stone slate for no reason. I approach 'em, my wife follows me from behind then holds my hand.
"What are you doing?".
"Ah, Commander...". - Sarah left the stone slate, she looked up to see me. "This mountain thing... we used to see it before, and I wonder if this thing is the same one we used to see in our world".
"?". - I made a wondering face to ask her to answer me
"You see...?". - Sarah pointed to a stone slate. "Two slates that we saw from our world are different from these, not even a single word on them".
"So what'd you mean? We're from the past or something?".
"Dunno...". - Sarah looked up to see me, she was unsure of her conclusion. "If this world is really having a connection to ours, then who had brought that Sword Mountain to Virginia in the ancient time till it was discovered in 1996?".
"Commander...". - Suddenly, Hatano got between our discussion as Sarah finished her words. "Get inside...". - She pointed to the Sword Mountain's entrance
"Eh, sis?". - She dragged Sarah to go with her after that
I start following my subordinates from behind. Shera and Reimi want to look around the Sword Mountain for more. But they have no choice but to keep up with me to get inside this dark place.
After we come inside the entrance to get into the Sword Cave, a black scenery appears before us. We turn on the lights from our Advisors to watch the location better. Amanda and Kaori can be seen standing beside a brown dirt wall. They stay silent as if to wait for us to come closer.
"You got them?". - Kaori suddenly asked me
"?".
"The jewels".
"Ah... here, mother". - My wife was a bit clumsy when she checked on my body, then she announced to my foster mom as she found the bag that was holding the blue jewels
Kaori doesn't say anything but looks at Amanda. Both of 'em nod and one then raises her palm toward a corner of the wall, she slowly presses it. The wall slowly opens before both of them. It appears to be a small hidden room from the other side of the wall.
The Madame Deities walk inside the hidden room, following them are two of my subordinates. I come inside without questioning them. Because they won't tell me even when I ask them, I'm pretty sure about it.
"What is this place...?". - Shera asked me when she was looking around the hidden room
"It's a hidden room, my Highness...". "But it's very odd to see from here, no torch, no guard, no door, only one room and a... pillar in the middle, what?". - Reimi replied to my wife, but she later kept her eyes on the stone pillar in the middle of the room. "Please, excuse me if I go without your order, my Highness". - Done saying, she rushed to the stone pillar
"Wow...". - Reimi returned to us after heading there. "How...? They look the same as the molds, these glowing things". - She inspected a glowing blue jewel while walking back to the pillar
"It looks the same as the room that got us to this world, Commander". - Sarah told me, she later dragged my hand with her to the pillar. "Look". - She pointed around, asking me to watch the room's scenery. "Here too". - She got me closer to the stone pillar
I stand before the stone pillar, I slowly look down to see its surface clearly. Ten small round molds placed around a small button in the middle. Just like the room that led us to this world, this room looks like the same. I wonder if our mission will really end here.
"Hey, Princess... eh...". - Sarah got her hand off me as my wife glared at her. "Hehe...". - She stepped away from me, smiling at my wife
"John, you should be holding my hand...". - My wife jealously reminded me
"This is a dimension machine...". - Kaori suddenly spoke up. "These jewels are used to travel from our world to this place". "It's also a time machine, we can change the time we travel... I'll guide you carefully on how to use it".
"Wait, what?". - I looked at Kaori to question her
"Is this the same one in Virginia, Sir?". - Sarah spoke up to ask Kaori
"Indeed, Private". - Amanda replied to her. "Someone had brought it to the ancient time, or I should say in the Cretaceous... a very long time that we don't even know". "The earthquake in Virginia had floated up the thing, as we see here". - She slowly held the pillar, looking at it. "I'll set up the time you'll travel to end your mission, don't change it at all costs, remember it". - She got down, crouching to do something to the stone pillar
"Wait, mother...". - My wife suddenly spoke up. "I don't know much about what you are saying but...". "If you mean this object is from the past, then we're now at the time it hasn't vanished". "Am I right?". - Wait, Shera... you mean we are living in the past or what?
Amanda doesn't reply to us but just focuses on fixing the stone pillar. After a short time doing that thing, she leaves the pillar and then looks at us. She raises her hand gently toward my wife. As if she is asking Shera to give her the bag that contains blue jewels.
"Ummm... yes". - My wife handed Amanda the bag
"There's something... that you shouldn't know... I can't answer you, my daughter". - She slowly opened the bag, then started pulling out every blue jewel. "The time has been set... two times to go, the second one will be automatically activated after the first one". - Done saying, she approached the pillar
"I'll guide you to use this thing once, children... listen carefully, okay?". - She gently spoke to us, she started placing the jewels in the molds after that
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I guess an hour has passed since the previous event.
After two of my foster mothers guided us on how to use the system inside the Sword Mountain, they left the place. Meanwhile, we were left inside the cave, having a blue diagram from them. We had to follow the diagram to go all over the place of the entire cave, and we had memorized them all.
Right now, we are outside of the mountain. We are already on the ground, and are walking inside of the Palace. We have a purpose to return to this place. Yura and other representatives are still in the meeting for the alliance pact, we're gonna visit her.
"Sis, can you go faster?". - Sarah complained with her older sister, because she was leading the group but she walked very slow
Hatano doesn't say back, she just turns around and approaches her little sister. Then drags her hand, Sarah has to follow her sister to lead the entire group. We don't pay much attention to that detail, we just keep our eyes on the road to head to the meeting room as soon as possible.
"Hey, John...". - My wife gently asked me when she was walking and holding my hand
"This world's about to end... but I haven't heard or seen much danger these days...". - Shera, disasters sometimes will come without a single warning or signal. "What do you think about it, John...? We'll be leaving this world tomorrow, or we'll stay to protect it?". - Of course I'll leave this world, Shera
I won't be dumb enough to choose the bad route to go. Now we are having that machine, we will return to a safe place when the disaster happens here. You will be there, Reimi will be there, my subordinates will be there, our child will be there too.
It's difficult to start a new life when we have to adapt to the future environment after we return there. But don't worry, Shera, I'll surely do my best. Our small family will surely grow big, we will have our kids and raise 'em. Everything will be alright, I will be with you till the end, Shera.
"I guess you want to return". - I haven't answered yet, but my wife answered it to me instead. "I honestly don't want to see my home destroyed... but I hope it'll be protected and become safe thanks to our moms". - She gazed at me, then hugged me gently to feel my warmth
"My Lord, may I ask you somethin'...?". - All of sudden, Reimi who was leading the way for us asked me
"?".
"I'm still stuck in this question, it's unanswered...". "Why do we can only use the machine when the disaster comes...?". "Why not now but when the threat has truly come to us?". "Isn't that way more risky?". - Reimi, not just you but we also have many unanswered questions
"Maybe there's a reason behind it, Reimi". - My wife explained to her servant. "Let's say that the machine can only be used in the emergency state, in normal state, using it is impossible".
"I hope your theory is right, my Highness...". - Reimi returned to keep her eyes on the road, then kept going
I look up to watch the hallway we are walking on, the meeting room is no longer far from us. Seems like it's more difficult than I thought, huh? Just a demand to keep the past and hatred away in order to form the alliance, but they haven't done it till this time.
"May I join, Commander...?". - All of sudden, Sarah slowed her movement to keep up with our speed
"Stop "Commander", you say it too much".
"Yeah, actually...". "About the theory that Princess wrote out earlier... isn't it failed too?".
"Why, Sarah?". - My wife asked her with a wondering face
"That time we just got stuck in there, that's all". "We pressed the button and the thing worked...". "Getting stranded in that situation can be also considered emergency...?". - Sarah got closer to my wife while walking, she gazed at her to find the answer
"It doesn't seem to be like it". - My wife replied to Sarah, she lowered her face a bit, trying to think of a proper answer
"Was your world really safe that time, Lady Sarah?". - Reimi kept her eyes on Sarah, asking her
"Yeah, it's pretty safe to me". "At least that isn't like in the Cold War, yeah... the world was very safe at that time". "Although there were tense moments among superpowers sometimes... but I think the world was still very okay".
"Superpower...?". - Shera raised her head, wondering
"Ahh, nothing nothing... it means a powerful nation". - Sarah replied to my wife
"There was a conflict in your world that the entire world was filled with ice and snow, Lady Sarah?". - Reimi, that isn't the true meaning of "Cold War" at all
The system of the Sword Mountain can only work when it is in the emergency state, huh? I also doubt that. But we can't do anything to prove it now. If we use it right now and we successfully get to our old world, the blue jewels that we used for travel will vanish.
If we don't test the machine but wait for tomorrow till the danger time comes, we can't also prove our theory too.
About the world in danger... sometimes war can happen without warning. The emergency state has existed since there is a deadly conflict between the two countries. My old friend - Cawess, his world happened the Third World War, and no one could know or predict when it would really happen.
"Mothers don't tell us anything, that's very bad". - My wife commented when she was nearby Sarah. "Maybe we should reconsider our theory". "But not yet, the question that I asked her when we were in that room hasn't been revealed too".
"The 1996 Virginia Earthquake and the machine appeared in l Cretaceous?". - Sarah guessed the question
"Yeah...". - My wife replied. "We have only these jewels, we can only have one go". - My wife pulled out a blue jewel from the brown bag that I asked her to carry. "Everything is still very blind and complicated, we shouldn't risk it to try this thing".
"Hey sis". - Hatano got to Sarah as she was walking around us. "Hey bye...". - Her older sister dragged her till they got on the path before us
I slowly walk forward while holding my wife's hand, then I see her staring at her servant for no reason. Turns out Reimi is looking at the meeting room ahead of us. Somehow the room's door has been opened. I look there closely and see people coming out, and they're now approaching where we are at.
"Oh, Yu". "How was it?". - Sarah waved at the prophet, she later came to her, hugging
"Yeah, I'm just a bit tired...". - The prophet enjoyed the hug from her friend, she sighed out a long line. "It's okay, the alliance has been founded". "But we don't have much time to do it, the invasion comes tomorrow but we haven't done anything big". - She loosed her body, feeling the hug from Sarah, somehow Hatano also joined her little sister to hug Yura
"To do what?". - Sarah asked her while patting her head
"Gathering the troops, setting up the defensive lines, asking the people and the remaining monarchs to believe the messages, many things we haven't done yet, you know?".
"Oh, it's not good, yeah...". - Sarah kept hugging her friend, her face clumsily trying to do something to console her friend
"This island is gonna be the most important location for us to defend". - All of sudden, a fearful but familiar voice came to us
"Brother?". - Shera was shocked to see the person that talked to us
I look at that man, he appears to be Hoster - my no more brother-in-law. He glares at me a few times, but soon ignores me and looks at his no longer little sister - Shera.
"Why are you here?". - I asked Hoster
"I'm the representative of the humans... is it enough?". - He talked without looking at me, then returned to look at his little sister. "This is the only last time I let it pass... don't ever see me again, I don't have a sister like you...". - Done saying, Hoster turned around then walked straight to a group of three people. "Don't let me see you again". - He threatened me, then only cared about that group
I stand there, watching the group that Hoster has just joined. There is Darker - the Demon Lord, a huge beastman, a dwarf, maybe, and Hoster, four in there. They seem to be standing together discussing something very serious. They seem to be the representatives of the five races in Euro Grant world.
"We must hurry, have to make an oath before the Divine Sword". - Yura said something and then got off Sarah, she walked faster and past us
"Divine Sword?". - I repeated the words, asking Yura
"It's what you call Sword Mountain, Sir". - Done saying, she walked faster
All of us have to follow the prophet to the location where we used to go to. Although it takes us a few minutes to get there, but those minutes have passed since we are now standing before the mountain. Representatives of five races are standing before the stone twin slate. They said that they would make an oath before one of these things, so I'm wondering what they are going to write on it.
"Is she going to write on it by using something like the non-attribute?". - Sarah wondered while watching the prophet - who is standing before one of the twin slate
"She's going to make those words on the slate, using her magic...". - Reimi talked to herself, she focused on Yura
Every representative is standing beside each other, one by one looking at the elven prophet. Yura stares at the slate for a while, then turns around to watch the people with her serious face. She goes closer to them, whispering something to the representatives. Soon, all of them whisper to each other.
"Alright, I understand...". - After a moment, Yura got away from the group of people, she nodded. "Alright, I'm going to fill the thing...". - She announced to all of us, then returned to the slate, raising both of her hands toward its surface
A glowing yellow circle slowly appears before her palms, they target and brighten up the slate's surface. The prophet slowly closes her eyes, she opens her mouth calmly.
"To the Goddess of all, the one who created us, the one who rules us... we need you no more, all of us are free...". - Yura started saying slowly, words started appearing on the slate. "From now on, this world is ours... its fate belongs to us, we'll drive it ourselves".
"You leave us... and we don't need you... all races have founded a union". "It will lead, will drive this world to follow its own destiny". "Before you, we make this oath to promise, to swear that we are willing to free ourselves from you, Goddess". "Only a day left before you destroy us, you'll erase this world... the thing that you created, the thing that we, your children, depend on, rely on to survive". "We don't want to survive, we want to live in freedom and happiness... now we're free".
"Promise us... if we win, you have to leave us... we'll be free, so does this world...". "Farewell, Katia...". - Yura opened her eyes after that
The glowing yellow circle before her palms slowly disappears. The slate's surface has been filled with dense lines of words of the oath. Yura slowly walks toward the remaining slate, she reaches it and stops there. She raises her palms toward that slate, and that glowing circle starts appearing once again.
But this time, she doesn't say anything. The glowing circle vanishes after a short time. Yura slowly turns around and looks at me. Then she looks at every one of us, me, Sarah, Hatano, Shera, Reimi.
"Please come and print your name on the slate, Sir". - Yura told me to come
I approach the slate, others follow me. When I get there, Yura holds my hand, pressing it on the slate's surface. Seconds later, my name "John Rigen" has been marked clearly on it. Yura nods to me after that, as if to tell me to go away from the slate.
I return to my group and Sarah comes up. I don't look but just listen, Yura guides my subordinate the same way as she guided me, marking her name on the slate's surface. Sarah finishes her turn, then returns to us. Hatano comes up to do the same way, the remaining people also come up as it comes to their turn.
A short moment after that, the event has come to an end. Every representative turns around, slowly walking away from the slates. Everything here seems to have been over. Yura comes to us, waving to ask us to go. I look back to see the twin slate, then slowly turn around and go away.
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Shera Rigen's perspective - 9:29 PM
All of us honestly don't know when the invasion of the Goddess occurs exactly, we just know that it will occur in the next day. The God's land has been chosen to be the most defended area since it has an important role in winning against the invasion. Tomorrow, just a few hours after this. A new day will come after a few hours... however, it may also be our last day, no... I should say this world's last day, my home.
We know the invasion comes tomorrow, we know it occurs by having something appear in the sky. But we don't know when that thing will appear. We don't know, maybe in the morning, noon, afternoon or at anytime that day. We don't have proper information, we may die very suddenly before we can realize it.
"Hey, Shera...". - All of sudden, my husband called me when I was thinking in nervous
I can feel that John is hugging me very tight. I also hug him tighter than he does to me. Tomorrow, everything may come to the end. I just wonder if we can win against the Goddess or not, I just hope so. I don't want anyone to die in the battle tomorrow, especially John. My husband must live, I have a tight hope that we're gonna win.
"How is our cutie doing?". - John slowly rubbed my pregnant belly, sweetly caring about his child
"It's still a fetus, John, our child is too small to react...". - I sweetly said back to my husband, then tilted my head to his shoulder. "I wonder how long it's gonna take till our baby can respond to us... I want to hold it". - Slowly, I rubbed my belly with the hope to show our cutie unborn child to let it see the love of its parents
"Kiss...". - All of sudden, my husband kissed me hotly, he even grabbed and squeezed my breast gently
"You want to do it...? Hmmm, alright, John...". - I will humor my husband today, he really wants to intimate right now. "How naughty you are, hard like a rock... not yet, John". - I rubbed his groin, and felt that his boy was already hard. "Hehe... not yet, you must be patient, John...". - I pulled it out, slowly stroked his hard rod while reminding my husband to be patient
"Knock! Knock!". - All of sudden, both of us were startled when someone from outside knocked on the door. "My son, hey...". - Oh, that's mom Amanda, she came here to visit both of us. "May I come in right now, you two?".
"Ummm... wait a bit, mom". - Both of us immediately re-modified our clothes to be very polite. "Hmm...". - Maybe she can get inside now
"You can come in, mom".
The door opened as I announced to my mother-in-law to enter. Turns out not just her, but mom Kaori also follows her here. Greeting them with a bow, I wonder why my mothers come here. Somehow they just stare at both of us slowly.
"You two were making out...?". - Mom Amanda asked us innocently, which made me blush because of feeling embarrassed
"Oh, I'm sorry when we came here at the wrong moment". - Somehow mom Amanda gazed at me. "Shera, my daughter-in-law... I'm proud of you, please take care of my son well". "We couldn't take care of him properly when he was a child... please... give him real happiness".
"Yes mom...". - I nodded, swearing to her that I would fulfill the role of being my husband's wife, I also want to make him live in happiness
"I should be the one who has the right to say that". - Suddenly, John replied to mom Amanda. "You're caring, but always busy... while she is just beating me and yelling". - He glared at his second foster mom - Kaori. "I'm independent now, just leave me alone with my wife".
"John, please calm down...". - I told my husband to stay calm. "Maybe they've changed now, don't be harsh to y-".
"We don't beg for your forgiveness, my son". - Mom Kaori spoke up, then she slowly walked backwardly to the door's frame. "This is one of the rare moments to see you for the last time, please live in happiness, John...". - Done saying, our second mother-in-law walked away
"We just wanted to check on you to make sure that you're okay, my son". - Mom Amanda shortly spoke to us gently. "We'll miss all of you a lot... though we won't know what happened after that but...".
"Mom, I don't understand what you were saying".
"I hope you're okay, please stay safe...". - Finished her words, mom Amanda also walked away
"Reimi?". - My servant came in as our two mothers had gone away
"The Madames told me that you would like to say something to me... so I came, my Highness". - Did I really want to say something to Reimi...? Maybe they misheard or something
My husband suddenly keeps a space on the bed for Reimi to have a seat. Although I hate it when my rival is sitting nearby my husband, I don't want to make a fuss at all. Keeping him away from Reimi, I grab and hold his arms tightly. Somehow my time to please my husband has been disturbed once again, it's very annoying.
"I don't have anything to say to you".
"......". - Reimi stayed silent, she slowly put her hands on her knees. "I understand, sorry for disturbing you...". - She slowly got up
"Wait wait". - My husband suddenly grabbed Reimi's hand, he leaned closer to me after that. "Hey, Shera, please... please accept it this time, just let... you know".
"I'll never acc-".
"She wants a successor, a child to protect our kid". - Again, I must do something to convince my husband to leave that woman. "She becomes barren is my fault... now she just wants to have a baby". "She doesn't hold it, she doesn't hold me for herself, but I do". "Please, Shera, please, Reimi has no fault but I do, blame me, blame me". - My husband put my hand on his chest, as if to ask me to beat him to punish him for what he had done to me
"John, I know you have the fault already... but she shouldn't be ar-".
"Reimi has no fault". - My husband cuddled my face, begging me to accept his illegal relationship
"Please stop, my Lord". "Please s-".
"You two please stop!". - I yelled out very loud, I asked them to stop talking
A sudden silence later appears in the room, I lower my face to think. Reimi gets her hand off my husband, she wants to approach the door but he keeps holding her. Honestly, I don't have any serious hostility toward my servant at all. I only hate her because she keeps being around my husband.
But I've learned that she doesn't do that, only John always wants to keep her around him. Reimi is truly loyal to me, she doesn't have any goals of betraying me. From the time she was brought by my late uncle to the Frieden family to make her their child, her life was fated with chains and locks.
She doesn't have her own freedom, she has to live with the duty to protect me till her life ends. But it's not over, her descendants also have to hold that role, that very big duty. On the day we first time met John, I loved him but Reimi didn't have many feelings. Her feelings of loving my husband only sprouted when time to be with him went by.
When we returned to Warsaw after that day, I intended to make Reimi as my adopted little sister. But my jealousy, my greed for holding John made me rethink of that. Maybe I should loose the chance a bit, I don't want to hold Reimi in those chains.
I will be the key, she'll be free. Reimi has had it enough after living in this world for more than 20 years without a true freedom. Alright... I decide to free her, I will give her a chance to have a child with my husband, but that's her only chance to be with him.
"Reimi, you listen?". - I looked up, staring at my servant
"Ah yes, my Highness". - Reimi stopped resisting my husband but looked at me
"I see you've had it enough, now you're free".
"Huh?". - Reimi was confused, she approached me. "What did I commit to lead you to this decision, my Highness? You need me no more?". "Please don't do that, I have to fulfill my duty, I have to give you a successor to protect your children". - She asked me to give her pity, she kneeled on the floor, grabbing my hands like a dog to beg me
"From the beginning, you don't come from the Frieden family... you don't have their blood". "You're just a child picked by my uncle...". "I'm sorry when I have to ask you to follow me although that's not your duty from the very beginning". - I put her hands away from me. "You're free, Reimi... go where you want... become the person that you dream to be, alright?".
"I'm useless to you? You don't need me anymore?".
"I don't say that...". - I patted her head, trying to explain. "Your fate is locked, chained with me... meanwhile it's not supposed to be like that".
"Even when I'm free, I'll go where you go". - Reimi held my hand tightly, saying that she would forever be my servant even when I don't need her. "Please... please...". - She bowed before my hands, begging me
"I won't force you to do that... but I won't keep you if you want to go".
After I announced my decision, Reimi rushes to my leg and grabs it. She feels happy when I don't leave her. My husband looks at me, somehow his eyes seem to be a bit frustrated. Maybe he misunderstood my meaning, maybe he thought I intended to dump my servant.
"Hey, come up, come up...". - Then I slowly held Reimi's hands, lifting her up slowly
"You say that you want to give us a child in order to protect our children?".
"Yes, my Highness". - Reimi nodded to me
"Honestly I don't want to blame anyone but... you become like this is because of my husband". - I slowly got Reimi closer, hugging her. "I'm no more a Royal member, I'm no longer a Princess". "Thank you... you still follow me this time". - I tapped her back, praising her
"But the child doesn't ask you to bring it here". - I later grabbed her shoulders, faced to face to talk to my servant. "You're free now, your child is free too, you know? No need to put those chains in your feet anymore".
"But your children always need one to protect them, my Highness...".
"I know...". - I tapped her shoulders twice. "But promise this to me... if your child doesn't want to do this, do not force it to fulfill it, could you? Please... your child has their own dream, just like you".
"Yes, my Highness". - She nodded again
"Come here...". - I gave my servant a big hug
"Alright, go get John before I change my mind...". - If tomorrow is our last day, maybe I shouldn't be harsh to Reimi anymore. "John...". - Although I will likely be pissed off a lot, I have to give Reimi this only chance
"Ummm... it's so sudden...". - My husband sat beside me and grabbed my butt, he also secretly did it with Reimi
"Get down and... hey, remember to serve me first... her later...". - I asked my husband to lie on the bed, because we're going make out
"Hey, Reimi...". - I got down from the bed, now I want to remind Reimi of something. "You're having problem with having offspring, I know...". - I sighed a bit. "I don't want to stay outside when it comes to your turn so... I'll try to help you to succeed in it, okay?".
Reimi doesn't say anything, only her nods answer my suggestion instead. My servant blushes when I put her in the next situation to face to face with my husband, we'll be enjoying this long night until the next morning.