User blog comment:Doctor Ibrahim/Ask the Doc and his Family!/@comment-30014014-20180218051709/@comment-28358106-20180307014025

"O-oh, I'm not too worried," Lucida says with a self-effacing chuckle, "I just always pride myself in being able to understand fauna.  I mean, I'm no expert, butI hope I can change that in myself."

Now clearly relaxed, she sets her lutes aside and scootches back, until she's closer to a hummock. She reclines, her tail twining up as if she were crossing her legs in relaxation. She brings her very tip up, close to her reclining torso, and places her hand, where Gladus now rests, close to it so that he might have a better platform.

"It's a little strange, though, and almost gratifying." She looks around dreamily, her obsidian and ruby eyes looking among the treetops. She places a new cookie, an almond windmill, close to Gladus so he can have one. "I always knew what the calls of the animals meant, so it's not all that different.  I mean, YOU sound different, but that's because you're different yourself.  I know what that's like, not being understood most of the time."

She takes a bite of one of her own windmill cookies, speaking to Gladus indirectly.

"It's like a whole different world, isn't it?"

Thomas' looks at them both with bright eyes and a broad smile. Antoinette has picked up a napkin and is discreetly dabbing her eyes, tryimg not to weep that the beautiful story.

"Loving each other, growing in each other...it's unlike anything else.  But in all honesty, Jester, I can think of no better man she could be with, and I'm sure she agrees."

He reaches up and takes Antoinette's hand in both of his, pressing it to his own cheek.

"Sometimes we need time to understand the devotion that others see in us.  And when we find it, we wonder just how blind we must have been before, and how unworthy we feel in having it."

The modest Saintaur shakes her head, smiling as she sniffles and dabs her eyes.

"Non, my Lord, I would have been the same whether you accepted or declined me.  It was not my place to choose.  On ne dit pas au soleil de briller plus fort, ou de dire à la pluie de descendre plus fort. Mon amour pour toi aurait été le même.  I will always love you no less than I always have.  And I know Alex feels the same way about her beloved."