"Let me help." I'Karis said. "I haven't really got much else to do."

The three spent some time working on putting the changing table together, unfortunately it was just as difficult as the crib. "Holy shit, who designed this thing?!" I'Karis groaned.

"You're the one who picked it out. I don't even see why we need one, it's not like we're going to need it for all that long."

"Astien gave me te list, I just got the things on it. I got the nicest one I could find, I didn't think I'd be putting it together."

Marius nodded and squinted at the instructions.

I'Karis turned to Delas. "Why don't you step outside, kid? Leve the grown ups to talk."
Delas opened his mouth to object, but left the room after I'Karis gave him a terrifying glare.

"Hey Marius," I'Karis said. "If the board does decide Astien's a danger, if they do decide to try and kill him, what would you do? Sure, it's easy to say you'll follow someone anywhere they go, but wen push comes to shove, if they decide that he needs to die, along with anyone who gets in the way…" he paused. "Do you think you could really die for him?"

Marius thought for a long while. "I would. I really would."

"Then what would be the point? Of him loving you, you loving him. You'd be dead and he'd be alone. Like you never came into his life at all."

"He would do the same for me... wouldn't he?"

"Probably. But does that matter? One of you would still be dead, and the other would be alone. So what would the point be?"

Marius sighed. "I don't know if I could go on with out him though."

"All the more reason I don't understand. Yeah, you're giving your life for them, and that seems noble and selfless, but in the end all you're doing is rendering it all pointless. And you're leaving someone you care about alone."

Marius sighed. "I just hope we never get in to that situation."

"I guess that's all you can really hope for." I'Karis sat back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. "I'll be honest, love is something I've never been able to understand. Aralith says it's because I've never felt it. Loke says some people are just idiots that way." He sighed.

"I'm sure you'll find somebody."

I'Karis simply hummed in response. He kept looking at the ceiling, lost in thought until he finally spoke again. "I don't get it. You meet someone and suddenly you're ready to die for them? What could honestly make someone think that's a good idea? I don't mean to sound selfish, but if the point of love is to be with someone, then why would you let yourself die? You just meet someone, and suddenly you'd pull the moon from the sky? That just sounds stupid."

"Love does that to people," Marius said.

"Is that so? Must feel rather torturous to be in a position where someone else has such control over you."

"I think it's quite beautiful," Marius said.

"Well, like I said. I don't get it."

Marius nodded and went back to trying to assemble the changing table.