And somewhere along the line, Marius had fallen in love with someone else. It had agonized and terrified him at first. She could well remember the day he had come to her, tears in his eyes and remorse filling his heart. He had done nothing, of course, but the mere act of loving another woman had nearly torn him apart. Marisol had listened to his tale with a kind smile, and when he was finished and waiting for her reaction, she had taken him into her arms and told him of the woman that she had once loved; a secret that she had kept from him for nearly a thousand years.

He hadn't been surprised by her admission, though he had been surprised that she had chosen to share it with him. It had sealed a bond between the two of them that nothing could break, and, secure in the knowledge that he would always love her very much, Marisol had actively encouraged him to speak to the woman he'd fallen in love with. She knew how difficult it was to live knowing that you couldn't be with the person you loved, and she enjoyed seeing the happiness in Marius and Cassia’s eyes when they were together. The strength of their love had helped to soothe an old wound that had been festering for many years.