"The Field of Flowers?"

"A new eternity for all to enjoy," Axis said. "Peace forever more with your loved ones. Imagine, lying in WolfStar's arms amid the lilies, the stars whirling overhead, nothing but you and he, he and you, for all eternity ..."

"Oh," StarLaughter breathed rapturously.

"And all you must do," Axis whispered, "is to join WolfStar beyond the Gate of Death."

StarLaughter stared at him, her eyes wide.

"A small, trivial thing," Axis continued, still very quietly, very persuasively.

His eyes blazed into StarLaughter's, with hope, she thought.

"A small, trivial thing," she said. "He waits just beyond ..."

"Just beyond the Gate of Death. Waiting, just for you. Loving you, but weeping that you made such an awful mistake that threatened your eternal happiness together."

StarLaughter thrust her hands against her face. "How could I have been so stupid!"

"Everyone makes mistakes. Fortunately, yours is easily rectified."

StarLaughter nodded, her eyes filled with determination, and Axis slowly lifted his sword and presented it to her in ceremonial fashion, blade in his left hand, hilt extended over his right forearm crossed under the sword.

StarLaughter dropped her eyes from Axis' face and stared at the sword.

"Such a small thing," Axis said, "to be able to join him."

She said nothing.

"Think of your love, and the joy that will be yours forever more, ever more. It is destined."

"Destined," StarLaughter murmured, and tentatively grasped the hilt.

"Destined," Axis said.

Still StarLaughter hesitated. "But ... but our son. I have to get my son! WolfStar and I can't exist without —"

"Oh, rest easy, StarLaughter. I am sure that your son will join you shortly. Don't worry about it. But there is one other thing ..."

Axis reworked his expression into one of deep sorrow. "Of course, if you don't join him soon, WolfStar shall have to make do with whoever he can find. Zenith, I should imagine. After all, you sent her with him. Another awful mistake."

StarLaughter hissed in fury, and she seized the sword and drew it from Axis' care. "She shall not have him!"

"Not if you hurry," Axis agreed.

Utterly determined, and driven by her love and jealousy, StarLaughter changed her grip on the sword, pointing its blade towards her. Hurry, she had to hurry!

Without further thought she drove the blade deep into her bely.

She froze, then looked at Axis, her face a mask of bewilderment, her hands still wrapped about the hilt of the sword. "It hurts."

He shrugged a little. "Death always does, it is part of the rite of passage, I think. Pull the blade free then plunge it in again, twisting this time. Remember WolfStar waits for you."

"Yes ... yes." StarLaughter tightened her grip, and pulled the blade free.

She screamed, and began to shake violently. "There's ... there's so much blood."

She took a gasping, sobbing breath. "The pain ..."

Axis made no comment, but his eyes were bright with hate as they stared at StarLaughter.

"Why is there so much blood, and so much pain?"

"It shows that it's working. Death is opening its Gate for you. Surely you will soon see WolfStar, waiting for you. Go on, plunge the blade in again. Deeper, until you can feel it scraping against your spine."

StarLaughter frowned, then, biting her lip in determination, she took as firm a grip around the hilt as she could, and plunged the blade in again, deep, deeper yet, her face contorted with agony and determination and insane, misplaced love, and gave the blade a massive twist.

Her mouth dropped open with a low, wailing cry, and her eyes stared violently.

She stilled, shuddered, then dropped to the ground.

Axis stared down.

StarLaughter was still alive, but only just. "Can you see him yet?" Axis asked.

"He's just beyond the Gate," StarLaughter murmured happily, and died.

WolfStar was not pleased to see her at all. He fought, furious, but StarLaughter had her claws inhim now, and he could not wrest himself free.

Fate had bound them for eternity.

"The Field," she whispered, and her fingers tightened around his arm.

And so they approached the Field, the husband and wife, their voices raised in acrimoniousmarital dispute.

They approached the Field, but they did not enter.

They could not.

A thin, pockmarked man, incongruously dressed as a butler, stood before a latched gardengate.

He crossed his arms over his chest, and in a stern voice he said: "Go away. The Field rejectsyou."

"But —" the husband began.

"Go away."

"We demand entrance!" the wife cried in shrill tones.