Ben
She looked beautiful sitting with her feet swinging back and forth through the shallow waters of the brook. More beautiful than I had ever seen her, and I was pretty sure that was because she was happy.
Not putting it on. Not putting on a show or a brave face, Aspen was actually happy. It made me wonder how long it had been since she last was. Years? Months?
For all I knew, she had never felt true happiness in her life. That thought was heartbreaking, but I was glad she had found it with me. Even if she did seem at her most content here. Sitting by the shore of the little stream where she had first appeared to me.
I think it was because she felt close to them here. After all, it was some kind of portal. I just didn't know how it worked. Those secrets had been forgotten centuries
