<span style="font-style: italic">When we were small...</span><br/><br/>What a memory indeed...<br/><br/>Ithos' gaze turned to the painting too. Many times his mind swirled around those memories of his boyhood. He was but a little kid, curiously running around the village, exploring everything that seemed strange and new. One of his favorite place was the beach. All these different shells, the soothing sound of waves, the azure color of the sea, changing to gold and then red as the sun descented more and more from his sky - throne. Sometimes Ithos would lie on the soft sand all afternoon or go near the rocks to search for crabs and tease them but never torture them.<br/><br/>And then she came...<span style="font-style: italic">Out of the blue</span>he thought and couldn't help but smile. At first he would watch her. Spy on her as the little girl came closer to the shallow waters day by day. He had never seen such a being. Only stories he had read about mermaids. Who was so lucky as to see a real mermaid on the shores of his village. Sometimes he thought she saw him too and he wanted to leap out of his hideout and go next to her. Ask her name and whether they could be friends or not. All those innocent question children do to each other. And one day he did. Little Ithos just came out, their eyes met and, until he was but a breath away from her, never looked away. He could feel it now. The memory of their glances becoming one gaze. He said his name and heard hers - merely a whisper from a sea-child that spoke to a kid of the land-<br/><br/>Ithos couldn't say anything else. His small hands were holding a white shell. He just stretched them and, with a blush on his cheeks, he gave it to her. Her name was Anahita. Even now he blushed a little remembering his move, all innocence and shyness from his part. After that everyday he spent on the beach, waiting for Ana to "come when the sun was going". That was the words of their secret meetings. After that...after that he just could not remember...What had happened? How did their paths became different? Why did he left?<br/><br/>He couldn't remember, but there was one thing he knew now... He wasn't going to leave her again. His thought became words. Soft, conforting words full of strong feelings.<br/><br/>I can't remember what made us part our ways, but I promise you... I will never leave you again Ana...<br/><br/>His hands gently turned her so their eyes met once again. He felt the very same connection, even stronger now. Softly he took the rose from her hands, brushed the right side of her hair back and put the rose on her ear... "I know I shouldn't have taken it, but it looks very nice on you..." he said smiling gently.