"I love life," said Prince Abir with a shrug. "And all the excitement we find here. Zaruk says I should try to be more spiritual, but spirits don't experience what we do. They can't taste a sweet goblet of wine, they can't savor a gazola wrap, they can't feel a blissful kiss, and they can't understand what it's like to make a mistake." Abir took another sip from the cup. "Even when spirits don't do what we like, it is because they are acting in accordance with their nature." He gestured between himself and Alden, "But we? We are mortal beings. We have life, and all that good and bad that comes with it. Including making mistakes. Including having to suffer guilt."<br/><br/>Prince Abir stared at Alden's lips from where he sat, and licked his own, making them appear just a little redder. "Why is it... why is it that people are so much quicker to accept the suffering of life than they are to accept the pleasures it gives. We experience something wonderful and we say, 'It feels like a dream,' but when we see something terrible happen we act like all is normal again? Why can't we just... take whatever joyous moments we want?"<br/><br/>The prince gave Alden a half-lidded stare, the dark outlines of his eyes making his golden irises seem to shimmer in the lamplight.<br/><br/>(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f8/a5/83/f8a583c7dcc5b7e85c1bbc6897ed6aaa.jpg)