“You are my sun, Ariel. You are the bird that flies above it. You are the light I cannot be—so let me be the shadow that keeps you pure. Let my hands be dirty so yours can be clean. Let my sleep be broken so yours can be whole. I’m not your nightmare; I’m the nightmare of anyone who would ever think of dimming one second of your shine. So this is my vow: I vow to keep you flying, ptichka. For as long as we both shall live.”
