[se] opportunities to be gentle

Lena

and sweetest in the gale is heard
and sore must be the storm

She wasn’t certain how much more she had left in her, to extend her reaches so outward until there were multitudes of burdens across her shoulders and no relief, but she sighed a little, took in the silly, but somewhat peaceful and serene, scene. “They’ll be safe and secure in the Celestine,” was a promise; for the education and sagacity she could provide them, at the very least.

The Caretaker made no mention of loneliness, of sometimes feeling away and lost, of striving and faltering – they’d all seen enough of that recently. “I do. It’s peaceful.” For the most part, and she wouldn’t have to drudge up horrific memories of her sister crumbling beneath stones and towers; she made so with what she had, and not many bothered her unless necessary. Working to elude more factions and tensions had probably never been a grand idea, but it was all she had at present. “Do you live in the barracks?” Turning the notions back around on him, with a keen and tilted head; imagining the soldiers all presiding together, amongst and amidst protective walls.

Her fingers glided and shifted the bag of gummies closed, intending to save the rest for later. A light air of laughter flowed from her chest again at the insinuations, but she kept forging onward. “Oh, we have ursurs…dragons that come and go frequently…sometimes ghost whales…”

that could abash the little bird
that kept so many warm