Lost in his own memories of what he had seen and what he would return to once his errand in the Grounds was finished, he did not immediately notice how her hands shook. Not until she spoke, voice barely above a whisper, did he focus on her face - truly focus. "Thank you," he said simply, both to her sympathy and to her promise.
And to her optimism. He was not sure he had energy to spare for optimism, or the certainty that help would be forthcoming from the Hollowed Grounds, but he had made his plea. It was out of his hands now.
That she cried for his people, though... he bowed his head deeply at that, accepting the depth of her emotions when his own were so exhausted that it was hard to feel anything beyond numb. There would be time later, to grieve. To mourn. To be a man and not a King.
But that was a long ways down the coast, yet. And many a mile still to swim before he reached it.
"No," he said to her kind offer for provisions, with a small shake of his head. And then he paused, drew a deeper breath, and said again in simple candor to her next question: "No." He raised his head to meet her eyes without flinching. "But right now, no Torcher is."
And to her optimism. He was not sure he had energy to spare for optimism, or the certainty that help would be forthcoming from the Hollowed Grounds, but he had made his plea. It was out of his hands now.
That she cried for his people, though... he bowed his head deeply at that, accepting the depth of her emotions when his own were so exhausted that it was hard to feel anything beyond numb. There would be time later, to grieve. To mourn. To be a man and not a King.
But that was a long ways down the coast, yet. And many a mile still to swim before he reached it.
"No," he said to her kind offer for provisions, with a small shake of his head. And then he paused, drew a deeper breath, and said again in simple candor to her next question: "No." He raised his head to meet her eyes without flinching. "But right now, no Torcher is."
