Whatever time she needed, he would give her. She watched the wave, and he turned his gaze to the sky, seeking the solace of the stars and the reminder of the reason for his hurt.
He had been afraid that he would lose her. And though she had come back to them from the Family's embrace, there was more than one way to lose a friend. He carried his pride close to his heart alongside his honor. Precious and dearly held. But not, he knew, more dear to him than the friendship and trust he had with his co-ruler.
In the relative silence of Aumakua, with only the hush of waves upon the beach and a few distant nightbirds from the coast to break it, Flora's soft voice was, even so, only barely audible. He turned back to her even as she turned to face him, and her words - her apology - cut through the last strands of the hurt and anger that had left bruises on his heart since they day Sohalia had delivered her letter to his office. Hadama drew a deep breath, feeling some of the weight he had been carrying lift as she extended her hand and he reached for it to clasp it in the warm, gentle grip of equals.
"Friends," he rumbled, peace returning to his expression. Not the mask but the true thing, his green eyes weary but warm once more as they found their way through the storm. "And co-rulers."
~Fin
He had been afraid that he would lose her. And though she had come back to them from the Family's embrace, there was more than one way to lose a friend. He carried his pride close to his heart alongside his honor. Precious and dearly held. But not, he knew, more dear to him than the friendship and trust he had with his co-ruler.
In the relative silence of Aumakua, with only the hush of waves upon the beach and a few distant nightbirds from the coast to break it, Flora's soft voice was, even so, only barely audible. He turned back to her even as she turned to face him, and her words - her apology - cut through the last strands of the hurt and anger that had left bruises on his heart since they day Sohalia had delivered her letter to his office. Hadama drew a deep breath, feeling some of the weight he had been carrying lift as she extended her hand and he reached for it to clasp it in the warm, gentle grip of equals.
"Friends," he rumbled, peace returning to his expression. Not the mask but the true thing, his green eyes weary but warm once more as they found their way through the storm. "And co-rulers."
~Fin
