// but darling you are a river //
Despite the season, Lena hadn’t been able to stop shivering – that quiet taking starting from the inside and pouring outward through desperate fingers and quivering limbs. Hustling into the inn, her first thoughts had been on their bags and belongings, of hastening them into the port, of immediately flying off to home and figuring out where to go from there. Who had survived, who needed aid, who could –
Her eyes widened slightly, remembering where she was for a moment, and nodded politely to the innkeeper. “Thank you,” she echoed, and then they were suddenly in the room, and Koa’s letter awaited.
She let Zavien hold it, parse through, while she collected their things. Mittens rumbled and hissed from the corner, clearly agitated by her restlessness, but while things were in her hands, he glanced up at her, and she took it, ignoring the way the parchment fluttered in her grasp. “If this letter reaches you before you reach Stormbreak, do not come home,” to which she immediately fought a hot flurry of tears threatening behind her eyes, wallowing onward as she swallowed down the ash in her mouth. “There is nothing to be done. Casualties were fewer than last time. We’re getting everyone out that we can. Your families are safe. The Celestine is intact.” And perhaps those words were the only thing keeping her from drifting apart in the eaves of the room. “Those who can’t fight are being sent to Torchline. Those who can, to King’s End. You’ll find me there, Koa.”
Her eyes widened slightly, remembering where she was for a moment, and nodded politely to the innkeeper. “Thank you,” she echoed, and then they were suddenly in the room, and Koa’s letter awaited.
She let Zavien hold it, parse through, while she collected their things. Mittens rumbled and hissed from the corner, clearly agitated by her restlessness, but while things were in her hands, he glanced up at her, and she took it, ignoring the way the parchment fluttered in her grasp. “If this letter reaches you before you reach Stormbreak, do not come home,” to which she immediately fought a hot flurry of tears threatening behind her eyes, wallowing onward as she swallowed down the ash in her mouth. “There is nothing to be done. Casualties were fewer than last time. We’re getting everyone out that we can. Your families are safe. The Celestine is intact.” And perhaps those words were the only thing keeping her from drifting apart in the eaves of the room. “Those who can’t fight are being sent to Torchline. Those who can, to King’s End. You’ll find me there, Koa.”
Lena
// but you will never stop; you flow //
