NOAH
Ready to continue on about his children should Zavien ask more of them, Noah was caught off guard by the dragoon's sudden shift. Glacier eyes followed the other man's and he turned fully to see what he saw.
Noah's breath caught in his chest. The rose lay cradled by the dirt, its petals soft as breath, untouched by grime. A gift of Vi, rare and radiant. It pulsed with quiet divinity, humming like it knew what it could heal—what it could save.
Talyson.
Noah could still hear the rasp in Alys' voice, the strain she tried to hide. This rose could pull it out. Pull him from the darkness left by the void. Take away the touch of Vox. It could fix him. And gods knew, after everything, Alys deserved that much.
But so did the city. His eyes widened some as Zavien exploded with hope and relief. His jaw tensed. He wanted to be selfish. To choose the man who’d bled beside him on ice and battlefield alike. But the weight of the rose before them felt heavy. Noah's arms felt heavy at his sides even as he dropped to one knee at the rose, across from Zavien.
Quietly, Noah began to harvest the divine flower. He gently dug his strong fingers into the dirt and loosened the edges around the plant. Heat rose within him and he swallowed, eyes moving up to Zavien. "My friend--" He started, and then stopped, jaw feathering again as he closed his mouth.
Noah's breath caught in his chest. The rose lay cradled by the dirt, its petals soft as breath, untouched by grime. A gift of Vi, rare and radiant. It pulsed with quiet divinity, humming like it knew what it could heal—what it could save.
Talyson.
Noah could still hear the rasp in Alys' voice, the strain she tried to hide. This rose could pull it out. Pull him from the darkness left by the void. Take away the touch of Vox. It could fix him. And gods knew, after everything, Alys deserved that much.
But so did the city. His eyes widened some as Zavien exploded with hope and relief. His jaw tensed. He wanted to be selfish. To choose the man who’d bled beside him on ice and battlefield alike. But the weight of the rose before them felt heavy. Noah's arms felt heavy at his sides even as he dropped to one knee at the rose, across from Zavien.
Quietly, Noah began to harvest the divine flower. He gently dug his strong fingers into the dirt and loosened the edges around the plant. Heat rose within him and he swallowed, eyes moving up to Zavien. "My friend--" He started, and then stopped, jaw feathering again as he closed his mouth.
I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm
