When Remi commented on her hair, a small smile flickered on her lips just barely. In light of the situation, it was difficult to think about being able to even force herself to smile fully for a while. Gods, the humiliation bled from her bones, and she just wanted it to go away. It wouldn’t though, and she accepted it, deserved it, the punishment for... She couldn’t think about it.
Cel twisted her finger around her fiery locks and shook her head. ”Enchantment on my ring,” she said. ”My hair is black when I-“ She worked the ring off her finger and frowned slightly, realizing that blackness hadn’t taken over the vibrant color. ”Apparently there’s a lot about this place we have yet to learn.”
That should have excited her, should have gotten her stilled heart beating with anticipation. Learning was thrilling and one of her favorite things to do, but to learn about such a place... She was alone, afraid, and she really didn’t want to learn. She just wanted to understand before doing something she would truly regret. She slipped the ring back on her finger. As foolish as it was, even though she might not actually need it anymore, the piece of metal was her connection to her old life, to Archebold in his absence.
”Remi, I’m sorry,” she repeated. Cel couldn’t stop apologizing to him, and she would have done the same had Phoebe not run off - though it wasn’t like she could blame her. She never... She couldn’t... Gods...
The former duchess held tightly to her sword and shook her head. ”You don’t have to stay with me,” she said, her voice stronger than she thought possible. ”I can walk my own punishment, and I’ll do it with as much dignity as I can, but you don’t need to stick by me. You shouldn’t have been involved in that. It was my mistake for messing with something I didn’t understand. I thought the gods would be silent, as my Fire Goddess was in Northwind and Northaven, but I was wrong. I won’t drag you down any further. Please, go tell Ronin now. I’ll get myself clothed and under a roof, then speak to him myself, if he even wants to look at me after what I’m sure Phoebe will say.” Not like she’d blame her for anything she would tell.
Cel gave a small, extremely forced smile to Remi with a short nod. She didn’t need a hand to hold. Most of her life she had stood on her own, strong and unbroken with her beliefs behind her. She just had to make it through this particularly unpleasant step in the new world.
celosia
Bride of Darkness
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