ZARIAH
His sharp intake of breath did bring a fond smile to her lips. There was a reason she filed her nails to points, wearing them long and prettily painted; and he was it.
Slowly she glanced over at him a slight raise in her eyebrow. Clearly he couldn’t focus on the meat of her words because he didn’t have a basis of anything else. She sighed and put the ring back on her finger. The Merciless considered him for a moment, reconsidering her moment of dismay. Why did it matter that he did not remember? It did not change her affection for him. It did not change that their son was in the Hollowed Grounds. She was his inevitable future, and he would be hers again. Zariah would not allow herself to wallow in pity when all that she had wanted sat but mere feet from her. He was hers, whether he remembered or not. Zariah walked back over to him, seating herself on his lap. Whether he remembered or not she wanted closeness to him. She tilted her head so the side of it rested on the back of the chair, gazing at him with a fondness in her eyes, even if the rest of her expression was blank.
”That is because very few appeared outside the Hollowed Grounds.” she said, exhibiting a patience she had never had before. ”A great many of us appeared inside the barrier. Lots from Northaven, but others from other worlds as well. It was the doing of a goddess known as the Voice who was trapped there. We were brought her to help free her, and in Flowerbirth we did so.” she said, pausing, watching him absorb the information. She was studying him, relearning every line, every hair, every hint of color and shadow that made up his handsome face. She smiled a little, briefly, lifting a hand to his cheek and letting her thumb slide across it. ”Soon enough you will see many more. Edrei, Beatrix – they are back in the Hollowed Grounds still. Jace is there too, so you can meet your son for the first time. You will not be alone amongst strangers anymore. Your family is here.” she said soothingly.
She laughed lightly at his quip, as unhelpful as it was. ”As if you ever questioned the quality of your taste.” she said dryly, rolling her eyes a little. She held his gaze quietly for a moment, soaking him in. ”I wish you remembered though.” she admitted quietly, barely more than a whisper, another glimpse of her self before it was brought back behind her perfect porcelain mask.
Slowly she glanced over at him a slight raise in her eyebrow. Clearly he couldn’t focus on the meat of her words because he didn’t have a basis of anything else. She sighed and put the ring back on her finger. The Merciless considered him for a moment, reconsidering her moment of dismay. Why did it matter that he did not remember? It did not change her affection for him. It did not change that their son was in the Hollowed Grounds. She was his inevitable future, and he would be hers again. Zariah would not allow herself to wallow in pity when all that she had wanted sat but mere feet from her. He was hers, whether he remembered or not. Zariah walked back over to him, seating herself on his lap. Whether he remembered or not she wanted closeness to him. She tilted her head so the side of it rested on the back of the chair, gazing at him with a fondness in her eyes, even if the rest of her expression was blank.
”That is because very few appeared outside the Hollowed Grounds.” she said, exhibiting a patience she had never had before. ”A great many of us appeared inside the barrier. Lots from Northaven, but others from other worlds as well. It was the doing of a goddess known as the Voice who was trapped there. We were brought her to help free her, and in Flowerbirth we did so.” she said, pausing, watching him absorb the information. She was studying him, relearning every line, every hair, every hint of color and shadow that made up his handsome face. She smiled a little, briefly, lifting a hand to his cheek and letting her thumb slide across it. ”Soon enough you will see many more. Edrei, Beatrix – they are back in the Hollowed Grounds still. Jace is there too, so you can meet your son for the first time. You will not be alone amongst strangers anymore. Your family is here.” she said soothingly.
She laughed lightly at his quip, as unhelpful as it was. ”As if you ever questioned the quality of your taste.” she said dryly, rolling her eyes a little. She held his gaze quietly for a moment, soaking him in. ”I wish you remembered though.” she admitted quietly, barely more than a whisper, another glimpse of her self before it was brought back behind her perfect porcelain mask.
heavy is the crown
but never for a queen
but never for a queen
