ZARIAH
Neron's response did nothing to soothe her concerns for him. He obfuscated, he danced around the issue. In some ways it was surprising, given the impulsive loyalty they had beat into them since infancy. In other ways, it was so very Neron. "Such a lawyer you are, even atop a glacier; speaking alot yet saying so little." she said with a click of her tongue, as if to chide him.
But then she fell silent, considering him as she tried to piece together what had happened from what little he did say. It was clear that in some capacity, he had found himself in a position of repayment to some force - one he could not overcome on his own. It made her stomach lurch with guilt. "Do not apologize to me." she said lightly, finally rising from his lap with grace. But she didn't go far; she simply stepped in front of where he gazed. Gently she placed his chin between her thumb and curled forefinger, tilting his head up to meet her gaze if not met with resistance.
Then the rarest phrase in Zariah's vocabulary passed through her lips.
"I am sorry, Neron." she said, voice ringing clear with sincerity. "I have failed you. Had I known you were here I would have tried to come sooner, but ignorance does not excuse my shortcomings in this regard." She paused, allowing that to soak in. Trust needed to be rebuilt and secured. He had been on his own and under another's thumb too long with no hint of her existence. His place amongst a loyal family needed to be rekindled in his mind. With her free hand she reached out and stroked his hair as she had so long ago, as he lay on her lap, soaking wet from the wake up call she had given him. "But you are not alone any more, nor shall you be, and now that we are here, without our oath holding us back to a worthless crown, I will not see a single one of my family in chains ever again." Her voice was low and steady as she spoke. This was no grand proclamation, no ego boosting ideal. This was a promise, and Zariah did not make promises she did not intend to keep to her family.
"Tell me how I can help you. What is the situation, what did you promise? You needn't bear any burden alone again."
But then she fell silent, considering him as she tried to piece together what had happened from what little he did say. It was clear that in some capacity, he had found himself in a position of repayment to some force - one he could not overcome on his own. It made her stomach lurch with guilt. "Do not apologize to me." she said lightly, finally rising from his lap with grace. But she didn't go far; she simply stepped in front of where he gazed. Gently she placed his chin between her thumb and curled forefinger, tilting his head up to meet her gaze if not met with resistance.
Then the rarest phrase in Zariah's vocabulary passed through her lips.
"I am sorry, Neron." she said, voice ringing clear with sincerity. "I have failed you. Had I known you were here I would have tried to come sooner, but ignorance does not excuse my shortcomings in this regard." She paused, allowing that to soak in. Trust needed to be rebuilt and secured. He had been on his own and under another's thumb too long with no hint of her existence. His place amongst a loyal family needed to be rekindled in his mind. With her free hand she reached out and stroked his hair as she had so long ago, as he lay on her lap, soaking wet from the wake up call she had given him. "But you are not alone any more, nor shall you be, and now that we are here, without our oath holding us back to a worthless crown, I will not see a single one of my family in chains ever again." Her voice was low and steady as she spoke. This was no grand proclamation, no ego boosting ideal. This was a promise, and Zariah did not make promises she did not intend to keep to her family.
"Tell me how I can help you. What is the situation, what did you promise? You needn't bear any burden alone again."
heavy is the crown
but never for a queen
but never for a queen
