tomorrow we fight.

ASHE    Amalia responded with a careful smile and disappearing to the back of the shop. As soon as she was out of sight, Ashe let out a heavy breath and slumped her shoulders, pinching the bridge of her nose. Why bother, why bother? The lightning girl was a much easier person to hate than to like. It was easier to be hated, sometimes.    She dropped her hand and looked up, and she blinked with a soft gasp. Floating, swimming through the air was a whale. A miniature version of the whales that crashed through the sea of Northwind, it trailed leaming stardust in its wake, crooning a soft sound that rang pleasantly in her ears. Ashe blinked with a breathless smile, eyes full of wonder as the glimmering whale turned upon its back. Her scarred, slender hand reached out to brush over the whale’s belly, unable to keep her smile down.    Then there was a laugh, and the once-assassin’s heart lurched as she drew her hand back. Amalia placed a bulging basket on the counter, and her brows shot up. ”That’s more than scones,” she commented, glancing again at the whale before she approached. She half smiled down at the basket as she explained the extra was for the Taliesin family. ”Sometimes I wonder if Aoife will end up eating more than the both of them soon,” she said wryly, placing her hand over the handle of the basket.    It was the offer to join the leopardess for lunch that caught her. Guarded eyes darted up, her whole body going very still. ”Lunch…” she replied slowly, almost a question. Ashe bit her lip and glanced down at the basket, the smells of the foods near to making her dizzy. Another deep breath, and she looked up at Amalia with a hesitant smile. ”Honestly, I’m starving. Do you.. go anywhere specific?” when you first see her, she will be light refracted, splintered divinity, some unlovely portrait of a goddess misremembered.