Amalia
only lonely hid the morning from the stars
✩
The idea that anyone would chide Maea for speaking ill of her (or, indeed, that Maea would spend her time wandering around and telling others of Amalia's sins) almost makes the baker laugh and roll her eyes; she settles for a wryly crooked smile instead. Shaking her head, the Shield picks listlessly at her sweet bun. "There's always better, Maea. Nobody's perfect - least of all me." Hadn't she proven that often enough when they were children, always too concerned with her own little squabbles to be a better friend, uncomfortable in sick rooms and preferring to roam out in the sun?
Quirking her lips, Amalia listens to Maea's reasoning, her gaze turned back up to the ceiling. The barb about her and Evie stings a little, causing her to close her eyes in tacit acknowledgement of her childish mistakes; the comments about not being a burden make her open them again, raising an eyebrow at the pale girl. The comments don't surprise Amalia, exactly, but they rub something in her slightly the wrong way. "It sounds like you've gained a lot," the baker says softly, looking at Maea with unreadable eyes. "I hope it's worth the cost."
Would Amalia change it back? It's hard to say, but easy, too, and though it pains her the Shield answers with a calm, simple honesty. "If going back would stop the Blight, and keep Safrin from dropping through the Spire? And save Aoife, and Remi, and the Tulmhainar, and the Greatwood? If it kept the Temple from falling? If me giving up everything I've gained would help protect the world?"
She sucks in a breath, turning her face back to the bed, to the useless legs beneath the sheets. She's paid such a high price already, and for what? What has she done to improve the world? Portal Guardian, Shield of Safrin, friend, sister, fiancee- all of her pride, all of her accomplishments, all of her happiness, all that she is-
"If it would help the people I love- yeah. I'd give it up. I'd go back. And I'd try to do things better."
Quirking her lips, Amalia listens to Maea's reasoning, her gaze turned back up to the ceiling. The barb about her and Evie stings a little, causing her to close her eyes in tacit acknowledgement of her childish mistakes; the comments about not being a burden make her open them again, raising an eyebrow at the pale girl. The comments don't surprise Amalia, exactly, but they rub something in her slightly the wrong way. "It sounds like you've gained a lot," the baker says softly, looking at Maea with unreadable eyes. "I hope it's worth the cost."
Would Amalia change it back? It's hard to say, but easy, too, and though it pains her the Shield answers with a calm, simple honesty. "If going back would stop the Blight, and keep Safrin from dropping through the Spire? And save Aoife, and Remi, and the Tulmhainar, and the Greatwood? If it kept the Temple from falling? If me giving up everything I've gained would help protect the world?"
She sucks in a breath, turning her face back to the bed, to the useless legs beneath the sheets. She's paid such a high price already, and for what? What has she done to improve the world? Portal Guardian, Shield of Safrin, friend, sister, fiancee- all of her pride, all of her accomplishments, all of her happiness, all that she is-
"If it would help the people I love- yeah. I'd give it up. I'd go back. And I'd try to do things better."
