He stopped trying once before, and it had created wounds between them that had festered for seasons. If he could do anything, no matter how small, he would do it for her now. He gave her his magic and his regret that he had not prevented it from happening, but most of all he gave her his love in the Healing that flowed from his hand to hers once she had taken it, a fragile enough bridge but a bridge all the same.
None of them could forget the last time they had been here, in blood and fire and so close to the line of failure. Death had taken Amalia before Vai had wrested her back from it. It had nearly taken Rory. And yet, a few days later, they had all walked outside to see the Sparkbird on her perch.
A perch that had set empty this year, the promise of hope extinguished along with so many other lives.
He nodded slightly at her words, and a quiet chirrup of confusion came from the basket. A pale head popped from beneath the towel, followed by a blue-winged body as Isuma hopped up onto the bed and settled in beside Amalia's hip, purring a quiet rumble as Jigano silently explained to her that they'd be staying in today. "You could come stay at the farm?" he suggested softly. "You know Rory and I would be glad to have you." And perhaps the Shield and the wolf-souled farmer would do each other some good to be together again.
None of them could forget the last time they had been here, in blood and fire and so close to the line of failure. Death had taken Amalia before Vai had wrested her back from it. It had nearly taken Rory. And yet, a few days later, they had all walked outside to see the Sparkbird on her perch.
A perch that had set empty this year, the promise of hope extinguished along with so many other lives.
He nodded slightly at her words, and a quiet chirrup of confusion came from the basket. A pale head popped from beneath the towel, followed by a blue-winged body as Isuma hopped up onto the bed and settled in beside Amalia's hip, purring a quiet rumble as Jigano silently explained to her that they'd be staying in today. "You could come stay at the farm?" he suggested softly. "You know Rory and I would be glad to have you." And perhaps the Shield and the wolf-souled farmer would do each other some good to be together again.
