This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world
The idea that Umbra would be going through the same internal struggles as she did, and feel as though he had to hide them from her to boot, made Seren ache. Their bond went so deep, it was really more to Harper's suggestion then even he might know. Bowing her head, prodding the awareness of the dragon like a sore tooth, she vowed to make this up to him. Somehow.
"You might be right," she replied quietly. "Mother told him to protect me, too. I'm sure that's not helping anything." Striving to live up to expectations, while still learning who you were... it was not easy.
Not intentionally manipulative, Seren was nevertheless her mother's daughter. She knew how to get what she wanted - though as Harper dished up his arm, she had to wonder if he hadn't been right to hide it. She wanted to wince at the sight of the mangled flesh and oozing blood, flinch and cringe and shrink away. But carefully schooled features showed nothing but calm, and only long, deep breaths revealed her need to get a roiling stomach under control.
The lecture, and focusing on the weight of the arm on her palms helped. Harper's dry, schoolmaster tone allowed her to start seeing beyond the seeping blood and the gore, beyond the pain he must be feeling - empathy was of no use here. No breaks, no dislocation.
Cleaning with sterilized water, and then... "... see if anything need stitches?" It was a guess, since she really had no idea what the steps were. Trying to recall what Tobi had done with her arm helped little, because Seren had not been paying enough attention. "Or maybe... it looks deep. Are your fingers going to be alright?" Recalling the many sensitive nerves and tendons that ran through the hand, the girl looked up, seeking Harper's blue gaze to see if any of this was right.
She was completely absorbed in the task, and had forgotten that they were standing in the middle of the street. If passers by had to step around them to get past, it concerned her not at all.
"You might be right," she replied quietly. "Mother told him to protect me, too. I'm sure that's not helping anything." Striving to live up to expectations, while still learning who you were... it was not easy.
Not intentionally manipulative, Seren was nevertheless her mother's daughter. She knew how to get what she wanted - though as Harper dished up his arm, she had to wonder if he hadn't been right to hide it. She wanted to wince at the sight of the mangled flesh and oozing blood, flinch and cringe and shrink away. But carefully schooled features showed nothing but calm, and only long, deep breaths revealed her need to get a roiling stomach under control.
The lecture, and focusing on the weight of the arm on her palms helped. Harper's dry, schoolmaster tone allowed her to start seeing beyond the seeping blood and the gore, beyond the pain he must be feeling - empathy was of no use here. No breaks, no dislocation.
Cleaning with sterilized water, and then... "... see if anything need stitches?" It was a guess, since she really had no idea what the steps were. Trying to recall what Tobi had done with her arm helped little, because Seren had not been paying enough attention. "Or maybe... it looks deep. Are your fingers going to be alright?" Recalling the many sensitive nerves and tendons that ran through the hand, the girl looked up, seeking Harper's blue gaze to see if any of this was right.
She was completely absorbed in the task, and had forgotten that they were standing in the middle of the street. If passers by had to step around them to get past, it concerned her not at all.
Seren
