Why had he once flinched from such contact? Amalia held him tight, more strength in her slender frame than she knew, and he held her back and wondered at the change in himself, that he should not only welcome but initiate such contact. He had been drawn from the shell he had built around his heart, had it broken down by friendship and love, hardship and loss.
Being found again, not once now but several times.
Her voice shook and her stroked her back soothingly, as Rory had done for him when the bard had been the one to fall apart in the arms of someone he loved and trusted. He let her speak without interruption, quietly listening and letting her go only reluctantly when she pulled back, keeping hold of her hands if she would let him.
"Oh Amalia, you've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders this whole time, haven't you?" His voice was fond and sad and wondering, and he squeezed her fingers gently in his shaking hands. "You can be as strong as an ox, as fierce as a lion, and still hitch yourself to a cart that's too heavy to pull alone." He chose his words carefully after a lingering moment of silence as he considered what she had said. "Being loved, being blessed, being strong... being able to do so much... and still there can be things that will challenge you and all you can bring to the fight."
He leaned down, bending to rest his forehead atop hers and letting the warmth that still eluded his skin fill his voice instead. "If you ever do find your fingers slipping, dear one, just know that you have people waiting to catch you and hold you until you're ready to stand on your own two feet again. As you have done for myself, and Rory, and Kiada, and I'm sure others as well. I won't promise that it will be easy, even with help, but I can promise that you won't be alone."
He straightened to smile wryly down at her, not forcing her to raise her head, but letting her decide at her own pace what she was comfortable with. "I know you won't do so willingly, any more than I did, but if you need me or any of us in that way, we will be there for you."
Being found again, not once now but several times.
Her voice shook and her stroked her back soothingly, as Rory had done for him when the bard had been the one to fall apart in the arms of someone he loved and trusted. He let her speak without interruption, quietly listening and letting her go only reluctantly when she pulled back, keeping hold of her hands if she would let him.
"Oh Amalia, you've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders this whole time, haven't you?" His voice was fond and sad and wondering, and he squeezed her fingers gently in his shaking hands. "You can be as strong as an ox, as fierce as a lion, and still hitch yourself to a cart that's too heavy to pull alone." He chose his words carefully after a lingering moment of silence as he considered what she had said. "Being loved, being blessed, being strong... being able to do so much... and still there can be things that will challenge you and all you can bring to the fight."
He leaned down, bending to rest his forehead atop hers and letting the warmth that still eluded his skin fill his voice instead. "If you ever do find your fingers slipping, dear one, just know that you have people waiting to catch you and hold you until you're ready to stand on your own two feet again. As you have done for myself, and Rory, and Kiada, and I'm sure others as well. I won't promise that it will be easy, even with help, but I can promise that you won't be alone."
He straightened to smile wryly down at her, not forcing her to raise her head, but letting her decide at her own pace what she was comfortable with. "I know you won't do so willingly, any more than I did, but if you need me or any of us in that way, we will be there for you."
