MAEA
Perhaps something about her words reached through all those high walls raised in stubborn defense of pride (and ego). Perhaps all the words of all his friends and his own thoughts finally just coalesced, fell into place for Sunjata. He was quiet for a long time, and Maea held her breath, hardly daring to move or make a sound lest it broke the spell. Slowly, he looked at her. At the ring. And to her astonishment, he pulled it off from his finger and let it fall to the ground. Like it was nothing.
Time might as well have ceased flowing then. Maea stared at Sunjata without quite knowing what to do. What had she said again? What had she offered, what kind of bargain had been struck now. None? All? Some deeper pact she'd bound herself to without understanding the consequences? No. No, surely this was just freeing him from what had made him so miserable.
She bridged the distance with her eyes, sought his eyes again to try and understand what went on behind the flood of gray. It seemed her fear was only reflected back, the sentiment shared by both of them. Shock, bewilderment, uncertainty... but he remained in place. Waiting, watching her.
Slowly, a tentative smile touched her mouth. A small, trembling hand reached out toward him, offering to honor her own words. Perhaps it was a monumentally stupid thing to do... but hey. They'd already crossed that bridge. And maybe just holding his hand for a while longer wouldn't be that terrible... Though Maea couldn't deny she was a bit scared as she waited to see what he would do.
Time might as well have ceased flowing then. Maea stared at Sunjata without quite knowing what to do. What had she said again? What had she offered, what kind of bargain had been struck now. None? All? Some deeper pact she'd bound herself to without understanding the consequences? No. No, surely this was just freeing him from what had made him so miserable.
She bridged the distance with her eyes, sought his eyes again to try and understand what went on behind the flood of gray. It seemed her fear was only reflected back, the sentiment shared by both of them. Shock, bewilderment, uncertainty... but he remained in place. Waiting, watching her.
Slowly, a tentative smile touched her mouth. A small, trembling hand reached out toward him, offering to honor her own words. Perhaps it was a monumentally stupid thing to do... but hey. They'd already crossed that bridge. And maybe just holding his hand for a while longer wouldn't be that terrible... Though Maea couldn't deny she was a bit scared as she waited to see what he would do.
