Amalia
the shield of safrin
"It's a... a world turtle." She doesn't have a better descriptor. A fond, bittersweet smile ghosts across her face, happy at the memory of the one she met, saddened by the inevitability of the one she lost. "The Voice... she trapped one in the Spire. And we tried to free it, but... only one can exist in the world at a time. And there was already one in the Greatwood. So..." Well, Maea already knows the ending to that story. With a soft sigh, Amalia turns her face up to the cloudy sky. "That's why Safrin broke through the Spire. So it could see the stars one last time."She gives Maea the time she needs to collect herself, taking the moment of silence to find her own center as well. "You're welcome," the Shield answers softly, looking back down at Jyoti's starry back. There had been so many lost souls, familiar and unfamiliar figures scarified to the monsters of the night. It had been devastating to see them all, ghosts among the trees... but it had been beautiful, too. At least they would be with Ludo, she'd thought. And now, with the barrier down? They could be with Mort.
It's Amalia's turn to glance up sharply, surprised by Maea's assertion that Ludo is cruel. "Has it?" she asks, genuinely curious, blinking large black eyes. "Who was it cruel to? Everyone I know has had good experiences- well, except for Remi. But Jigano, Kiada, Melita, even Adam..." The last name trembles as it falls from her lips, the memory of that stupid horn earning another strained smile. He'd been such a fool, filling it with ale, but she'd given up her favor from Ludo to have it emptied again.
And then he'd filled it up with water, to try and save her when the guild burned down. An idiot again. And the best friend she could ask for.
Blinking back tears, she turns back down to the milling crowd. "Remember the puppet shows my nani used to put on for the festival of lights? We did one last year, because it asked, and Ludo played Safrin. It was pretty great... maybe we'll do it again this year. For you to see."
someday we'll find what we're looking for
or maybe not
maybe we'll find something much greater
