RORY
She was silent.What had he expected? Words? Some outpouring of doubts, regret, guilt, shame? No, not from Wessex, never from Wessex—she was steel and she was lightning, not soft, malleable gold. Rory's hands twisted around themselves, wanting a pony's mane to tangle into, to hide in—
A shiver coursed down his spine, the chill working into his bones, and as they walked he saw sleepers. One, two, three, four, five, many, everyone. In the hush, it was just him and the Ascended.
Then she spoke as they strode together towards the Spire. And he heard it in her voice, just as he had seen it in Amalia's eyes, and his heart broke again and again for this place they called home and loved and cherished even as it gave so little back—this place they had thought full of life but it was only dust. He could not understand what she had seen, how it had been different, but the crack ghosting along like a shadow to her words told him how monumental it was.
His name was a swift stab to his aching heart. Her hand upon his shoulder something he wanted to grasp, cling to, never let go of.
There were many things he had thought he would say to her. How was what they were doing any different from what Roana had tried to do? Who were they to make this decision for everyone?
One thing nearly made it into his mouth: I couldn't stop you even if I—
But he didn't say it, for there in the dark, heart sore and tired, he did not know how he would finish it.
He just knew that he was powerless to stop what Wessex had set in motion, and he was too tired to plead or rage.
So instead he told her of what had happened earlier that day.
"I will stay and watch," he declared at the end of it. He felt hollow and sad and exhausted, but most of all, he was afraid. "And Wessex..." He reached out for her, and should she let him, he would take her hand, and hold it for the span it took him to look in her eyes and say the words. "Be careful."
Then he took up his lonely vigil, a sparrow in the wolf's mouth.
as if you were on fire from within,
the moon lives in the lining of your skin.
the moon lives in the lining of your skin.
