Even with all the chaos in her weary mind, as Malcolm buckled her response was to go to him. To help him and to ease the burdens he carried. An instinct to save him over and above herself, no matter what. Fear, as it had often done before, caused her footsteps to falter and so she didn’t move. Failing to run either to him, or away as he was lost to dust and her heart threatened to stop.
This was a new place. One she’d never heard of, or understood. For the first time, as she saw her lover in the shade she realised who he was. Truly. For the first time she recognised him as more than a mortal man and wondered why she’d never seen him like this before. Malcolm had always been just a man, no matter his astounding abilities. She had never been afraid of him, but now she felt awe. Desert sand washed over her feet like water, hissing and blazing hot. She’d never been any where like this, nor had the imagination to dream it.
The distance between them felt even more vast then the ocean that he’d crossed to Ne’Haer. Yet he reached out towards her and offered his hand. He offered to make her forget. Malcolm had explained he could do that. A small voice reminded her. A waking voice. Yes, he could. He could take away all the terrible memories and the heartache. He could take the confusion and leave her in a simpler life, couldn’t he? She would be free of him and all the lies and the sordid web that spun around them.
Elyna sat down where she’d stood. The sun beating down on the back of her neck as she remained out of reach.
“No,” it was a whisper. The sand was too hot to touch, so she found herself wrapping her arms around her knees, watching him from across the distance. “Never,” her voice was firmer and she shook her head.
“If everything we shared was only a dream…then it was the best dream. I wouldn’t trade my memory for a world of peace, Malcolm,” she bowed her head against her knees.
“If it was real…” she swallowed. If it was real… then what was wrong and what was false? What was real and what was a dream? How much of Malcolm was who she loved and how much told and twisted by her enemies. What if it wasn’t real, and what if Yoreth and Marcus spoke the truth? Why though…why would they? What did they want – a foolish question and she knew the answer. They wanted power. Malcolm though…what could he want? He had all the power in the world at his fingertips and nothing to gain from her.
“I wish that I had come with you,” she looked up at him before she straightened up. Careful of the scorching sand she approached and stepped into the shade. “I promised myself that I would follow you to the ends of the earth if you lived in the arena…you deserve better than what I can offer you. If I am not worthy of you, then I will...I would...you could..." she blinked back fast tears, "and I would still wake in a room where they carve their mark into my skin...where they f-force. I-" She chocked on the words to describe the abuse at his sons hands. It was not his pain to carry.
This was a new place. One she’d never heard of, or understood. For the first time, as she saw her lover in the shade she realised who he was. Truly. For the first time she recognised him as more than a mortal man and wondered why she’d never seen him like this before. Malcolm had always been just a man, no matter his astounding abilities. She had never been afraid of him, but now she felt awe. Desert sand washed over her feet like water, hissing and blazing hot. She’d never been any where like this, nor had the imagination to dream it.
The distance between them felt even more vast then the ocean that he’d crossed to Ne’Haer. Yet he reached out towards her and offered his hand. He offered to make her forget. Malcolm had explained he could do that. A small voice reminded her. A waking voice. Yes, he could. He could take away all the terrible memories and the heartache. He could take the confusion and leave her in a simpler life, couldn’t he? She would be free of him and all the lies and the sordid web that spun around them.
Elyna sat down where she’d stood. The sun beating down on the back of her neck as she remained out of reach.
“No,” it was a whisper. The sand was too hot to touch, so she found herself wrapping her arms around her knees, watching him from across the distance. “Never,” her voice was firmer and she shook her head.
“If everything we shared was only a dream…then it was the best dream. I wouldn’t trade my memory for a world of peace, Malcolm,” she bowed her head against her knees.
“If it was real…” she swallowed. If it was real… then what was wrong and what was false? What was real and what was a dream? How much of Malcolm was who she loved and how much told and twisted by her enemies. What if it wasn’t real, and what if Yoreth and Marcus spoke the truth? Why though…why would they? What did they want – a foolish question and she knew the answer. They wanted power. Malcolm though…what could he want? He had all the power in the world at his fingertips and nothing to gain from her.
“I wish that I had come with you,” she looked up at him before she straightened up. Careful of the scorching sand she approached and stepped into the shade. “I promised myself that I would follow you to the ends of the earth if you lived in the arena…you deserve better than what I can offer you. If I am not worthy of you, then I will...I would...you could..." she blinked back fast tears, "and I would still wake in a room where they carve their mark into my skin...where they f-force. I-" She chocked on the words to describe the abuse at his sons hands. It was not his pain to carry.