Family Ties - Prologue

[Morveya Aris]

For a moment, Morveya seemed oblivious of the rest. Dark eyes only upon Drifel. Though she did avert them twice toward the floor. Her expression was largely unreadable; in part because there wasn't an obvious one for the confluence of things she felt at this reaction.

She had overstepped her bounds, to be sure.

And, yet...in the presence of the adopted child who loved him so much - and a friend who did authentically care (and Alexandros was that, if she was any judge at all) - and a woman who had spent much of her young life researching and administering balms and salves for ailments and hurts of all sorts --

Where and when better to finally confess: Aye, I am hurt; and this is how it all began...

But of course Morveya also understood why not. In some ways she was surprised there had been no anger. In some ways, she wished that there had been. Because -

Ah, to be left the with the memory that I -hurt- him; when all I wished to do was truly help! What, by the Great River's Caprice, was I thinking-?

There was no retracting it now. And she was suddenly aware of the other two. And what they might be thinking of her choice. But that was quite secondary to Drifel. And what she had caused.

Folly to risk piling anything more atop it. But there was something she had to communicate. She couldn't walk away without:

"There is no shame in hurting," she called to the closed door. "It only means you can feel! And no shame in needing reprieve from the hurt. That just means you are mortal! You do not have to face this by yourself."

With that Morveya turned and nodded her compliance with Kitan's request. Her eyes caught his briefly.

I'm sorry. For some reason, I had to try.

She slung her satchel over her shoulder once again, face inclined slightly toward the ground. And then began walking her way to Alstris. The shadowed and somber ambiance of the woods seemed so wholly fitting.

Death. And despair. Hardly an auspicious start to this leave-taking. No omen, I must hope.