Roen stood stock still, her back to the thick wooden doors that still rattled and creaked from the battering of the blizzard outside. She stared at the stairs leading down to the cellars, where Khadai had disappeared only some moments ago. Her hand instinctively rose to her chest, fingers absently rubbing over the breastplate where she could feel the earrings resting against her skin.
"If you wish... to have discourse. Then I will offer what guidance I can."
She had not spoken of what had happened--what had made her flee to this frozen place so many moons ago--to anyone else since her arrival. And for many moons since, she had not even considered revisiting those memories. They were too painful to bear. But now...?
The paladin laid her hand flat, her fingers splayed over her heart. How long has it been since she had felt that suffocating vice there?
"You appear well. You have found some measure of faith," Khadai had said.
Has she?
Well, just standing here is not going to give me any answers, Roen chided herself, feeling foolish at her indecisiveness. Letting out a long exhale, she made her way down the stairs.
Finding the Xaela warrior seated in the corner, the paladin crossed the room to the table without another word. She undid the buckles of her gauntlets, leaving them as well as her sword and shield on the table. The Au Ra’s expression remained as stern as ever, but Roen recalled the glimpse of the forlorn countenance that had emerged even for a brief moment during their talk earlier. It did not last long, and it was quickly replaced by his usual austere visage.
It reminded her of her own self.
Roen slid down to a seat on the floor next to him, both knees drawn to her chest. She leaned her back against the wall, her eyes aimlessly looking about the room. It was after a moment of silence that she spoke again.
“Do you wish to go back? To where you came from?â€
"If you wish... to have discourse. Then I will offer what guidance I can."
She had not spoken of what had happened--what had made her flee to this frozen place so many moons ago--to anyone else since her arrival. And for many moons since, she had not even considered revisiting those memories. They were too painful to bear. But now...?
The paladin laid her hand flat, her fingers splayed over her heart. How long has it been since she had felt that suffocating vice there?
"You appear well. You have found some measure of faith," Khadai had said.
Has she?
Well, just standing here is not going to give me any answers, Roen chided herself, feeling foolish at her indecisiveness. Letting out a long exhale, she made her way down the stairs.
Finding the Xaela warrior seated in the corner, the paladin crossed the room to the table without another word. She undid the buckles of her gauntlets, leaving them as well as her sword and shield on the table. The Au Ra’s expression remained as stern as ever, but Roen recalled the glimpse of the forlorn countenance that had emerged even for a brief moment during their talk earlier. It did not last long, and it was quickly replaced by his usual austere visage.
It reminded her of her own self.
Roen slid down to a seat on the floor next to him, both knees drawn to her chest. She leaned her back against the wall, her eyes aimlessly looking about the room. It was after a moment of silence that she spoke again.
“Do you wish to go back? To where you came from?â€
