ULRIC
Together they stood, blue and grey melding with alabaster and rose beneath the gentle glow of the moon hanging high in the sky, the only witness to the conclave of wolf and phoenix. His brows furrowed as Israfel gave her answer; what did she mean, living? If living meant standing alone out in the middle of nowhere, with tears clouding her vision and heartache so blatant across every fiber of her being, then Ulric was determined to show her any other way to live.
As his following question slipped from his lips, Israfel was pulling away, and the Warden lifted his head to let her go. Even as she insisted all was well, that nothing was wrong, Ulric knew better. Whether they had only known each other for a collective few days or a few years, Israfel’s pride had always been palpable, radiating from her very being just like the fire from Solaris’ back. She was not weak in any manner, not even as she stood here before him in tears and suffering. His own expression was hardened and pinched with concern, but his molten gaze was soft and patient as he regarded her. He gave her the time she needed to answer before attempting to speak himself.
“Surviving loss is difficult, Israfel.” Ulric paused for a moment, never breaking her gaze – he had never been great with words, especially when it came to something like this, and the last thing he wanted was to fuck this up simply because of the fact. She was on the edge of a proverbial cliff, and he was the rope trying to reel her back in to safety. “But… no matter how heavy a weight it is, it isn’t one you have to carry alone. Not now, and not ever.” And if she had been carrying it alone, let him be the first to take it from her shoulders.
Boldly, he shifts closer to her once more, but doesn’t yet reach for her again. Not yet. “What would you have follow in its stead, given the choice? Just one thing. It could be anything.”
As his following question slipped from his lips, Israfel was pulling away, and the Warden lifted his head to let her go. Even as she insisted all was well, that nothing was wrong, Ulric knew better. Whether they had only known each other for a collective few days or a few years, Israfel’s pride had always been palpable, radiating from her very being just like the fire from Solaris’ back. She was not weak in any manner, not even as she stood here before him in tears and suffering. His own expression was hardened and pinched with concern, but his molten gaze was soft and patient as he regarded her. He gave her the time she needed to answer before attempting to speak himself.
“Surviving loss is difficult, Israfel.” Ulric paused for a moment, never breaking her gaze – he had never been great with words, especially when it came to something like this, and the last thing he wanted was to fuck this up simply because of the fact. She was on the edge of a proverbial cliff, and he was the rope trying to reel her back in to safety. “But… no matter how heavy a weight it is, it isn’t one you have to carry alone. Not now, and not ever.” And if she had been carrying it alone, let him be the first to take it from her shoulders.
Boldly, he shifts closer to her once more, but doesn’t yet reach for her again. Not yet. “What would you have follow in its stead, given the choice? Just one thing. It could be anything.”
he who drinks from the deep water
may he know the depths of the well
may he know the depths of the well
@Israfel flumptff
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