Alpine Lake Don't Say Goodbye

She listened as he spoke, her mouth a grim line. It wasn't Malice after all, which brought a small amount of relief. She had waited, even after telling him about the herbs to hear his explaination, somehow unable to pull herself away from him before she knew. When he revealed it wasn't Malice, and that it was as she suspected, something he had done, she was ready to look to for herbs and to gather her thoughts.

She had just started to rise to search for herbs when he snapped at her, the anger and viciousness in his voice bringing her eyes wide again. She stared at him, shocked and surprised, and filled with a sickening dread. Judas would never yell at her like that. It was the other side. She swallowed, but felt a glimmer of defiance within herself. She had been coming into herself more and more in Moonspear. She felt she had found her place, and as her knowledge of herbs grew she found herself growing slightly more confident. It had started with Zoratto, a little show certainly, but now it glimmered a little brighter. Perhaps even spurred by her concern for Judas and her dislike of this side of him.

"It's alright." She sighed, staring at him with sadness in her eyes. "You've already said it was your fault, Judas. Don't let him convince you that Malice and her mate made it worse. It only made it worse for him, locking him away tighter. Herbs certainly won't do anything for or to him, they'll just make sure you don't die of an infection. You share one body, surely even that side will want to live." There was a slight ring of anger to her voice, directed of course, at the other side. "Will you let me do this for you? Please?" She did not make to move again, for while she felt more confident she had not forgotten what had given her the scars on her face. She would be more prepared if Judas lost control again.

"I can't believe anyone would be so cruel, though. Whatever could you have done to deserve this, Judas?" Perhaps she had blocked out his final confession to her before the attack, or perhaps it had just faded in face of the attack itself. She had forgotten that he had assaulted a woman. Her mind gave a brief warning after she asked the question, as if knowing that she was asking for something she would regret knowing. But she had to know. She had to understand.