Dragoncrest Cliffs (for young is the year,for young is the year)

 it is what she expected, but not what she wanted. sometimes blixen thinks all the not-knowing is worse than either other choice, and then feels guilty, but - but it's so hard. her stomach has been in knots for months. nomi does say something reassuring, though; she thinks about towhee (who was studying for her mastery!) and feels a bit calmer. and eljay is there, too, and she didn't spend any time with her aunt and uncle but they seemed kind, too. "you're right," she says quietly, almost a murmur - not soothed but steady-sounding. if anything, she wants nomi to know that she's grateful for the open dialogue, especially after she was so patient with blix's tantrums before.

the next thing nomi says does take her by surprise. not because she doubted nomi's feelings, but because it feels strange to be told them so obliquely. is this one of those things, the shifting of boundaries between them as blixen grows up? it speaks to - a kind of trust the gona worries she hasn't earned yet. "you could," she says tentatively, "eske and tirgatao - and dio, they'd all keep watch for you. and me and artaax, too." already the ginger knows her nomi will say no, because heda is a special thing, and blix gets that, but still. lord knows if she'd be allowed she'd be halfway back to the caldera already - dragging furi with her this time, of course.