King Elk Forest -- we can't say we didn't try

she did not know what she expected but did not like what she has found.  her head remains low, something swimming in those broken seaglass eyes.  

brienne.

it cuts her in a way she is familiar with but not from him and even though he believes she deserves it (and maybe she does) she'd still held hope somewhere inside her that she might've been able to be greeted with kindness.  maybe, god, maybe even aerlinn, though presently she doubted she'd ever hear that again.

no matter.  that is not where they were anymore and if she were to survive this, if she were here to ask to stay she would have to demolish those feelings.  she cannot feel guilt, she cannot feel loss.  she's already lived and breathed those feelings for too long.  and he is righteous in his anger, in his distance.  while she did not intend to leave — that's what happened, didn't it?

Mm, she breathed, accompanied by the smallest dip of her head, yes.  she had lost everything she had expected she was brave enough to say to him, drowning in the space between them.

I am.. glad to smell that you've grown.  the scents were new, and it seemed like there were only a few she recognized.