Stone Circle constellations forming skin over fragile bone

It does not take Wardruna long to find Noma. Functioning jack-o-lantern gaze sweeps over her familiar form where she is curled upon a flat boulder. He realizes as he crosses the distance that he isn’t sure how to explain Sif to her. They are …friends? A potential couple? He knows that if he was not already under heavy scrutiny he’d have brought Sif back to Easthollow too but Wardruna is and he knows he cannot. He has enough on his plate here with just Noma, he cannot imagine what would follow when he brought home a second woman. Or a third ( his mind flickers briefly to Hella whom he has not seen much of during their first meeting to the point where he’s suspected she’s fled the Wilds and thus never brought her up with Noma ). “Noma,” Wardruna greets her. “We should talk.” A man’s infamous last words, the northerner thinks but does not linger upon that thought for very long. He still has no actual idea how to explain Sif or what he wants from her to Noma. Nor is Wardruna overly sure why he feels like a man that got caught cheating on his wife with some pretty, young thing in the office after hours.

“But before we talk about Sif, I want to talk about you.” He’s trying to buy time to find words to explain without actually explaining. “Noma,” He ghosts a step closer to her boulder, imploring that she listen to him because for once in his life he’s about to be sincere. “I was wrong. To make you my thrall,” He admits, the words feeling heavy on his tongue as he speaks to her in their shared tongue. He will never pronounce the words without the heavy infliction of his native tongue. “I have hurt you and I am sorry, that is why I am giving you your freedom.” Wardruna speaks, taking a deep breath. It is not often that the northerner admits his mistakes and he isn’t sure whether it’s a good idea or a bad one or how receptive she’ll be even with freedom over herself once more. Perhaps, he thinks, she will bolt far away from him but he hopes that is not the case. He has grown to care for her during their time spent together and he wants her to stay.

“I want you to stay. To choose to stay with me,” He admits, salmon pink tongue drawing across his jowls. “but I understand if you never want to see me again.” He finishes quietly, peering up at her from her perch above him. He sets it up in preparation to explain Sif and to explain the …bits and pieces that he thinks would eventually form some kind of plan if she is willing to hear him out and at least consider staying; but the northerner holds his breath as he awaits her response.