Swiftcurrent Creek empire down

She heard him speak her name, but the syllables seemed faint beneath the sound of her own pulse. Eyes squeezed shut, Durnehviir inhaled deeply as she willed herself to focus. Breathe. While she wished to give herself into Constantine's touch and accept his comfort, she could not erase the thought of he and Aria together that her imagination had conjured.

Muscles tensed with the dark Mayfair's approach, as he confessed something that quickened her tears - the words she'd so longed to hear him share with her. Durnehviir had willed him to say them when last they fought, and remembered the sting of his back turned on her as he took his leave. He had left her to crumble once before, and the dragoness feared that his assurance of love had come much too late.

She sobbed, but did not reject his kisses that were meant to reassure, despite wanting to shove him away. Instead she remained slumped in the dirt, trembling and overwhelmed, offering nothing but a murmured "I'm sorry."

Sorry that the world was collapsing all around them. Sorry for the fire of her accusations. Sorry for driving their son away.

Sorry that I can't be her...