The Tangle cling to his chest, home to his heart full of pride

she notices him looking.

it is mostly men who look.  she does not understand why.  ramesses.  alduin.  this man.  her stare is broken by a slow blink, and when her eyes are open again he is looking at the space she never grew to fill.

his question breaks through the relative quiet of the thicket that surrounded them.  the density dampened his voice, caused it not to carry as far as it might have in the open.  no, she replies.  thank you for asking.  she always had a knack for finding her way home.  she had never been lost, so she felt she had no reason to worry.

(one day, when she experienced that all consuming fear, she might remember the naivete in this moment)

are you from around here?