Sunbeam Lair Never Be Broken

she's such a naive little shit, tho

His response almost seemed on autopilot—as if that was what was expected to be said. Reyson, Germanicus… they were a different type of soldier than what she had come to know in life. Disciplined. Different from the feral warriors she held time with in the past.

Her chest rose and fell close to his—his touch warm, soothing. The very reality of his words hit too close to home—soldiers died. It was just what they did. And somehow, in a matter of weeks, she had allowed this one right beside her to become so very important to her. The stern walls she had meant to put in place when joining Epoch had crumbled.

Meadow wore her heart on her sleeve and she had come to accept that no matter how much she wished she didn’t, she craved the family she had never been able to have… the solidarity of friendship, and warmth, and love. The tragic tale of the poor little orphan girl.

Her own eyes welled and she ducked her head down, as if it were no more than a caress along the back of the large man as she hid the tears away, a reaction as if all were fine. It was always fine.

“So teach. Screw the tour. Would your Imperator not put you in a place to extend your knowledge to others? You would be invaluable to him. And spring is coming… you deserve happiness.” And there was the brunt of it—did he not believe he deserved his own happy ending?