Two Rivers Isle What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way

Ulrich was honestly amazed at Adylaide's calm throughout all this, and it made him feel ashamed to have been so overemotional. At her last words, all the fight and fear seemed to leave him, and his insides felt like a deflated balloon. He looked away from her, feeling exhausted despite his sleep. However, he still had something to say.

I did not lose all of my friends, Adylaide. I did not lose you. I do not know whether I love you romantically or not, but you are dear to me, the dearest one I have. If you had died back there... if I had been unable to take you safely away... He did not finish that thought, for it was too depressing to think about.

Suddenly he took a deep breath and said, Let's leave the den now and go explore, shall we? I think more talk of this would only be unhelpful. Now that I've made a fool of myself, my only hope is to go and do something dashing to make you forget. Right? And he looked at her with a soft, abashed smile. Then he got up and crawled out of the den, into the light of day.

[Fade here with next post?]