Arrow Lake one breath, it'll just break

it felt like a plan was taking form.

and as the rough edges of it started to smooth, germanicus began to second-guess himself. still distant in some small ways as he pushed upon it, the imperator took his run toward the lake.

his muscles had become harder in the last three weeks. winter had carved what little fat there was to spare from his sinewy frame.

and as he rounded the glorious corner of the shimmering lake, he found there one of the last individuals he had wanted to see. 

genuinely germanicus bore meadow no ill-will. his resentments lay solely with arsenio. she had not known and reyson — reyson had been forced to retire.

the imperator slowed his run. he held no ill-will and yet he held no gratitude or platitudes. if he was honest with himself, the desire for her was still there, forced far down beneath all that had happened. 

but attraction was not a reason to act. it had not been before.

"lady meadow." his voice was unreadable and cool as the rest of him. his yellowpaint eyes turned to the darkening horizon and he was silent otherwise.