Ankyra Sound Marigold

Reverie's sobs seemed to echo off the sands and out to sea, the weight of her pain palpable to Riordan's sensitive ears. The salty sea air was heavy with the scent of tears as she dissolved into quiet hysterics. With all of his self-control mustered, he kept his gaze trained on the horizon.

As she spoke, Riordan could feel the frustration and exhaustion in her voice, her words painting a picture of a world that didn't quite fit her. He knew all too well the feeling of being other, existing on the fringes of a society that valued conformity above all else. The contrast between this harsh world and the flower world, where everything thrived, was stark.

At last, Riordan turned to face her with a mixture of sympathy and understanding in his piercing dark eyes. He saw the fear etched on her face as she confessed to an uncertain future, a time when her daughter would no longer need her. Riordan knew what it was like to be adrift in a world that didn't quite understand you.

"You're the sundancer," his voice gentled, "and you were made for this. You stay and fight because you have to. But of course, I'll take you back, when you're ready." It would be done in defiance of their purpose in this world, but it would also mean that she would be his again. If all she needed was to experience mortal life and love before returning to him, he would wait. He had all the time in the world, in this one and all the others.