Redhawk Caldera The Mountain

Well, this was…. Not unexpected. Abrupt, maybe. Maia let Ceridwen finish, quietly allowing the words to settle. She didn’t want to respond with her first instinct, which was always going to be to hold them close. That wasn’t her decision to make, and as much as it hurt to hear this now, like this, immediately after the things she’d just shared, Maia took a breath.

All we expect from any of you are the things that make you happy. No matter where that takes you. She replied finally, looking at her daughter. She had hoped this day wouldn’t come but knew that it would regardless. The world was a big and interesting place. They shouldn’t miss out on it.

I understand. She wished they all could be happy here, and that the home they’d built was enough. It wasn’t, and as much as Maia might struggle with that, she hated more that Ceredwin seemed to feel obligated in some way to apologize. You don’t owe us anything. Your dad and I will miss you, but we’ll be fine.