Noctisardor Bypass I own that technology now.

anselm accused her of badness and heda's reaction was to gaze unseeingly down at the pair of birds she'd taken for her sister.
the condemnation hurt more than she felt was possible, especially from someone who had rejected her in the most base way possible and at the peak of her vulnerability. "you assumed i would just get rid of them." tones deadened. "you didn't want to be a father, so you left it all to me, and that's when it stopped being your decision what happened. i didn't lie, anselm. i protected them from someone so viciously mean he didn't even want to contemplate fatherhood."
heda didn't add her opinion of anselm as a father. he knew. she knew, and truly there was nothing to say. her eyes cut up from the sparrows. "you made it mean nothing. i asked you to take care of me and you said no."
leaden, weighted; why were they having this conversation? why was she spelling out for this irrational boy something he knew and didn't want to accept? she'd offered him the opportunity to possess her as a wife and now he blamed her for the outcome when he had refused. the tears were threatening again and finally she gave in; "i want my husband. i want my home, anselm. neither exist anymore." she closed her eyes in shame, feeling teardrops dew the ends of her lashes. "if you think i'm bad, then fine. okay. i don't have any reason to argue. but if you want to help, you really want to help, then make it so i don't have to leave that den again till the pups are weaned."
the pair of sparrows lay on the ground. slowly, as if she were in great pain, heda picked them up, still unable to look at anselm but lingering, ears cupped to show she still listened.