Ouroboros Spine but what about your quiet treason?

Asivaq moved to comfort Kukutux, briefly pulling her close again and squeezing her before letting go. I am sorry, she said quietly, holding back her own tears. I tried everything I could ... and it wasn't enough. She was never enough, no matter how hard she tried.

Had she known the truth, it would've broken her; it was another failure to add to the growing list.

Speaking of which—Vairë arrived soon after, only to turn and make her leave. Asivaq felt her heart grow cold, and she watched as her sister walked away. It was a taste of what was to come. She would seek to repair more than a handful of relations and find that some were unfixable, ruined because of her choices; more failures added to the growing list.

Kukutux then welcomed them home, and Asivaq breathed a sigh of relief. Thank you, anaa—I will find you in the morning, she said, voice swept in emotion as she reached down and nudged her children. Welcome home, babies.

She was ready to collapse, but that time would come later after they were settled, and she looked at Kigipigak then, wondering what was on his mind. He had been quiet and distant, but part of her was expecting this. She knew—or at least she trusted—he would privately tell her his thoughts when they were alone again.