Arrow Lake fall down a rabbit hole

love, a fickle, evasive, tormenting thing. mahler thought of ruenna — his mind was unrelenting upon the subject of a woman who had surely forgotten him by now — and how he had been unfairly dismissive of the very true fact that there was nothing between them, only the breath of a promise predicated upon a mutual intelligence.
love was in fact, rather isolating for mahler; he would prefer not to engage in it again. ketzia seemed quite torn by it as well, and he was at a loss for what next to say that might lift her spirits. he could not promise stigmata's love, or that takiyok's anger would abate, he had only himself to pledge, a leader to his subordinate, a midwife to a new mother and her children.
but perhaps as her companion as well. "i vill not forsake you, ketzia," mahler murmured after some time. no matter how she pined for stigmata, or if she took her leave of diaspora one day; he would forever remain fond of the little goddess and her jadestone eyes.