Stone Circle juniper underground

merrick.
"skoll."
his scar-torn lips tipped into a ragged curve; he would have stepped forward to sweep the tall soldier into a lingering embrace had not the man began to speak of his sister.
and when he had finished giving the missive in his usual direct way, merrick let out his breath in a long plume of white.
"ursus will not be the same without your presence, but of course, you must go."
with good thanks and gratitude he bid the beautiful man depart, and until skoll was swallowed by the blowing snow, merrick watched him go with pain thorning its way through his heart.