King Elk Forest the sweet relief of knowing nothing comes for free

slowly his unease melts away, buffed by mona's attentive reactions and his own flair for the dramatic. it's not a story about his life, it's just a story, a beautiful dramatic love triangle, and it's etched into tindómë's bones too. when the androgyne lifts his moonbeam eyes again, his expression is open, brows raised. "she was looking for her brother," he explains, "beyond our borders -- and she was captured. i've never pressed her for details, but i can only imagine." delight takes a breath, pausing, letting the imagined horrors brienne suffered flicker briefly across the space between them.

he glances to the borders, as if he himself bore witness to her return. "we did not know where she went -- we should have searched for her, but our numbers were slim and i deferred to mato's feelings, and we -- we grew closer. there was a moment where i thought..." his voice dips. he swallows. "but i was wrong. and brienne's return brought guilt -- i don't believe mato rejected her feelings for me, but i had a hand in it. while she was suffering i was climbing hierarchy. i certainly don't blame her for deciding to leave on her own terms again, though i hope we can find a way to reconnect some day."

and mato, well: he remains delight's enigma.