Arrow Lake it's the last song of the night

The husk of amusement was what drew Aurëwen back from her rumination of Drago’s whereabouts; he should be snoozing, shouldn’t he? An argent eye gazed sidelong, finding him smiling in a way that clutched at her heart, stifled her lungs with appreciation. Goddamn this male. He made it hard to breathe, and she was left looking a little lost, a bit stupefied and wondering, as Verx began to speak.

It was only when he mentioned something about saving his life and a mess that Aure began to actually think beyond the foggy, dopey vestiges of When had he become so beautiful? Even blinking became a burden, but she did it anyways — the sound of his laugh still tousling her heart, the same way Isilmë did in her arms.

Aure’s own smile pressed at her scarred lips, but it was faltering; her sculpted jaw clenched, throat constricting with a nervous little swallow. “A mess” of that evening was an understatement. If she’d seen herself,  bedecked in the blood of her beloved from throat to breast, snarling and spitting commands on the cliffs without order... No, she wasn’t a warrior. She couldn’t be, ever, right? She’d... she’d... she’d only known Rose was wrong. She’d only fought for the living.

Shivering from her reverie, Aure returned once more to her company, eyes gentling as Vercingetorix moved in on Isi, now. Softly, she lilted, ”There is nothing you owe me, Verx,” leaning forward to delicately, hesitantly kitten-lick along his nose that touched upon their daughter’s stalk-straight paw. ”Having you here with... us is all I could ever ask for. All I — we — need.” Her wistful, humbled eyes shied from his, then, and she drew away before giving him the chance to chase her.

Why was she so shy with him, now of all times, and well past the time to be? So... fidgety? Aure bit at her lips, a little more than sheepish, ”Of course, if you ever think of some way to, ah... repay me, well, er, you...” — preening distractedly at Isilmë, eyes flickering to the thicket — ”You know where to find me.”