Liandria;
The creek does not judge me.
That is the first mercy Gravemaw offers.
I watch as water slips over smooth stones with a patient hush. Clear, cold, and reflecting the clear beauty of the sky above. The sound is steady. soothing. It does not become harsh when I kneel at its edge, nor does it recoil when my hands dip into it.
Rhydian's words ring in my head.
Over and over.
Each one is like a blade.
You don't belong here.
You don't get to claim me.
You failed.
They are all hurtful… They are all right. I press my fingers into the damp earth with my nails biting into soil as if pain might distract me. My chest is so tight I can barely breathe.
I bow my head before the tears start falling, and I don't even bother to hold them back.
Hot, shameful, and filled with regret.
I clamp a hand over my mouth, and my shoulders shake, as the sound of my own breaking rent the air. Crying has become a recent ritual.
