The room had grown quiet again and Valeria's sobs had died down to hiccups then to nothing at all. The storm of emotions that had overtaken her only minutes earlier had finally settled, leaving behind enough exhaustion that neither of them felt the need to even move.
They remained sitting on the thick rug beside the bed where they had ended up, their backs resting against the side of the frame. They were no longer holding one another, but the distance between them was small enough that it felt as though neither wanted the other too far away. Outside, snow continued falling softly against the windows, adding to the peacefulness surrounding the cabin.
After a long time sitting in silence, eventually, Valeria drew in a slow breath and spoke. "I suppose I should tell you everything."
Theon turned his head towards her and shook his head gently. "You don't have to if you're not ready."
She shook her head. "No... I think I am."
