Madeline studied him for a long moment, noting the way his posture had shifted—less rigid, more grounded. He had heard her, truly heard her, and that was enough. She didn’t expect perfection, only progress. And he was making it, whether he realized it yet or not.
She let the weight of that hang in the air before stepping past him, moving toward her desk. With practiced efficiency, she gathered a few scattered pages, stacking them neatly before settling into her chair. The fire crackled, filling the silence between them with a steady, familiar rhythm.
Without looking up, she added, almost as an afterthought,
It wasn’t a dismissal, not exactly. But it was a cue—one she knew he would recognize. The conversation had run its course, at least for now. Whether he lingered a moment longer or left immediately, the choice, like everything else, was his.
@Deyran
No,she said finally, the warmth in her tone tempered by her usual evenness.
Not today.A pause, then the barest tilt of her head.
But soon.
She let the weight of that hang in the air before stepping past him, moving toward her desk. With practiced efficiency, she gathered a few scattered pages, stacking them neatly before settling into her chair. The fire crackled, filling the silence between them with a steady, familiar rhythm.
Without looking up, she added, almost as an afterthought,
Get some rest, Deyran. It seems you have quite a bit to think about.
It wasn’t a dismissal, not exactly. But it was a cue—one she knew he would recognize. The conversation had run its course, at least for now. Whether he lingered a moment longer or left immediately, the choice, like everything else, was his.
@Deyran
02-12-2025, 04:04 PM
