separate ways

She smiled fondly, true appreciation alighting to her features at his words. He'd always known what to say to put her at ease. Whether it was in the spirit of a father, brother or friend, he never missed. Though she smiled, her eyes turned sad, a far away expression about them that said more than she communicated aloud. I really missed you. She couldn't stress that enough and felt it bore repeating. But even with his encouragement, Aethra still turned and continued away from his bench to admire the other flowers, bending down occasionally to smell. 

Truthfully she was trying to find a way to frame her words in a way that made sense of the tumult roiling constantly in her mind. She was silent, save for the soft shuffle of her feet over the floor. I'm tired. she said almost absently, not looking at him as she continued to admire the curated flora. And I'm scared She finally admitted. Aethra was well aware that one of these days karma would find her and repay her for her meddling. She blinked a couple times, desperate to keep tears at bay as she delicately cupped one of the blooms in her hands to admire it closer.