And in her smile I see something more beautiful than the stars.

"Don't make promises that you will regret later" saed Ael with a sad smile at his promise. He'd regret it, sooner than later and she knew it.

She didn’t make any further comment about what he said about his trust; how could she? She knew that at this precise moment, in her own way she was betraying him and even if she pulled back she couldn’t undo her damage. Her lips were tense, her mind was out of the conversation and luckily Rian didn’t notice, usually he seemed to pass off her moments of regret as her being distracted, mainly due to her magnificent poker face.

“See you around Rian, and start looking for that coat” she said attempting to joke, but not finding anything funny anymore.

Rian caught the faintest shadow in Ely’s expression, a flicker of something unspoken that he didn’t quite know how to name. It was rare to see her mask slip, even for a moment, but the sadness in her smile lingered with him. Despite her attempt to deflect with humor, the weight behind her words didn’t go unnoticed.

I’ll hold you to that, he said with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes, trying to keep things light. Teal coat. Warm enough for a Ferelden winter. Got it.

But as he stepped back, preparing to leave, he paused, the air between them heavy with everything left unsaid. He hesitated, his instinct telling him to push further, to ask her what was really on her mind. But he stopped himself, sensing that whatever she was wrestling with, it wasn’t something she was ready to share.

Instead, he nodded, his voice soft but steady. Take care of yourself, Ely. And... thank you. For everything.

With that, he turned and started back down the path, his thoughts swirling. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more going on than she’d let on, but for now, he let it rest. There would be time to revisit it later—at least, he hoped there would. For now, the beast inside him was stirring again, and he needed to find some way to calm it before it consumed him entirely.

As he disappeared from view, the resolve in his steps was clear. No matter what the future held, he would face it head-on, and he would do whatever it took to protect the people he cared about.

@Aelynthi Loraronna