You were a fool to confront me.

It was odd, looking at herself, almost like she was looking at someone else entirely. Ayleth could see shades of her mother, father, grandmother, which only reminded her how far away she was from them. Tears threatened, and she had to carefully dab them away.

“Bring me the necklace,” she told Dralin, attempting to return some calm to herself. The one Dren had given her a few days ago, his mother's necklace.

Yet another woman crowding in her thoughts. Ayleth wondered what kind of woman Releniah Dren had been. Strict? Kind? Full of laughter? Or sad, chained to a man she did not love? Was Ayleth to follow in Releniah's footsteps?

So many uncertain feelings. Ayleth breathed slowly; she had to do this, and it didn't matter how afraid she was. She couldn't have saved Hides-His-Foot but by the gods she'd save Bitterblade. And that meant a calm, controlled manner.

Dralin clasped the necklace around her neck. The red jewels in gold gleamed, hard and cold around her throat. The last touch was some floral perfume, dabbed at her wrists and the back of her neck.

“You look beautiful,” Dralin assured her. 

“Thank you,” Ayleth said, her voice flat and small. Any other time, maybe she’d feel beautiful. All she felt now was hollow.

Tags: @wannabe-nerevar, @velocitross