𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑻

𝙸𝚃 𝙸𝚂 𝙰 𝙲𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙺 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙴𝙳 𝙰𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳𝙴𝚁𝚂,     this weight,    this grief.      he guards his gaze and his heart,    but ciri has seen its traces,    knows its grasp.    a sadness then grips her,    softens her eyes and loosens her muscles.    for this being so deserted,    appearing alone even in her presence.    a part of her wishes to reach out to him and lighten the weight for but a moment,    yet she remains as she is.     not her place,    not her right.    in the absence of rage nor bitterness,     dettlaff seems desolate.

❛   i know,   ❜     ciri murmurs,    the faintest of smiles tugging at her features at the mention of her family.     how lucky she is indeed.      ❛   i know you made a vow and you have kept it.   ❜     a pause,   pondering her words,     but her nature is to speak from the heart.      ❛   but you don’t have to be all on your own.     i can come visit    …    if you like.   ❜     a careful offer,      borne not of pity but genuine compassion.

*      DESPITE   ALL,   KINDNESS  STILL  FINDS  ITS   WAY.   a golden spirit,  brighter than the sunshine that flickers in his eyes;  brighter than his dark.  a vow once kept,  and the higher vampire had fully intended to keep.  a sentence of complete isolation,  far from men and monsters alike.  banished from the world that cast him out.  though even in isolation,   you cannot hide from your sins.  a feat impossible,  even for a vampire.  they haunt the deepest corners of his mind. all that is left now,  is to repent.   and perhaps dettlaff’s salvation was not out of his reach.  perhaps she sits just next to him.  offering words of warmth,  and kindness.  more than one feels he deserves.  to the effect that pale gaze averts from ciri’s,  casting back down to the dirt in shame.