#eldeshield

                        Obvious,  by  the  silence,  that  something  rests  heavily  ‘pon  his  mind.  HEAVY  is  his  crown,  and  weary  are  his  eyes,  but  it  is  she  he  approaches  habitually  for  mental  repose  ;;  ‘tis  only  she  he  trusts,  after  all,  to  not  worsen  his  personal,  unspoken  burdens,  and  to  provide  him  even  the  faintest  modicum  of  reassurance,  even  without  him  having  to  bear  himself  emotionally  raw.  

“ your mistakes don't define you. “  //  kisara & dohalim.

                          @eldeshield.  /  from here.  /  accepting.

​

it’s not the first time he’s heard such words from her  ,  nor is it the first time he’s needed to  ,  &  the ex-lord is certain it won’t be the last.  despite its origin  ,  now more than ever  ,  dohalim is sure their bond is  genuine  now  ,  reforged of mutual respect  &  understanding  ,  &  perhaps of something else he dare not consider  ,  rather than the  social hierarchy  within which they had been confined.

kisara was free now  ,  &  she chose to stand beside him  ,  not as a lord  &  his guard  ,  but as a  friend  .

dohalim wasn’t sure there could be a higher honor.

&  to her words  ,  he offers a  smile  ,  gentle  &  still laced with a tinge of regret he cannot seem to let go of just yet.  she’s right  ,  though  ,  she’s always been right about matters of the heart  ,  it seems.  she’s even more right about his own  ,  selfish as it may have once been.  his eyes shut for a moment  ,  &  when he opens them  ,  he lays a hand on her arm gently  ,  finding his words  carefully  . 

‘ i suppose you are correct in that regard, as always.  forgive me, i do not intend to seem as though my past mistakes still weigh so heavily on my mind. ’ 

a  pause  ,  &  his expression becomes a touch more turbulent.  was he still the owner of that selfish heart  ,  or perhaps  ,  had he become more than he once was  ,  someone  deserving  of the trust placed in him ??

he’d like to think he had.  but he wouldn’t ask her outright  ,  it wouldn’t be fair to make kisara answer that question. 

‘ and yet...despite that, i somehow seem unable to fully disperse of my laments.  that said, i know the only thing i can do is continue on this chosen path, to do better for the lives of those on whom i can make an impact. ’ 

&  then  ,  finally  ,  dohalim allows his smile to grow warmer once more  ,  perhaps a touch more  fond  than before. 

“ Woah woah! Hold up. You’re trying to tell me  you fished that giant thing from the small pond over there??? Remind me not to go sticking my  feet in there. ”

How scary was that? Not knowing if a big ass fish was swimming under him and could easily swallow him whole. 

@eldeshield​ :

Now that Shionne is finally free of her thorns, the guard is able to reach out to her easily. Strong arms come around and pull her petite form in for a warm embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay! You really had me worried..."

Unlike the rest of her life, she didn’t hesitate even for a single moment, wrapping her arms around Kisara . The day had come in which she could finally feel the WARMTH of her friends, and the knowledge that there’d be no more loneliness in her path came along with it . She was free, and she could allow herself to be happy now .

❝ Everyone’s feelings . . . They all came together so I could be saved . I’ve got a lot of people to thank, starting with you guys . So thank you, Kisara . ❞  Her expression was one of genuine GRATITUDE, and her voice told the same tale . 

If it weren’t for her friends, if it weren’t for everyone they had met on their journey, things would’ve gone just the way she had seen again and again in her dreams .

❝ Everything I wasn’t able to do because of my thorns, I want to do now .  Of course, hugging you and Rinwell was part of that . ❞

A hum sounds from Dohalim’s lips, a hand moving under his chin.

“I see. So it would seem I can stare, but Law cannot.

“Hah... you really think so?”

As always, he was humble to a fault  ——— laughing off compliments not out of disbelief, but out of a genuine surprise that could make him feel a bit... awkward, sometimes. Now, Alphen didn’t doubt the woman’s words, as she was a stalwart judge of character (and he valued her opinion greatly). 

But there was something inside him that stirred from within; something that makes him fall quiet———too quiet———and it’s as if he’d been pulled from the present and into a (turbulent) sea of thought. How much of himself was he? How much of himself wasn’t? Who was to say that he of the past and present were in fact one and the same? 

It was good that most perceived him to be kind; compassionate; and unwavering in his resolve to see the world enter an era of peace. For if he was to ever find out the truth of who he truly was (and of the sins he could have committed), he didn’t know if he could face the others as he had done all this time. 

              “...Well, that might be true! Even if there’s only so much that I know.”

“perhaps it’s best to dismiss it, rather than press further. 

if she feels we are no more than friends, there is little to be discussed.”

as such was what they were... right?