#moonsilk

After too much praise and congratulations, Rori found herself on a cliff's edge a distance away from everything, needing to breathe in peace and quiet. The valley below was beautiful, covered in layers of snow and ice. She twiddled her white braid in her hand, relishing the simplicity of the moment.

Until someone disturbed the peace. "Rori." It wasn't a voice she was all too happy to hear, but she kept a neutral face (not very hard, for her) as she turned around to see Moonsilk a few steps away. "We need to talk."

She shrugged. "Look, about the money, I didn't intend for it to be so much. Sorry if it causes your family trouble. I could return some of it if you need it, but you need to understand that your actions have consequences--"

The woman interrupted her with disbelief written on her face. "Are you daft? I'm not talking about the money. I'm talking about the fact that you tried to call off the sol's engagement! Do you have any idea of what you could have done to the tribe?"

Rori sighed. "Yes. I know about your.... genetics problem. But I don't think Halek should have to suffer for it. Maybe you already know this, but he wouldn't be happy in that situation. Married to you, obligated by the tribe to make snowy-haired children. He doesn't want that. It's not fair to force him."

Moonsilk sneered. "You would condemn our race for one person's happiness? How can you possibly think that's fair?"

She met the woman's ire without flinching. "It's fair to Halek. I think he deserves to make some choices for himself."

"Why? You don't even know him, nor our society. Who are you to judge our ways?"

"I may not be a part of your people, but," she gestured to her hair, "I do have the blood. A little bit of it, anyway. Halek always says that--"

The woman made a frustrated noise. "Halek. Always him. You don't know shit about him. Don't trust what he says."

Rori raised an eyebrow. "So I should trust you instead? You know, I think I'm picking him. Nothing personal, really, I just have something against being blatantly lied to." Then, in a lower voice, she added, "I get it. I get why you did it. But I can't trust you anymore. I don't work like that."

"Sometimes I wonder if you have any emotion at all behind that blank stare, or if you're just ice cold. There's something wrong with you."

That made her flinch. "How dare you. You don't know anything about my life." Voice still eerily calm, even as her body was brimming with uneasy energy. If Moonsilk wanted an empty facade, she'd get it.

The woman simply shrugged and turned away. "I think I know enough. He doesn't love you, you know." Then she was gone.

She gave it a minute. Then she started laughing, a sound filled with disbelief, and if there were some tears mixed up in it, well, that was nothing notable. Anyone watching her would only see happiness. The thought made her slightly bitter.

But it ebbed out as she sat there, staring out into the distance and bouncing her leg erratically.

"Why can't we all just get along? There are enough obstacles in Blest already without us having to fight with each other," she complained.

"I agree."

She tensed and swung around, but smiled to see Halek walking towards her. "Hey. Sorry, I was just thinking out loud."

He sat down beside her. "It's fine. I saw Moonsilk coming back from here, so I thought I'd check it out. She really doesn't like you."

Rori looked down into her lap. "We talked. She wasn't very happy that I tried to... you know. End it."

He chuckled bitterly. "Of course she doesn't. The engagement is her stepping stone to the highest status, and you were going to pull the mat away from under her feet."

She clasped her hands in her lap and studied them intently. "It didn't work. Why can't she just marry some other pure-blooded Hunter, somebody who actually would be happy with her?"

"Moonsilk wouldn't settle for that. As long as she's got me in her grasp, she's going to hold on with her pretty claws." A moment of silence passed. "Don't blame yourself. The tribe made their decision long ago."

"Oh, I know. I just think it's.... sad." She reached up to fiddle with a strand of red hair. "I never know how to deal with people who dislike me," she murmured.

"You don't dislike her?"

She frowned. "Not really. She was trying to look out for your people. I just wish we could put it behind us."

Halek smiled and stared at her for a moment, curiously, as if he was trying to figure her out. "You're very kind. But Moonsilk doesn't really care, at this point. I'd advise you to get better friends."

She tilted her head. "Like you?"

"Perhaps. I am in your debt, after all."

She didn't answer for long. Then, she frowned. "You know.... in the cave. I don't think I realised how much I relied on my magic being there until it was just. Gone. The light went out and I couldn't make it come back. I was.... afraid. Too afraid. I'd put my safety in something that could disappear. It won't happen again."

"I'm sorry. You don't need to make yourself invulnerable, though. It's okay to trust in the unknown."

"But is it safe? I endangered not only myself, but your sick friends and family. I... I can't be a weakness like that."

He reached out and grabbed the hand still in her lap, making her look up at his tall frame. "Hey. You did nothing wrong. The mere fact that you were willing to try meant everything to us."

She didn't completely believe him, but managed to offer a tiny nod.

He stood and released her. "You're going to be okay?"

"Yeah. Thank you."