Continued from here:
It had always been his wont to come and go from Hideaway. Whether it be taking on missions for the Cursebreakers, or leaving for various cities, towns, villages, settlements to render aid to those trying to pick up the pieces of their lives -- he never seemed to stay long. And maybe that was intentional; maybe moving from one place to the next, helping everyone he could along the way, was what he needed in order to move on with his life, too.
It may have been a small thread reconnecting him to his old self, but it was a thread nonetheless: helping people. Because some things just never seemed to change, in the end.
So focused was Miles on keeping track of his surroundings, noting landmarks, and checking points on his map for reference, that he failed to notice the poor boy that had been trailing him ever since his departure. By the time the last light of day was giving way to the dark blues and blacks of night, and he was contemplating stopping for the night at the nearest settlement to his current location, that small -- and familiar -- voice called out to him.
The man froze. For a brief instant, thankfully masked by the shadows of night, the color drained from his face. "Rylan?" He spoke the name even before he turned to face the little boy, and the gesture came just in time to see him burst into tears. At which point the Cursebreaker rushed over to him, dropping to his knees in front of Rylan. Those gloved hands gently grasped the child's shoulders, before he drew him close for an embrace.
"Let it out." The gesture of encouragement was simple, and quietly uttered. All he could do was hug Rylan and patiently let him cry as needed, talk as needed, anything that he needed -- just as he remembered doing so oft with Clive and Joshua when they were Rylan's age and found themselves distraught for one reason or another.
"It's alright. It's alright. Let it out."
@eddaschild
