forum Where is… here? (Closed)

Started December 26, 2022 by @emilyevewrites group

tune

Anna retracted her hand as he flinched away from the touch. "De'Tearion?" she asked again, growing more and more worried by the second. She observed the amulet around his neck and reached her fingers hesitantly toward it, but she didn't touch it. She didn't dare.

When his eyes finally closed, Anna began to tremble. She was alone and utterly defenseless against anything that would come out of the woods. Her own fingers began to grow cold while her heart raced, and she clutched her head, trying to calm herself down.

Think rationally, she told herself. You need help. You need to find De'Tearion help. Do something!

Anna's head jerked up at the sound of some kind of carriage heading down the road right beside the woods. While she wasn't guaranteed the person would be kind, she figured it was better than scraping through the woods with useless hope.

"Hey!" she called out, rising to her feet and hurrying in the direction of the sounds. "Wait!" Her bare feet carried her faster than she thought possible, and she scrambled to a halt at the edge of the road, looking wildly around for any sign of another person.

De’Tearion noticed her hand just before his eyes closed and his fingers tightened around the pendant of his amulet. If she wanted his prized necklace, she’d have to cut his hand off, if not kill him. Or, she could just wait… Mercy, the cruel bitch, would take him sometime…

---

The driver of the currently empty carriage, a portly man with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and fine clothes, stopped whistling when he heard a voice calling him. He pulled on the reins, the two horses pulling the carriage coming to a stop.

“Who’s a calling?”he shouted, looking around cautiously.

A few moments later, the sight of a barefoot woman dressed in strange clothes appeared from the woods. She seemed frenzied. Was something chasing her?

“My good lady, if you’re being hunted, then hop in. My horses will carry us far before those damned forest demons can catch us!”he said to her, quickly motioning to carriage door closest to her.

Anna took in the man in front of her. He seemed to be kind. And he was offering to help her. Perhaps, she should take him up on the offer. She could easily get in his carriage, leave De"Tearion behind, and head to a human city. Maybe someone there could be someone there who could help her get back to Earth, and back to Daisy.

But she immediately shook her head at the thoughts. No. Her moral compass wouldn't allow her to leave a weak, frail creature alone to die in the woods. Not if there was the possibility that she could somehow help him live. And De'Tearion had saved her life, twice over. It was time she returned the favor as best she could.

"No, I'm not being hunted," she replied, still trying to catch her breath from running so fast. "Well, I was, but now I'm not. My friend. He needs help – warm clothes. Any you can spare. His life is in danger. Please, sir, I'm desperate."

(I may or may not have done research on carriages until now. So, I honestly have no clue what sort of carriage it is, because I have confused, at least, two, if not three or four different types of carriages/coaches. So… yeah. Full improv at the moment, because I don’t know what to do, lmao!)

---

The man shook his head in bewilderment until Anna clarified her situation. His eyes then widened in shock.

“Oh goodness, was he attacked? I’ve got a stash of clothes and blankets I keep for emergencies. Take what you need. Do you need a healer? I’m on my way to Hafgen, and I could take you there,”the man gasped.

He reached back behind him, where a small trunk was tied down. He opened it and started pulling out blankets and a few different outfits. He then hopped down to the ground and handed some of the stuff to Anna, so it would be easier for him to walk.

“So, where is he? Still in the woods?”he asked cautiously.

(That's fair lol)

Anna hesitated. "Uh, no… he wasn't attacked…" she murmured, suddenly having doubts. De'Tearion had said of the wars between humans and forest folk like him. What would this man do if he saw De'Tearion in the woods, weak, tired, and defenseless? Sure, he was kind to her, but she was human. And Anna was more than familiar with people seeming kind while having darkness hidden in them.

"Thank you," she said, taking the blankets and clothes that he handed her. "Yes, he's still in the woods. I can take them to him. Don't worry, you stay here."

The man blinked at her, confused by her reluctant answer.

“Is he ill? Oh dear, how long have you been in the forest? Can he walk? If not, I can help carry him!”he burst.

He paused again at her words. Concern grew on his face. Then, after a quick scan of the woods, he looked back at Anna.

“Are you sure? How close is he? The forests are so dangerous. There’s no telling what could be lurking in any of these trees. I’m worried that if you go back alone, something might happen to the both of you. I don’t wish that kind of fate on anyone,”he said.

"Not very long, I assure you," Anna replied quickly. The more concern that showed on his face, the more guilty Anna felt for lying to him. As far as she'd been taught, omission of the truth was as good as a lie. "You're very kind, sir, but I promise I'll be fine. I'm sure nothing will happen."

Before he could say any more to keep her from attending to De'Tearion or trying to come with her, Anna hurried off into the woods again. In no time, she found De'Tearion's unconscious form right where she'd left him to be. Quickly, she began to cover him with layers of clothing and blankets, anything to raise his body temperature again.

"Please work," she hissed, draping the last blanket in her arms over him so he was covered as much as possible. "Please."

(Incoming event that could potentially be either hilarious or interesting, or both, lol)

---

“Not long? How is that possible? You look like you’ve been in there for days, even a week!”the man burst.

He sputtered at her words, then watched her go, absolutely flustered by her actions. He had no idea what to do, and he still had blankets in his arms.

“Oh, by Hal’mayil’s warm grace, let them come out in one piece,”the man mumbled to himself.

~~

De’Tearion flinched slightly when Anna started covering him with blankets, but he otherwise didn’t stir.

It took a while before anything seemed to happen, but he eventually stopped shivering. He then started to occasionally chirp or click, like he was talking in his sleep.

After a few more minutes, black tears started to ooze from De’Tearion’s eyes. His clicks and chirps grew louder. Then, he jolted and finally stirred. His eyes slowly opened, their glow a little more back to normal.

He noticed the blankets first, caressing them with a nostalgic look in his dazed eyes. His eyes then drifted over to Anna, staring for a moment.

After another couple minutes, De’Tearion groggily sat up, his weakening arms shaking. He reached forward, tenderly cupping her cheek, then kissed her. It was warm and kind, but there seemed to be a deep sadness in it.

When he moved back after a long moment, De’Tearion gazed at her with pleading eyes.

“Forgive me, Mileena. For everything…”he breathed.

His hand finally slid off of her cheek, though he didn’t even seem to realize it. Nor did he realize who he was actually talking to.

~~

The man had put up his armful of blankets and clothes, then waited in the spot where he’d talked to the strange woman. After some time, he started to pace, growing worried.

Then, when he finally couldn’t take it anymore, he moved back to his carriage, retrieved a sword that was stashed in the bottom of the trunk of blankets, and headed into the forest.

He snuck through the trees with the ease of a trained soldier. A bit later, he found the strange woman and her ‘friend’, just as he kissed her. His pale skin, somewhat glowing eyes, and chirping accent was a big clue that this ‘man’ was no human. His eyes widened in shock.

Anna nearly doubled over as De’Tearion reacted to the blankets. “Please,” she whispered sitting beside him and resting her hand on his shoulder. “Please wake up, De’Tearion…”

As he stopped shivering and began to “talk,” Anna’s inner hope swelled up. She told it not to, but it did anyway. And when his eyes opened, despite his tears, she laughed quietly with pure relief.

She stayed with him as he slowly began to wake and gently smiled at him as he gazed at her. He wasn’t dead. But her eyes widened slightly as he cupped her cheek and drew her in for a soft kiss. She gasped into his mouth, but after a moment, she leaned into him and kissed him back in equal measure.

Her lips were parted and beginning to turn pink as he drew back, and her eyes reopened. Anna wasn’t sure when exactly they closed, but it felt right. And the way he looked at her. Pleading. Desperate.

She waited for whatever he was going to say, but she instantly regretted it when he did speak. There is was again, that other name. The other woman. Mileena.

A wave of sadness crashed over Anna so suddenly that she rose to her feet and took a step back. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She was completely humiliated. Of course De’Tearion didn’t think he was kissing her. She was just a stand-in for whoever this ‘Mileena’ was.

“I’m Anna,” she finally said, trying not to look and sound as hurt as she felt. However, her voice shook despite her best efforts. A clear tear trickled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away.

De’Tearion flinched again when she touched his shoulder, this time a bit more harshly.

He didn’t register her laugh, nor her smile. But, when she gasped and kissed him back, a relieved chirp echoed in his throat. He even seemed to relax a bit, a seed of hope building in the haze of his barely conscious mind.

However, it was ripped away from him when she abruptly stood and moved away, tears in her eyes. She then spoke, but he didn’t get what she meant. Anna? Why was she calling herself Anna? And, the way she sounded…

“Mileena? A… Anna? Why… What more have I done? I beg… I… I cannot do this again!”De’Tearion whimpered.

He flopped on his side, hiding his face as he started to cry.

---

The man watched, confused by the Forestfolk’s actions. He then listened to him beg for ‘Mileena’s’ forgiveness. Queen Mileena? Of Hēmalhim? Was this Forestfolk… No… Impossible…

The man slipped away, hurrying back to his carriage. He dug through the trunk, finding a small box in the bottom, next to where his sword had been stashed. He opened the box, searching through a stack of papers until he found what he was looking for. He gasped as his suspicions were confirmed.

The paper was a Wanted poster from the Kingdom of Hēmalhim, describing a reward for a Forestfolk, specifically a Goliathan, named Ákle-Ikli De’Tearion. Ten thousand gold for him alive, three thousand dead. The portrait was undeniably similar to the Forestfolk the strange woman had been kissing. He was a little haggard, a little more sickly, but he was certain that it was De’Tearion.

“Your Good Majesty Mileena, why do you want him alive after everything he did to you? And, why is he so desperate for your forgiveness? No forest demon knows mercy,”the man mumbled.

He then folded the paper, putting it back, then putting the box back where it went. Afterward, he debated whether to simply wait, or to go back into the forest to watch some more. After all, this strange woman was either protecting De’Tearion or was oblivious to his prominence in Hēmalhim. It wasn’t clear which one.

Anna willed herself not to cry as De'Tearion was. Maybe it was heartless. Maybe she was being cruel. But he'd been cruel to her too. Just now, he'd tricked her into thinking that he actually might… No. That was foolish. They'd only just met, and Anna knew nothing about him. How could they have fallen in love so quickly? Why would he love her? There was no other reason than perhaps, somehow, she reminded him of this 'Mileena,' whoever she was. It had been her imagination. Obviously. She had been nothing more to him than 'a potential meal.'

She took another step back and lifted her chin in the air. Maybe she was being cruel, but too many other people had been cruel to her. She deserved a chance to fight for herself.

"You've done nothing more than lead me on," she replied shortly. "Maybe it was my fault, being in the most horribly wrong place at the wrong time, but it's not fair. I'm not who you think I am, but I know I don't deserve to be treated like this. Letting you kiss me and speak to me as if I'm someone else. I can't replace what you've lost. I can only be myself. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

A carriage ride to the nearest city with the kind man wasn't sounding so bad after all.

De’Tearion listened, stricken by her words. He visibly trembled, shaking his head. He had known she would be angered, but he hadn’t realized how badly, or how harsh she would be to him.

“All I ask be forgiveness. I… I never intended to hurt you,”he breathed.

He then coiled, hiding his face in his arms. After a few minutes, his body slowly relaxed until he was clearly asleep again. One of his arms slipped down, smearing the black tears still marking his face.

---

The man watched the trees for a bit, deciding to just wait. Goliathans had keen senses, even the sickly ones, and he didn’t want to risk getting caught.

Though, after some time, he became restless. So, he decided to check the horses, then the carriage. He also did some more mundane tasks to keep himself busy while he waited.

Anna watched him tremble and shake his head. She listened to his words and closed her eyes to keep from seeing the damage that her words had caused.

This was so unlike her. Anna was naturally a woman of compassion and kindness and understanding. It was something that far too many people had taken advantage of in her, and now, she was used to it. Her innocence and naïve ways of thinking as she tried to 'see the best in people' had been the reason for the most traumatic experience of her life. It caused her guard to be up all the time, especially with matters concerning her daughter. Daisy had almost died, and Anna had been forced to watch it happen. If it hadn't been for Harry…

But it was Harry who had been the one to put Anna in the situation that she and Daisy had been in in the first place. It was essentially his fault, but Anna didn't want to be thinking about that right now. It was something she never wanted to think about again if she could get that lucky. Unfortunately, luck was not something Anna Clayton believed in. Not now, not ever.

Her eyes opened, taking in the sight of De'Tearion's weak body once more, and before she could stop herself, the question blurted from her lips. "Are you talking to me or Mileena?"

De’Tearion jolted awake at her question, lifting up to his elbows in an instant. His eyes darted around, assessing the area, then narrowed in confusion.

He grabbed the top blanket covering him, recognizing the material as a high quality cloth, one that only Rehnethrigard was known for. Then, he noticed the drying tears on his face and he wiped his cheeks, staring at the flakes in bewilderment. He then saw Anna, standing a bit away from him, quite upset.

“Mercy have me,”De’Tearion gasped quietly.

What had happened? He remembered nothing, except for a horrid dream about Mileena refusing to forgive him, but he had clearly just been ‘awake’. Also, where had the blankets come from? Only a Matataran human would have them. Was there someone waiting for them on the road? Were they aware of him? Of who he was? And, why was Anna so upset? What had he done, or said?

“I apologize, yet I missed your question. Also, might I ask what recently happened? Whatever it was, I was awake not. I… I sometimes act awake, yet I am truly still asleep. I believe this was one of those times,”he said warily.

“And, who gave you these blankets?”he added.

Anna blinked and took another quick step back as De'Tearion jolted up and looked around with a confused look on his face. Had he not been awake when he'd kissed her and called her Mileena? Had he been dreaming it? Had he been aware of his actions at all? Or what he'd said?

But slowly, as he began to come to, he answered her questions one by one. He had no idea what he'd done or said to her, or how she'd reacted in return. And suddenly, as much as what he'd done had hurt her, she didn't want to tell him.

Instead, she took a breath, approached him, and knelt by his side. Putting a hopefully reassuring smile on her face, she rested her hand on his. "Don't worry about what happened. It was nothing. I'm glad that you're alright… I was worried for you."

Anna hesitated a moment before answering his question. Would he be mad at her for asking a human for help? She hadn;t known what else to do. And De'Tearion could have died without the man's blankets that he'd given to aid her. "I met a man driving a carriage along the road," she said honestly. "I asked him for help. He gave me blankets, but I didn't tell him much about you. I only said I needed warm materials for a friend and it was urgent."

De’Tearion watched Anna cautiously, then in bewilderment. She was hiding what he’d done. Why? Why hide his mistakes? He’d hidden his mistakes for centuries, from everyone he’d ever known and loved. He couldn’t stand it. He hated not knowing what he’d done wrong, or being unable to correct his mistakes. He needed to know!

De’Tearion lifted his hand out from under hers, then took her hand firmly in his. It was probably a mistake what he was going to do, but he didn’t like not knowing.

“Anna, what had I done? It was of significance. I see it, I smell it, and I hear it. Lie not to me, I beg. I have heard too many lies before,”he bade her, his voice gentle. There was a slight quiver in his voice as well, from the amount of emotion he was trying to contain.

He grew worried at her hesitation. He then became wary.

“‘Tis a great risk you took. If he finds out what I am, and especially who, I will be captured and you will likely be killed,”De’Tearion forewarned.

He sighed, then shook his head and started to stand. He was very wobbly and fell to his knees the first try, but he stubbornly kept at it until he was standing. Afterward, he grabbed the blankets and wrapped them around himself, as he still felt a bit cold, though not drastically.

“We should get moving,”he said.

He took two steps and stumbled, catching himself on a tree. Holding onto the tree, he took a few deep breaths, straightened himself, then finally continued. Without realizing, he was headed straight for the road.

Anna's expression softened as De'Tearion moved his hand and took hers firmly. She inhaled slowly as he continued to question her about what he'd done when he was awake but not really awake. His words, his plea for honesty… it was all too familiar. She would respect his wishes, but there was still one thing she wanted to know. No. She needed to know.

"Alright. I'm sorry… I will tell you." She paused and took a breath. "But before I do, I need you to tell me something. The truth. Who is Mileena?" Whoever she was, Mileena had been referenced not once, but twice since Anna had met De'Tearion. And now, Anna was honestly too curious to not ask at this point.

Anna's eyes widened a bit at his chiding of her decision. "What else was I to do?" she asked, a bit of her previous worry and desperation edging her words. "You were on the verge of dying. I couldn't let you simply…" The woman stopped speaking as her voice broke and trailed off. She refused to look at him as her eyes pooled with tears.

But she quickly looked back up at De'Tearion as his warning caught her off-guard. "What are you talking about?" she demanded. "Who are you?" It took an abundance of strength for Anna not to break down at the mention of her death if he was found out. She needed to know what was going on.

Anna quickly rose to her feet and moved to stop De'Tearion as he stood and headed toward the road, where the man with the carriage would likely still be waiting to see if Anna was alright. "No," she said shortly. "Not that direction. And before we go anywhere, I need you to tell me everything I should know about why helping you is so dangerous."

De’Tearion watched Anna closely, then waited for her explanation. He paused at her request though, looking at their hands and avoiding her gaze. He squeezed her hand gently, needing the contact to keep himself from freaking out.

“Mileena… She…”

De’Tearion sighed, shaking his head. It was difficult to not burst into tears.

“She be, currently, the Queen of the human kingdom to the west of Rehnethrigard, the one we are in. I had known her when she was still a princess, and I had loved her. I will admit, the feelings linger. Yet… she rejected me,”he said quietly, moisture gathering in his eyes as he spoke.

De’Tearion listened to her and sighed.

“I am angered not. Truly, I am grateful. I simply wish you to be careful.”

He then hesitated at her questions.

“‘Tis a long tale,”he said vaguely, not wanting to talk about his identity.

He stubbornly continued onward, despite Anna’s attempts to stop him. Though, when she spoke, he turned around and eyed her for a moment.

“Be that carriage driver still there, waiting?”he asked, his voice a bit more stern than intended.

He froze at her insistence of knowing about his situation. He didn’t want to talk about it. Why did she have to pry? Why couldn’t she just leave that subject alone?

He couldn’t be mad at her though. She had a right to know, and she would need to know anyway if she continued to stay with him. If. And, that was what scared him. Would she leave if he told her?

After a couple of minutes, De’Tearion took a deep breath to steady himself, but it only made it more difficult to hold in his tears. He leaned back against a tree and slid down, his hands starting to shake.

“I… I know not where to begin,”he finally said, curling up as his composure slowly disintegrated. Black tears oozed from his eyes, even though De’Tearion didn’t want them to.

Anna gauged his reaction to her question. Obviously, whoever Mileena was… whatever she meant to De'Tearion, she was significant. That fact only made Anna more anxious. She swallowed when he squeezed her hand and gently caressed his skin under her thumb.

Though the woman couldn't hide her surprise at finding out Mileena was another human. More specifically, a queen. And he'd been in love with her, though it seemed to be unrequited. It made sense… but that didn't mean that Anna didn't still hurt from what he'd done.

She inhaled slowly and forced herself to keep her own tears at bay. "Alright. When you were… awake but not awake… you must've thought that I was Mileena. You kissed me, and begged for my forgiveness afterward."

Anna took another steadying breath before nodding at his words. "I understand," she murmured. Though a look of embarrassment and uneasiness crossed her expression at his question about the carriage driver.

"Yes," she whispered. "I think so. I didn't tell him to wait or leave, but I don't think he left."

Anna panicked again when De'Tearion leaned back against a nearby tree. "Are you alright?" she asked immediately. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you ill. I understand, truly."

A tiny gasp escaped De’Tearion as Anna caressed his hand. He hadn’t meant to make the sound, but he couldn’t help it. He hadn’t had any sort of affectionate touch in a long while, and… he was practically desperate for it.

At Anna’s surprise to his explanation, De’Tearion could only give a mirthless chuckle. Yes, he had, and still sort of did, love a human. He was a beastly creature, a demon of the forests. And, he’d fallen for the daughter of his enemy. What a fool he was.

He then listened to her, his eyes widening at her words. For a breif moment, he wondered if he was even breathing, as he found himself gasping for breath a moment later. He looked around, anywhere but at Anna, shaking his head and desperately fighting tears.

“I… Forgive me, Anna. I…”he stammered, his shaking voice barely audible.

He didn’t respond to her, but he was glad she understood. Maybe he wouldn’t have to talk about his past. If he was lucky. And, luck hadn’t been kind to him lately.

De’Tearion’s eyes narrowed at her response. She was a fool to be so trusting! To not be more cautious! But… the longer he stared at her, the more he was reminded that she’d been more concerned about his health than her own safety. She’d saved his life. So what if she forgot to tell the driver to leave?

At her questions, De’Tearion laughed a bit.

“‘If it makes me ill’. You know not the half of it,”he croaked.

He sighed and shook his head, turning away as he wept. He avoided looking her way, even though he was inwardly begging for a hug.

Anna was surprised to hear the gasp. She worried immediately about frightening De'Tearion or doing something he didn't like, but when she studied his face and didn't see any signs of negative emotions, she continued to rub his hand with her thumb as long as he held hers

She worried again when he seemed to stop breathing as she told him what she'd done. He refused to look at her as he apologized again. But this time it wasn't to the Mileena of his imagination. It was to her. Anna.

Her hand reached up to gently cup his face and guide him to look at her. "It's forgiven," she answered softly.

Immediately when she answered about the carriage driver, Anna could feel the judgment in his gaze. She nearly flinched from it before he laughed away her questions about his past.

Anna quickly withdrew from him as he turned from her, feeling the guilt eating away at her from the inside. Why was she so nosy? Why did she feel entitled to know about his past? She pried too much. Her arms wrapped around her body, and she searched for the right words to say. She couldn't find any in her.

De’Tearion appreciated her continued rubs. It was soothing for him, such a simple touch.

He flinched when she touched him, and nearly moved away, but her gentle touch made him pause long enough for her to turn his head and speak. He trembled even more at her forgiveness, too stunned to know how to properly react. How could she forgive him? Why?

He barely noticed her moving away, but he did take note the smell of her guilt. Her silence was telling as well. She hadn’t meant to upset him. She was also just ignorant of how sensitive the subject was for him. Simple ignorance.

After a few minutes to let his crying fit pass on its own, De’Tearion wiped off his face. He hesitated to look at Anna for a bit. Then, when he finally felt up to it, he turned to face her.

“My… my tears are black. The same with my blood and other fluids. My past be… difficult to speak about. Too much has happened in recent years. I… I wish not to speak of it. Yet… you are more accurate about an illness than you likely realize. I am… dying. Starving, though I have tried many times to correct it. It never works. This be the third time I have found Mercy stalking me, waiting for the moment to finally kill me,”De’Tearion said quietly.

He couldn’t truly face her as he spoke, but he just averted his eyes without actually turning away.

Anna nearly drew back when he flinched, but she remained steady, hoping it would be enough to calm him. She wasn't angry, and she wouldn't lash out. Especially not since it hadn't really been De'Tearion who had kissed and spoken to her like she was another person.

Though his trembling worried her. "I'm sorry," she murmured, studying his face intently. "Did I say something wrong?"

The silence was killing her. She didn't know what to say while waiting for him to say something too. Finally, he spoke, and she lifted her gaze back to him. "You don't have to tell me," she said softly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so insistent. I'll stand by you, I swear."

Her eyes widened with worry at his confession. "Dying?" she asked, her voice breaking around the word. "Is there anything I can do? Can't you find food? We could travel somewhere… anywhere…" Anna slowly trailed off. Her suggestions were likely feeble. He'd probably done everything she could think of.

Anna inhaled slowly, still trying to process the fact that De'Tearion was starving to death. "Who is Mercy?" she asked quietly.

De’Tearion slowly shook his head, still stunned.

“No. I… I am unaccustomed to forgiveness. I…”he said quietly. Did he dare question her forgiveness? Did he dare ask her if she was being honest, or just saying false words to ease his pain? She didn’t smell like she was lying, but was his nose even as accurate as it used to be?

“I understand why you asked. I am merely ready not to tell you,”he replied gently.

De’Tearion shook his head, then sighed.

“‘Tis not food that be the problem. ‘Tis my appetite,”he answered with another sigh. He had no motivation to eat. He had nothing to live for. No purpose. No meaning.

He finally met her eyes at her question, chuckling mirthlessly.

“Mercy be better known to humans as ‘Fate’. She has a deceiving name among my kin, because she be the opposite of merciful,”he said.

Anna frowned, though her expression was still soft as she looked at him. "I'm… so sorry," she said quietly. She didn't want, or need, to ask to understand that Mileena was likely part of De'Tearions statement. "You don't deserve that. We all make mistakes, and we all are worthy of forgiveness for them to keep moving forward."

She nodded simply at his gentle words. "That's alright. I don't expect you to tell me before you're ready."

Though his words again worried her. "Appetite?" she asked hesitantly, thinking back to when De'Tearion could've simply eaten her when she was defenseless. It would have been so easy for him, and yet he didn't. Maybe this explained their first encounter.

"I see," she whispered. Anna couldn't help but agree. The name was downright deceiving and nearly cruel.

De’Tearion shook his head again, sighing resignedly.

“The forests are an unforgiving and uncompromising place. If one cannot conform, they die,”De’Tearion said, sighing again.

He gave her a small, appreciative smile, relieved that she was being so understanding at the moment.

Then, another sigh left him.

“Aye, my appetite. There be plenty for me to eat, yet finding the motivation to eat be difficult. What be the point anyway?”he replied.

“Aye. The cruel bitch loves to make the innocent suffer,”he commented bitterly, looking down at the dirt in front of Anna, cradling his amulet again.

Anna winced at his words. Immediately, she tried to cover up the action by brushing her hair across her face, obscuring her wavering expression from his view. "Oh," she whispered, trying not to think of how low her chances of survival here truly were.

But quickly, she turned her gentle brown gaze back to him. "The point?" she asked softly. "The point is to carry on. Prove to everyone that no… no matter…" Her voice broke around the words like they meant more than what she was letting on. "No matter how shitty the hand you were dealt is, you can move beyond it. That despite being broken and betrayed and hopeless, you can keep going."

She hadn't even realized that tears were beginning to pool in her eyes until she blinked and her vision became hazy. A clear teardrop slipped down her cheek, and Anna turned away as her resolve crumbled.

It took her maybe ten seconds to turn back, and her tear track was gone, having been wiped from her face quickly. Her gaze lowered to his hand, gripping the amulet he'd clutched so desperately before. Anna needed a distraction, so she spoke up quietly, "If you don't mind, could you tell me about your amulet?" She was grateful her voice didn't waver again.

De’Tearion glanced up, noticing her movements. He wasn’t sure what she was hiding until he smelled it from her and heard her heartbeat. Did she realize that most of her reactions would be obvious to him, and thus pointless to hide? His senses were far keener than hers, after all.

He continued to watch her as she spoke, growing concerned as her composure cracked. The moment he saw tears, De’Tearion climbed to his feet and stumbled over to her. Though, by the time he was in front of her, she was already composed again. Just like he would be…

He had done the exact same thing she just did for most of his life. Hiding his emotions. Hiding the cracks and fractures of his mind under the guise of sheer determination and ruthlessness. By Mercy, it broke his heart to see someone else doing it.

He winced at her question, but his thoughts were still hung on her earlier words. Neither conversation was pleasant. One fed the sorrow of the other.

“Agatha, my sister, forged this amulet from our mother’s ashes. She gave it to me as she died in my arms. She was the only family I had left. There was Nwalan, my closest ally, though he be clever enough to survive on his own. And, after Mileena’s rejection, I have seen him not. I am alone, Anna. I have no one to care for, no one to care for me, and no one to prove anything to. Cry not for me, Anna. I am certain Mercy’s cruel game will be over soon, and I will see Agatha again,”De’Tearion explained softly, his voice barely more than a whisper.

His hand gently caressed her cheek, his cool fingers barely touching her, like he was afraid she would shatter like glass if he fully touched her.

However, a short moment later, his hand was gone and De’Tearion was walking toward the road again. He didn’t care anymore about the risks of meeting the carriage driver. He had no qualms of killing the guy, just as long as he didn’t frighten Anna away. If there was one thing he wanted, it was to have some company before he died.

Anna was aware of De'Tearion heading for her as soon as she began to cry. But still, she forced herself to stop, just as she'd forced herself to stop when she filed for a divorce with Harry, when she was betrayed by Nikhail, and when she was made a fool of by Isabella. And the look on De'Tearion's face when she turned back around immediately made her gut wrench. He knew… he knew what it was like. She could tell.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Habit."

De'Tearion's words were about to break her again. He was so lonely… just like she was. Well, she did have Daisy, but her daughter was still in London. Far, far away from this terrible place. Terrible except De'Tearion.

"But you're not," she whispered back, her voice breaking again. "You're not alone anymore. I'm here. And I'm staying."

A soft gasp came from her slightly parted lips as she felt his feather-light touch on her cheek. He seemed worried to touch her, like she would break. She wouldn't. Anna inclined her head, closed her eyes, leaned more into the touch, and smiled to herself. But just as she was calming down, the hand was gone.

Her eyes flew open to see De'Tearion heading through the woods again. Towards the road. And the carriage. And its driver. Panic shot through her, and before she could think, her bare feet took off toward him again. "De'Tearion!" she called out. "Wait!"