[private] loving you isn't the right thing to do. || magnus

[magnus]

— find what you love and let it kill you —

There is comfort and familiarity here, and Magnus has long since given up denying himself the simple pleasure of it. Life was hard enough; he did not see the point in forgoing the simple pleasure of being there, standing with a beautiful women with a sharp mind and even sharper tongue. At first, when he had crawled out of the ocean, he had thought it was wrong; thought it sullied his memory of Joelle, made him disloyal. But he had known, deep in his heart, that she would not have wished a life of loneliness for him.

So he had opened up to Minette and her soft eyes; he had left himself love her, be loved by her.

But she, too, had left.

It still pained him to think of her, and his child, off somewhere. Was she safe? Had Gryffen returned? He had searched for them but had been unable to find a single clue—unable to unearth a single whisper of where they had gone or what had befallen them. No one had seen of Gryffen. No one had seen where the gentle flea-bitten mare had gone. Eventually, he had resigned himself to the reality of her absence. He thanked her, when he was alone at night and the stars were bright, for opening his heart once more. For showing him love was still possible. Thanked her and wished fervently for her safety.  

Now—now, he wasn’t certain he could ever give himself so fully to another as he had done with Joelle—but he knew he had enough to give. Enough to feel his heart swell with affection when he looked down at Ellyse; enough for his pulse to thump when she pressed her nose against his neck.

But the peace, the love, the momentary beauty in having found one another is short-lived. His eyes widen at the exhaustion in her voice, and he snorts in confusion before understanding washes over him. “Oh,” he exhales, reaching down to press his muzzle against her poll. “Don’t apologize, love.” Concern twists his gut, and fear, but he tampers them down, doing his best to be strong for her. “It’s going to be okay. I’m right here.” He breathes out softly. “We can do this, Ellyse. Be brave.”

magnus