[private] I have loved you for a thousand years; Arrya

[Rhory]

I have died every day waiting for you.
Darling, don't be afraid. I have loved you for a thousand years.
His heart sinks right along with hers as she finally reveals her true feelings. He’d known of course, but it’s still different hearing the truth from her own mouth, hearing the depth of her pain. “I understand.” And while that might seem like an unhelpful thing to say, he does truly understand, all too well. He’s never lost a trait (never had one to lose), but he knows what it is to lose an integral part of himself - a part that had made life light and beautiful and worth living. He knows what it is to despair. “You’re not alone Arrya. I know I can’t replace the light for you, but I will never leave you alone.” He knows he’s made that promise before and broken it, but he means it. She needs him now, and he would sooner die than let her down again.

He presses his cheek against hers, ignoring the salty tears dampening his coat and the heat that keeps rising in his skin at her touch. “I know Arrya, I know.” And there’s nothing he can do or say to make it better. God it kills him, to see that loss and heartbreak in her eyes. She seems so … defeated. So unlike that spunky little girl he’d first met so many years ago. There’s a thread of her old self still in there of course, but the world has started to break her down, as it long ago broke him down. He wishes he could steal her away from the world and protect her - shield her from all these hurts that are eating away at her.

But that’s the problem isn’t it? He can’t protect her. He’s never been able to protect her.

The best he can do is to never, ever leave her alone again.

He lets her lead the conversation away, but as she wipes her tears on his shoulder (oh treacherous heat) his thoughts can’t help but linger. Fuck whoever’d done this to her. Seriously.

“That’s a good point. It can’t be just you. It just wouldn't make sense.” Arrya’s never done anything to anger the fairies or magicians. As he’d already thought, they’d have no reason to pick on only her. “Wish we knew why though.” Whoever’d done this had wrought changes on such a massive scale … what on earth could have prompted it?

He smiles in spite of himself as she stumbles over her words as talk returns to the possibility of a new home. It’s funny to have Arrya be the one struggling with her own tongue for once. “Oh shush. I would live anywhere with you Arrya. If you wanted to, that is.” His head drops slightly in embarrassment, trying to force back the memories his next admission threatens evoke. “I don’t want to be alone any more either.”


Rhory
I'll love you for a thousand more.