❝ a mermaid belongs to the sea. she cannot stay on land without the guarantee of her death. ❞
❝ yes, but her heart belongs here. ❞
↳ gandalf the grey to queen marella
╔═══ -ˋˏ *.·:·.⟐.·:·.* ˎˊ- ═══╗
she belonged...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE FIRE CACKLES HARSHLY IN THEtense, quiet atmosphere of Vera's chamber, creating tiny embers from the flames to enlighten the dim room. The fire steaming from the fireplace is the only source of light in the darker area as the moonlight isn't of any use, having been in the cover of the clouds. In the far distance from Vera's room, the sight of a burning shack by the forest can be seen but the two occupants, both sitting on the bed with vacant expressions, a hundred thoughts in their head, didn't notice the fire in the distance nor did they exactly care for it, knowing the true backstory to the accident that will be announced tomorrow by King Thèoden. For a while, it is only the fire that remains alive in that room as everything else pauses in time.
Vera had just finished explaining the entire story to her Ranger friend, barely getting the sentences out through her tears and having to drink a whole gulp of water to clear her throat and cease the tears for the time being during her explanation, which was easier than she thought. Vera had come to the conclusion that her tears just ran out over the course of time...after all, she had been crying for days that she could barely remember when she was last laughing with her friends or even smiled for herself. After finally stopping her hiccups and adjusting to the tense atmosphere around her, Vera had quickly briefed Aragorn through her tears and hardships, starting from the prisoner and ending with his death. She would have thought that her difficulties would disappear with the information passing from her to Aragorn but nothing happened.
And so, the two slipped into a prolonged silence, where they mutely took a moment to comprehend their next steps and what had happened; well, Aragorn was thinking more on the latter whereas Vera was thinking about the former, choosing to include Aragorn in her plans...he was one of her oldest friends. She could trust him with her life.
There was some truth to that statement as Aragorn springs to his feet beside her and rushes to the bloody stains on the stone floor, his eyes calculatingly observing the traces and planning his next movements in hiding the entire crime from peering eyes. Vera leaps from her seat cautiously, pulling the silk robe closer to her body as she watches Aragorn through confused eyes. She did not notice it at the moment but her shaking frame is entirely too evident, even in her ordinary state of merely standing still. Vera attempts to move towards Aragorn to help him scrub off the bloodstains with the bucket of water provided before his arrival and the rags Vera had acquired on her way to her chambers. "W-what a-are you doing?" Vera asks quietly, her voice breathless from the sobs she previously took on.
Aragorn does not stop his actions but takes a moment to glance up at Vera with a softness in his icy orbs. He sighs, before looking down and continuing his task of saving his friend from the crimes of murdering on another King's lands. Despite the prisoner belonging to Vera's own Kingdom and a prisoner who was caught regarding their own laws, he was still on Rohirrim soil and Aragorn doubted that Thèoden would see Vera as a vital ally after hearing the story where she killed a seemingly, unimportant prisoner, who did more harm to Vera personally than anyone ever could. So, in an act of protecting his friend from the punishments and circumstances she will later face, he continues scrubbing the floors and replies tenderly, "I am helping you, mellon nîn. No one should be able to trace this night back to you...it will be seen as an accident by history and to those of no concern. As much as the world knows, you had no part in this crime. You cannot lose an ally over something justifiable...even if the others may not see that."
