Flash Fic for Manda (WIP)
Palom rolled his eyes and wondered what in the world Leonora was thinking this time. Everyone in the group was exhausted and grateful to find a safe area to take some rest, before they continued the long and endless journey into the depths of this moon. He knew for a fact she'd already depleted her magic and ethers were running low. Why would she offer to take the night watch while everyone else slept? Someone had to do it, but if anything ambushed them, she'd be vulnerable.
"It makes sense. The fighters need to heal and there are better mages than me. They'll be needed."
"But Leonora-" Porom tried to interject.
The young epopt just shook her head. She had a stubborn streak to match any of the other healers of the group and she wouldn't yield on this. "You're the better white mage. I'll rest next time we stop." Before anyone could stop her, she'd sat down in the sentry's spot and refused to budge until they stopped staring at her in surprise and crawled into tents for much needed sleep.
Stupid girl. She's going to get herself killed. Well that just wasn't acceptable at all, so Palom sat down beside her with nothing more to say than, "You forgot a light." Sharp disapproval was easier to express than thoughts and feelings he didn't even understand yet, or want to acknowledge.
"I'm sorry." Nothing more than that. Instead, she just stared off ahead into the darkness.
"Whatever you're thinking about, you're doing it too hard. So quit. You're making those creepy faces again."
Leonora nodded mutely but stayed engrossed in her own thoughts. He sighed and tucked an arm around her, pulling her tiny body and those ridiculous robes closer to his side. "At least sit in the light, Leonora."
Within moments, her head slumped over to rest on his shoulder. "I knew you were too tired for..." Asleep already? "...this." He sighed, irritated with her for volunteering when she was in no shape to at all. Irritation that vanished when he spotted a streak of a tear on her face. Not asleep but crying? What the-?
"I'm sorry, Palom," she mumbled, barely audible.
"Well if you're sorry, then stop giving me trouble."
"It makes sense. The fighters need to heal and there are better mages than me. They'll be needed."
"But Leonora-" Porom tried to interject.
The young epopt just shook her head. She had a stubborn streak to match any of the other healers of the group and she wouldn't yield on this. "You're the better white mage. I'll rest next time we stop." Before anyone could stop her, she'd sat down in the sentry's spot and refused to budge until they stopped staring at her in surprise and crawled into tents for much needed sleep.
Stupid girl. She's going to get herself killed. Well that just wasn't acceptable at all, so Palom sat down beside her with nothing more to say than, "You forgot a light." Sharp disapproval was easier to express than thoughts and feelings he didn't even understand yet, or want to acknowledge.
"I'm sorry." Nothing more than that. Instead, she just stared off ahead into the darkness.
"Whatever you're thinking about, you're doing it too hard. So quit. You're making those creepy faces again."
Leonora nodded mutely but stayed engrossed in her own thoughts. He sighed and tucked an arm around her, pulling her tiny body and those ridiculous robes closer to his side. "At least sit in the light, Leonora."
Within moments, her head slumped over to rest on his shoulder. "I knew you were too tired for..." Asleep already? "...this." He sighed, irritated with her for volunteering when she was in no shape to at all. Irritation that vanished when he spotted a streak of a tear on her face. Not asleep but crying? What the-?
"I'm sorry, Palom," she mumbled, barely audible.
"Well if you're sorry, then stop giving me trouble."