Famous Last Stand

"I have a home here," the words turn up in Amarantha's mind. “It is safe. There are others.”  The words feel like an invitation.

Images of people, and feelings of security flash through her thoughts. A safe place. People to belong to. For Amarantha, who has lived in self-imposed exile for so long, the idea is alluring  beyond words.

But would they even want you, if they knew what you are? What you've done?

The thought creeps unbidden into her mind, sending a chill down her spine. And yet what choice did she have if she wanted to live? In this strange, perilous place whatever magic she does have might fail her at any time. And she was no warrior. She had never trained to fight. So she bows her neck in gratitude to the yearling's kind offer.

 "I'm not sure how long I can stay, how long you might be willing to late me stay..." she says hesitantly,  "My past is... " she falters.  "I can promise that I offer you no malice," she finishes somewhat awkwardly, cringing at how abrupt and suspicious her words sound even to her own ears.

"I limp too,"

 "Oh, maybe I can...." Amarantha begins then stops abruptly. "maybe I can heal you," she'd been about to say, but of course she couldn't.


 "Maybe I can lean on you and you on me," she amends.

She steps towards the petite yearling carefully, moving slowly so as not to scare her. She was not quite as old as Amarantha's own sister, Nocturna, would have been, but her eyes held the suffering of one much older. For a moment, the older woman feels the urge to groom the silver not-quite-child's mane, to work out those tangles, as she used to do for her Nocturna. But she checks her presumption and drops her gaze.

 "Lead the way. I'm Amarantha, by the way. I don't think I caught your name?" she asks, as she follows her new guide into this unknown world.

Amarantha

You were named for the Amaranth
Whose bloom means life unending
And whose name means "Love Lies Bleeding"