>>6183183Willow shakes her head.
“No.” Her greyish brown eyes shift towards the other two, as a fond smile stretches over her lips, even as a veil of sadness covers her eyes. “I owe it to them, and not just to you. I was so wrong, Argia. Those two are not NPC at all. That’s why—” she turns to you, sets her hand against your cheek. It’s warm. And shivering. Just a bit. “— I know what to do. I know my purpose.” She leans forward, gives you a hug. “Thank you for showing me, Argia Candente. I now know I came here for you.”
“I—” you just decide to hug her back. Willow truly confounds you.
You feel like you truly reached her, only for her to show how different she is. To believe she fooled everyone else as Salicera Fors.
But the moment she showed her true face beneath her mask, you found how scared she was. And yet—
And yet here she is.
No matter how afraid she is.
“I think you can do it,” you whisper against her ear, using her own language, a language she can understand.
“Y-Yes. Yes. Thank you.” She sets her lips against your cheek. “For luck.” Then she detaches, still rubbing at her chest.
You remind yourself to have her checked by a Priest when you come back.
Perhaps some of the wounds from the Well hit deeper than you both thought.
“I can do it. I will do it,” Willow whispers, reaching the others. Halfway through, she rolls her shoulders back, and there she is, with her usual confident smile, pulling Soralisa and Rubida into a fond embrace.
You take a look at Her sun.
It’s getting lower on the horizon.
Somewhere to the west, beyond the grey line of the ocean, beyond the blessed lands of Madua, your family is still waiting for you.
One more moment spent here is one moment for them in the Landing Strip.
“Support us, Saint Bragia,” you mutter, joining the others, and taking out one of the vials of sacred oil. You begin by choosing a spot and slowly drawing a circle with the oils. “I will need your help,” you tell Soralisa. “Tell me how to make the best meditation circle we can.”
[cont.]
