Broken Trust (Aelodil, Quetzal)

[Brenton]

Brenton grumbled a bit as he tried unsuccessfully to avoid cracking a small smile at Laetri. Cursed elf and his stupid special horse making me smile at a time like this. Brenton looked up at Isrydia and smiled sadly as he realized what she was thinking.

As much as you may remember the pain I went through in the past, there are things you didn't understand about that. It was not a normal part of my life to be rejected so easily. I had yet to realize how to deal with it because as royalty I was able to get almost anything I wanted. Hell I married a human with little complaint from my kingdom. So for me to be so persistent and you to continue to reject me made me that much more determined. It became a matter of pride. I was a bloody king and you were refusing me. It was not normal. It wasn't until I hurt you that I realized just how it had terribly foolish I had been. So, no you don't have proof that my words mean any more than they did then. All I can say is that I am far too tired of seeing you shy away from me because you are afraid I haven't changed. If that meant I had to let go of all feelings I had for you then so be it.

[Quetzal]

The dynamic between Riptide and Laetri was what Isrydia really needed at that moment to lighten the somewhat tense mood a little. Those two never failed to make her smile. She loved how close they were, like a Rider and dragon almost, despite Riptide being a million- or billion- year old guardian, a being reminiscent of a god on earth. It was good to see how they could still tease each other so gently, how their lifetimes must seem like a blink of an eye to the ancient creature yet he still managed to take such an interest in engaging with them. What he said had a point, too. Holding grudges had no purpose. It still didn't change how betrayed she felt, nothing would, but it was something. "Not to mention he is still part of the Rider order, even with Grazael's body gone, and there are a few more than a dozen members. We have to work together. You've both got a very long lifetime ahead to spend it bickering," Arlyn's voice spoke into her head.

Brenton's words hit the mark far more than his previous ones. Before he had placed the blame on her. Her fault for not feeling how he did, although there were the odd signs of regret that he did still feel that way. Finally he was admitting there were some faults in his actions, which made her feel more than ever that there might be some chance of recovering this friendship. "I am so glad to hear you admitting all that. Maybe now you know there was a flaw there, you won't make the same mistake in future. And me, I'll have to do my best to forgive and this time stamp out any signs of behaviour that may put distance between us again instead of ignoring early signs until they all come out in one big outburst. So... it'll be tough at first, maybe awkward, but friends? And just friends?" she hastily added, holding out a hand for him to shake.

[Aelodil]

(Just skip me here, nothing for Laetri/Riptide to do right now )

When you die, your world ends. The world may go on, but in your eyes, the world ends with you.

-Carpe Diem

[Brenton]

((I will post in a couple days. Sorry for being so inactive lately))