She stubbed the toe of her boot absently on the ground. "It's not...a bad thing to wish you could just...be with somebody, Bethen," Deidre said, recalling the torturous year she spent in Aeonar. "I don't even mean it in an amorous way. Just...someone to hug, or confide in, or to laugh with or write long and rambling letters to on the road. Knowing that someone out there cares about what happens to you goes a long way in ensuring that the ability to endure whatever trials are out there that need facing is there. If it's a naive and selfish thing to desire that, then we're all guilty of that in some way. I hope you don't feel that wanting something like that is wrong just because you're a mage."
She removed her hands from her pockets, cracking her knuckles absently. "Besides, nothing's written that says that we're all not seeing each other again because we're divvying up. I'll watch your back, make double-sure you're in one piece. As for Aurin....well. You don't need to worry about him, really. I know you can't help it...sometimes I can't help it. But the man's like a cockroach. No matter how bad it gets, he just won't die."