Old Wounds [Leir]
Aeotha was angry, beyond angry, With Leir and with herself for going along with it. What else could she have done? Run between the blades? Leir's head hadn't been tended to as of yet, so Aeotha lead him to the main temple of Lorien within Terestai. A white marble tower surrounded by vast gardens that only held night blossoming flowers. Moon blossoms of all shapes and sizes. Fountains and statues of Lorien, as well as the Champion of the Lion and High Priestesses of long before. There was a small garden behind the tower, a patch of remembrance of those who had died in the breaking. It was dutifully tended to. Aeotha lead Leir to her private chambers, there no one could bother them, and no one would dare to try. The whisperings of priestesses, priests, and paladin alike were made silent by their passing. They would not whisper rumors with her there.
That was the only good thing right now about being Aeotha.
When the door was shut behind them Leir seemed to take a moment of thought, to look around maybe. Within the room was everything Aeotha had amounted in her time as High Priestess. Gifts and goods, but there was not much. She didn't like to keep much. But there were some things there that she could not part with. Her staff was placed in its wooden holder above a small statue of Lorien. Aeotha stood there a moment, praying to herself. To ease her rage. Nothing was going right. Another Lord dead. Another life spent to the wind. Aeotha lowered her head and sighed.
"You do realize you could have been killed. I don't care who you think you are! Or how good you might be. Chance rules just as much as fate in these dark times. If you were dead, then what? What would happen?" Her anger bore to the surface, but it wasn't real anger, and her words though heated didn't express what she really meant. Aeotha was concerned. She cared so much for Leir and still he did things that could..
She was afraid.
She turned to him then. "Sit down so I can tend to that wound on your head!" Aeotha smoothed out her dress with a small fit, then started his way.
"You do realize, duel or not, that is going to make your situation worse. You’re walking a thin line here and my sway had little hold these days." Aeotha shoved her fist behind her, almost punching the air. She was all a fluster and for what?
Because she cared. Because she didn't want him to die.
Aeotha slid down to her knees beside where he sat and took in a heavy breath, trying to regain her composure. She'd lost so much over the years. It felt never ending. Losing him right now would be the end of her. If she died, and he lived, Aeotha would have been at ease in death. Peaceful knowing his name was cleared and he stood at his rightful place in this world. But things like this happened and Aeotha could almost see the world falling in around her again.
"Whatever got into the Anacleto today, what spurned them after you the day we return.. I can only assume it was Eiron! And Eiron, that great.. the.." She couldn't even express her anger for the man. Her eyes felt hot and wet then and Aeotha shoved a hand over them to still the tears.
She certainly was at the end of her rope. Why wasn't he speaking? Why had he been silent in front of Eiron? In front of the Anacleto?
"Speak to me! I cannot live in this silence any longer!"