Re: Epilogue - 3 Days Later
As Blythe moved away Kain let go of her, allowing her to stand and fidget, her every action speaking volumes on her nervousness and confusion. She seemed utterly lost, and the dragoon could hardly blame her. He understood all too well exactly what she was going through, and he had had similar moments of anxiety privately in Baron.
He was almost tempted to take her seat now that she was standing, but instead he straightened up, brushing some stray strands of hair out of his face as Blythe spoke, seeming almost feverish in her near-incoherency, her words causing a deep pang of sympathy within him. She knew that it would happen again, and was powerless to stop it. He wondered, briefly, if that was better or worse than not knowing at all.
"You underestimate the strength of my abilities. I had but slackened your friend's leash, waiting for the proper moment to pull it taut."
A slight shiver ran through Kain's body as he recalled that voice, and the emotions that came with it. Hatred, envy, despair. The feeling that he truly wanted to do those horrible things.
Kain was jarred out of his thoughts sharply when Blythe embraced him and apologized. For a long moment he could only stare at her, as his thoughts seemed to freeze and words failed him. She shouldn't have to apologize, she was the one in pain, it wasn't her fault. But then, guilt wasn't exactly logical, was it? Yet another subject he had firsthand experience with.
He closed his eyes briefly, as though gathering his thoughts together so that he could form a coherent sentence. "Blythe..." he began, his tone toeing the line between soothing and concerned, as he slowly wrapped his arms around her. "I...don't mind. You are you. If I was truly upset about things that you are forced to do once a year, I would have ended out courtship." He paused, taking a deep breath and tightening his embrace slightly. The next part of what he was about to say was always hard for him. Even if he trusted her more than he trusted anyone else. Even if he knew his feelings were reciprocated.
"...I love you. Nothing could ever change that."
It was one of the few times he had managed to spit out those three fateful words out loud in anything near a confident tone.