she thinks of silence as a long-lost friend, one she cherished her memories with — be it the sweet nights spent by the beaches, or the serene afternoons in the water gardens of dorne. but her days have been riddled with chaos ever since she walked out. she has seen rise and fall of empires, withstood the trials of loyalty & morality, and as dust gathers on the family portraits locked in the basement, elia meets silence again. this time, it creeps over the dinner she has laid out on the table, a chilling quiet looming over them after the storm of reprimands that tierney had had to endure in the face of them arriving later than expected. justifications & explanations were exchanged, but elia’s stern demeanor was not deterred, not even when tierney’s fiery eyes were shadowed by something rueful. guilt. when the words came forth, the corners of her eyes softened.
❝ you don’t burden me, t. ❞ the words leave her so fast, so quick, like eliminating a thorn stuck right where the heart would be. a hand extends to lie atop the other’s hand, a gesture of reassurance, honesty shining bright in the dark pools of her eyes. ❝ you know that. surely, you know that. ❞ it’s a desperate plea, the sound of it scraping her voice with desperation as she gives tierney’s hand a squeeze. they’d had their shares of secrets, of betrayals & wounds, and if elia dearly hated the idea of being the next one to inflict them both with such a pain she’d sworn to protect her family from. my family, she thinks, you’re part of it too now. but she lets silence resurface again, wrap around them like a warm blanket in the chill of winter — before she breaks it again only to add: ❝ I only wish you’d believe me. believe that I’m here to stay. ❞ elia retracts her hand, folding it back to her side, only the hint of a smile tugs at her lips when she gestures towards the bowl of mushroom soup & a plate of breadsticks between them. ❝ go on now — we can talk, only as long as you promise to eat. ❞
tierney is still ashamed of her blood. ashamed of its color, unsettled by the way it flows with no consideration for anyone’s feeling. they never cared what anyone felt of her, but when they rip open her heart like they did now, all she could do is sit there awkwardly. what did it say when they were embarrassed by the mere thought of existing? do i take up too much space, she always thinks. do you wish i was different? part of them wants elia to say it. she would rather hear it out loud instead of always doubting themself, filling herself with sickening anxiety. but when the other speaks, she says the complete opposite. you don’t burden me. that rotten hope is going to swallow them raw, like a wolf in sheep’s clothes, pretending until it gets what it wants [ until it realizes it is still hollow, only the blood on its hands is what remains ].
❝ why? ❞ she furrows their eyebrows, staring blankly at her. they’re confused. no one outside of her pack has ever shown them this patience and kindness before, but with them, it was the normal. a pack has to stick together, after all. but elia knows of her past. she knows all the horrible things these hands and that mouth have devoured. why are her eyes still so gentle when she looks at them? why does she not tell her that there’s no hope for them like her parents have? ❝ i don’t know how to believe you. why would you do that? what do you see in me that makes you so sure i won’t make you want to leave? ❞ what if they’re simply the monster the hunters have called her? not because of the wolf in them, but because of the burning wound that wants to greet deserved punishment with a warm kiss. was it too late for her to repent? did they even want to? she glances at the food in front of her, pausing for a second. ❝ i don’t think i have much appetite, elia. ❞