He watched her with the detached yet intense interest of a hawk eyeing a mouse. His eyes were wide and unblinking, but his intention was hidden in the misplaced expression. Talasse was not a bird of prey watching some unaware creature and judging if he could catch it and eat it. He was a concerned man. Concerned for his grand niece and for his students. But she would not answer him. She had never been open with him, and perhaps she wasn’t the one to ask, but she had been there, and he had had some sense of her unease by his door.
When he spoke, his voice was true to his nature. Genuine. Melodic. Curious. Benign. His head canted sharply and slightly. “Why are you avoiding my question?” The tea was likely ready, but he made no move for it. “Oriinthel..?” His hands came together, fingers knitting, between his knees. “Are you afraid of my judgement? Are you…” His face shifted from the bird like curiosity to a softened sadness. “Afraid of me..?”
Talasse hesitated in contemplation before leaning back. “I suppose if the answer is yes to either of those, you would still answer no. I cannot imagine being in your position. Learning that one of your professors is first a daedra and then connected to your family. I’ve never been able to navigate social channels.”
He paused briefly to pour the tea before sitting and trying to catch her gaze. “I do not know if anyone has ever said this to you, Oriinthel, but you are never obligated to love someone. Love is not something you can owe. It is only ever a choice. Regardless of that, I do choose to love you, and I will support you in your endeavors. I am sorry for asking you such a delicate question in such a cumbersome way. You are free to go. You have always been free to go.”
Ori drew in a sharp breath, and her head shot up, meeting his gaze for the first time that evening. “I’m not afraid of you! I’m not.” She swallowed and after another, more bracing breath, she pulled out the crumpled letter and set it on the table, then pushed it a little closer to him. “I love you. You’re my family. And I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
She glanced back down, short nails now picking at the sleeves of her shirt. “Doing magic... being a good student... becoming a good mage like you, or Revus... it’s more important than the dragon... things overall. But right now, things are just. And I just. I didn’t want to hurt you. If I leave, I’ll be a quitter. And I’ll be putting this dragonborn business over my healing studies.”
Ori stuttered and stumbled over her words, hands wringing furiously as she almost visibly closed in on herself. This certainly would have been a better conversation over dinner. At least then there were other people there. And the distraction of food. Perhaps it was partially the lack of sleep, and partially having the truth finally pulled from her, she couldn’t say exactly. Hopefully he’d read the letter, or none of what she said would make sense.”
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