She believed him. It was a choice to honor the boundary he set and trust that he had matters under control. It took a faith she rarely placed on people, but now, it was all she could give him. She felt the emotional drop as soon as his hands pulled away, his rapid reorientation shocking her back to their surroundings. Of course they had company now, why not make this more difficult? His thoughts mirrored hers, what she wouldn't give to be back in her tower, where she could see to his safety. "And I will keep wishing for as long as you are away." It was a simple promise to make; he was never far from her thoughts.
Themis forced herself to make the right move, the tear at her own wounds and walk away from the man who held her heart. She waited, her frustration at the slow-strolling intruder growing as he meandered - finally - back inside. Now committed to her course, she stood, the action taking more strength that it should. She turned to him, deliberately putting herself between him and the door so she could reach for his hand one more time. "Tell me I may write to you. If I cannot see you, tell me I can support you this way. I," And she paused, the intent to speak and her words not connecting. There was too much to say to him, too many worries and ways she could make this more difficult for them both. The kind thing to do would be to walk away, to let matters rest. Still, she cautiously let her words venture forward. "The possibility of not seeing you again, or not knowing you are alright terrifies me." And it did, the fear evident in her voice, the possibility a deep warning in her bones. "Were that to be true, I would be most remiss for not telling you," A different warning sounded in her brain, the rational side that refused to make confessions out of fear. She warred with the warning and her words. She would never forgive herself if he walked away without knowing what he meant to her, but such things would only make this harder. "You..." Damn feelings and the knot in her throat. "Your heart carries mine, Samuel. Protect them both." It was as honest as she dared.
Themis forced herself to make the right move, the tear at her own wounds and walk away from the man who held her heart. She waited, her frustration at the slow-strolling intruder growing as he meandered - finally - back inside. Now committed to her course, she stood, the action taking more strength that it should. She turned to him, deliberately putting herself between him and the door so she could reach for his hand one more time. "Tell me I may write to you. If I cannot see you, tell me I can support you this way. I," And she paused, the intent to speak and her words not connecting. There was too much to say to him, too many worries and ways she could make this more difficult for them both. The kind thing to do would be to walk away, to let matters rest. Still, she cautiously let her words venture forward. "The possibility of not seeing you again, or not knowing you are alright terrifies me." And it did, the fear evident in her voice, the possibility a deep warning in her bones. "Were that to be true, I would be most remiss for not telling you," A different warning sounded in her brain, the rational side that refused to make confessions out of fear. She warred with the warning and her words. She would never forgive herself if he walked away without knowing what he meant to her, but such things would only make this harder. "You..." Damn feelings and the knot in her throat. "Your heart carries mine, Samuel. Protect them both." It was as honest as she dared.
![[Image: Bka0H0x.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/Bka0H0x.jpeg)