Once upon a time she was a translucent creature - a glorious glass figurine. There were no secrets or mysterious layers crushing her beneath the burdensome weight they placed upon her slender shoulders. What she would exchange to uncover a way to restore the maiden lost to the tribulations that consumed her like a landslide. Would he have even recognized her, if the joyous girl of a lifetime ago was placed beside the bedraggled and downtrodden mouse of a woman before him? While he may have mastered the artistry of rebounding from unfortunate events, she finds herself mired deep within the depths of an anguish that she cannot shake. Anne is a complexity, craving to be alone while also fearing the stark sting of loneliness. While her standoffish manner and her own suspicions leave little room for another's company, her tender words betray her. Perhaps she cannot fathom how to begin filling the void left behind when the perceived devotion and thinly veiled malice finally were stripped away; the poison suctioned from the profound wound left gaping within her mangled heart. The ease at which she absolves him is a testament to a better woman, one so eroded away that nothing remains but the sad remnants of her aching body. Even now, with absolutely nothing to offer, she would not choose to compound someone else's despair - at least not intentionally. He squirms closer to her, causing her heart to race with an odd mixture of anxiety and excitement. The small flinching away is almost concealed, yet it's ugly viper head shines through. Possibly he will not notice her apprehension, or simply dismiss it for what it is - a crippling dread left behind by fingers not so kind. The delicate hopes within his mind would be apt to remain there, unless he truly wishes to cherish the girl - the glass doll mentioned above has already been shattered. The precarious nature of piecing her back together may not prove worth the reward, and yet the effort expended may be worthwhile. His words ground her, commanding her back from the beginning of a pitiful spiral. She nods but once, hesitantly, but the gesture is enough to show her agreeance. She balks at the idea of absconding from the common area. What if leaving here means imprisonment once more? Her intuition is to trust the ochre brute, though her mind screeches that charitable words offered by a stranger are not a valid reason to be easily swayed. Yet amber eyes burdened with misgiving reach for his gaze, yearning to truly be seen after years of slowly being erased. She will go - she knew this the moment he almost left her, though she is ashamed to admit this. Is one handsome man all it takes for her to forget the torment of the last? Swallowing her panic, she answers. "It was...desolate at time. I would rather not undergo that again. Something different would be...promising." Her words are calculated, chosen carefully as to not overshare. Though she is overburdened, she does not wish to relinquish any new concerns upon the stallion - surely she has given him enough. Erasing engrained memories and behaviors is a challenging task, but perhaps she can make an attempt. Slender legs move forward and her rail-thin body follow, though she pauses briefly, waiting for him to show her the way. OOC: Feel free to post for her in Jaskier's home when you have time, and I will bring her there! Just let me know where to go when you do <3 |