[she doesn't know that the world is turning just for her]

skill: [none]

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In Archon, Euphemia saw something become more clear. In a world of obligation and birthright, he represented freedom and the restraint of obligation. Discernment, was a likelier word for it. Her brother was a man who made decisions, and was not afraid to follow through with the path that best supported his values. She remembered how her sisters chastised him, bordering on hatred. She had been audience to the advice that Genghis had provided to Archon, to beg for Tiberii’s forgiveness. Even in the face of such indignation, Euphemia saw a soul that was able to forge his own path, time and time again.

Euphemia could not say the same for herself. When she thought of herself, she imagined a meek and senseless character. She had rarely, barely ever, left the Frostfang Vale. She hadn’t even been able to attend any of the several festivals that their neighbors had hosted – one having been hosted by Archon’s own ex-wife. Euphemia simply sat and waited, always waiting, for the universe to make her disappear. Just as it had with mother, with father… with almost everyone, at one point.

It was then that the introspective point made itself clear to her: the constant fear of being displaced, as she once had, kept her frozen in place, unable to establish herself in a valuable role within Dawnbreak. She was afraid to yield her heart, lest she lose everything once more. If she had human hands, she wouldn’t be able to count on one of them the amount of times she had to rebuild her own shattered heart –

But here was Archon, who had experienced the same, and did not seem burdened by it. Instead, he seemed emboldened.

I see, the maiden commented at Archon’s admission that he only has 2 of his children with him. It must be painful, she admitted herself, to not have his entire brood. She wondered how that happened – how children split themselves down the middle, and chose one parent over the other. How could one possibly say goodbye to their own progeny, when they still walked in physical bodies upon the same land? Euphemia thought of her own father, and then wrested her mind back to the simple idea that she had nieces and nephews. Her family had grown.

I’d love to meet them, brother. They are my blood! I am so thrilled! she cheered, wanting Archon to leave this experience with her happier than he was before. There were enough difficult family relationships to be had, and this did not need to be another. Next pack… she repeated as he said. Are you… going to claim land? If that was true, she had not known another to be quite as brave as Archon was. Not Tiberius, not Tiberii, not Aurelia, not even Genghis.

Ha. Ha. Haaaa. she laughed sarcastically as he offered her plenty of puppy kisses, glossing over her embarrassing admission. I’ll take anything but… you know that’s not what I'm talking about. She looked to the side and rested her chin on her own shoulder, suddenly unable to look at him, not sure exactly what she expected from him or wanted him to say. It seemed so silly and small, when compared to Archon’s own grandiose issues of life, love and liberty.

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