Walk | Talk | Think
"Your father is here," Tahlia answered hastily, but said no more than that. The story of how this world changed was much too long and complicated to tell it now, and she felt a pang of regret that Bane had not already joined them. If there had been more time, she would have happily tried to explain to her son everything that she knew about her afterlife, would have found her husband so that he could be a part of this reunion too, but it could not be so. Jakart was injured, stuck possibly within a flood, and the worrisome mother feared what would become of him if he remained for too long. He was still so young and had so much life ahead of him. She wished more than anything for him to have a chance to live that life to the fullest.
He did not object as she urged him to leave, and she suspected by the look on his face that he had drawn the same uncertain conclusion she had. It did not make her feel any better - she desperately wanted more time with him, but not at the expense of his potential life. Jakart's forelegs tightened around her shoulders and Tahlia leaned into his embrace, reassured by his strength that he was strong enough to withstand this and return to his world whole to mend his wounds. The lump returned to her throat as her other children were mentioned by name, and her dark golden eyes shut tightly as more tears stung them. "I miss all of you," she whispered, losing her inner battle of will as her repressed tears began to course silently down her cheeks.
She sniffled as her grey son relaxed his hold and eased back from her, doing everything she could to keep a brave face for him. The guilt she carried from her untimely death had eased some thanks to seeing him, and she hoped he intended to carry on her apology to his siblings. Maybe then, finally, she could put those feelings of remorse to rest. Through her tears, Tahlia watched as Jakart stepped away and backed closer to the river, feeling confused and anxious. "Jakart," she called nervous to him, even following a step, but as he entered the waters she thought she understood. He was trapped in a flood; water must have been his only way out.
It was still painful to watch, to stand helplessly on the riverbank as her son dived below the surface and never came back up. Her body was rigid, tense, as she played witness to it, but his plea for her not to worry was impossible to obey. Needing to know, she rushed to the water's edge and waded into the river, diving in search of her son. There was no sign of him, and neither could she see him ahead of her downriver. Tahlia resurfaced and swam swiftly for the riverbank once more, emerging drenched and weighed not only by water but by a new worry. Please let him have made it, she prayed, shivering, and feeling the tears begin to gather within her eyes again she ran into the forest in search of her husband.
-Exit Tahlia-
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