Stages of grief

"Eska"

They were strangers and yet grief had formed a bond between them. Despite Ulric's grief, he comforted her and, in that moment, he was everything that she needed. Eska kept her teary eyes closed and sank into the comfort that he offered. Though he was the one that embraced her, she offered comfort in turn. He had known Resin longer than she had and so she knew that he was suffering as well. She turned into him, lifting one foreleg to embrace the man. She took, but she also gave.

In time, the tears had ceased and the kind man led her back to the castle. They walked side by side and Eska couldn't deny even then that something felt right about it. She didn't dwell on the sudden thought. They had just met. They were strangers. She mused though about how well she'd fit just under the crook of his arm. It was amusing, if anything.

Ulric led her out onto a balcony, the stone covered with piles of furs. He instructed her to get comfortable while he went and fetched food and drink for them. While he was away, Eska pulled the piles of furs together, creating a much larger resting place since the two of them would be having a meal together. Once the area was set up to her liking, Eska seated herself upon the pile, looking over the edge of the balcony, and waited.

When he returned, the brindled woman curled her neck around, looking at him over her shoulder, dark ears flicking forward. Ulric presented her with pronghorn meat and uncorked a bottle of wine while she took a few bites. After taking a drink himself, he passed the bottle to her and she lifted it to darkened lips, tilting her head back to take a deep draw. "Mmm..." she released a soft hum as she contemplated the flavor. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something she'd be able to drink all of the time.

Together, they lay there, slowly eating their meal and passing the bottle back and forth. Eska obviously wasn't a drinker. Her body and mind quickly became fuzzy and warm. She could tell that her senses were altered but tried not to let it be obvious. In time, Ulric spoke, questioning her about the search for her mother. Night was taking hold of the land but the setting sun was so brilliant that she looked at it rather than the earthen man beside her. "Two years," she answered softly. "I didn't even know her, but I searched for two years." Taking up the bottle of wine, she took another long drink, then pushed it back towards Ulric. The wine was dulling the grief. That was what they had intended, right?