I don't want to talk about it, just want to fall to pieces

Emile began to speak, first begging her not to leave again. Bowen physically winced, her body involuntarily shrinking in on itself for only a second. Don't leave again? She hadn't left the first time! She'd been stolen. Taken against her will. Thrown in a cage and stored on a ship to be sold for the profit of evil men. Only her wits and her determination had gotten her home. So yeah, if she'd changed, it was because she had to. But she never left. Not voluntarily.

The boy began to give a list of everyone that had left him alone. She was on that list and surprisingly, so was her mother. As Emile spoke Resin's name, Bowen stilled, her ears shifting back against her copper marked crown. Yes, Resin had gone, but just like Bowen, it hadn't been by choice. His mother and sister, his other sister, Outlaw... she didn't know about them, but she did know that, if Resin had a choice in the matter, that the one-eyed woman would still be here, keeping them all safe.

He wasn't done yet. Emile felt as though everyone had left him behind and he was unable to move forward. The very notion of it made Bowen want to laugh. He felt unable to move forward? He had been unable to face her? Gently and slowly, Bowen extracted herself from her place where she had been comforting the boy. Bowen stood, but didn't move away. She stood next to the crying wolf, looking down upon the back of his head. When Bowen spoke, her voice was soft; an icy whisper that only the two of them would hear. "You're so selfish." She admitted aloud. "Do you think your sister wanted to get sick? Do you think my mother wanted to die?" The young woman's eyes were wide as though she might be in shock, but there was extreme clarity in Bowen at that moment. "Do you think that I wanted to be stolen away? Sold? Raped? Forced to do horrible things?" And here he was crying because he'd been left behind. "Emile, you've had it so easy this entire time. You've had your home, your health, a pack. You had the opportunity to grow this entire time." Selfish...

With a sigh, Bowen stepped away, slowly at first as though she was hesitant about leaving the striped boy on his own. "Emile... you are the one that left you behind." There was turmoil within her. Bowen wanted to comfort Emile. She wanted to make everything okay. In his selfishness, he had hurt her. Wounded her deep. Gods, what she would have given to have had the opportunities and the life that he had. He'd lost wolves, but who hadn't? He felt left out, but who didn't? The world had kicked him when he was down like it had to so many others but, while others may have gotten back up and dusted themselves off, Emile chose to stay down and wallow in self pity.

Bowen needed Haiku. She needed Artorias. She needed someone to hold her until the anger and sadness of this encounter was chased away. There was sadness in Bowen's voice as she spoke. Mentally, she was writing Emile off. There would be opportunity in the future to perhaps rebuild what he'd just shattered, but for now, she didn't want to be anywhere near him. "I hope you can let it all go and move forward, Emile. The world isn't going to wait for you." With that, Bowen moved away and into the castle. Her eyes were still shock wide and would remain so until she collapsed into the arms of one that loved her.

"Bowen"