In the aftermath

As Haydée walks with Art through Ethne lands towards the falls, the young Leader cannot help but fall deeply into her own thoughts as everything that has happened weighs heavily on her small shoulders. It is as if she cannot rest until this and everything that has been shared with her since the raid, is dealt with. Tired eyes slowly track up to the much taller alpha, sorrow, worry, and doubt swirling in her exhausted emerald green eyes as she quietly listens to what Artorias has to say.

There is wisdom in his words and she slowly nods, knowing that allowing the dust to settle first would be the best thing but, with Gavroche racing off to offer aid to the Raiders, she could not be afforded the luxury of waiting. The man’s next words have her swallowing thickly as she diverts her eyes away, pondering what the answer to that question truly is. Silently, Haydée listens to everything that he has to offer her and the young Leader is thankful to have someone more experienced to lean on in times like this.

They arrive at the waterfall, the familiar roar soothing to Haydée’s turbulent mind and she moves to sit down at the edge of the pool, far enough away from the roaring fall that the water here is still and crystalline. Silence reigns as she mulls over everything that he has said and, when she finally speaks, her words are measured and weighted, “No. It wasn’t worth it all. While I love the chickens and wish to bring them home, the scars that my mother and brother received were not worth it.”

A sad sigh rolls out as she wishes that she could take away their pain and, if she could, the oung woman would willing wear their scars herself. Green eyes look at their reflections and Haydée sees just how young and naïve she is in that youthful, lost wolf reflected back at her. Shaking her head, she says, “With Gav running off, I have to go find him before they harm him. I will apologize and offer my own flesh as pence. They can have their pound of flesh and, hopefully, be done with it. I… I don’t know what the right thing to do is anymore.”

The wolf in the water stares back at her, lost, scared, and oh so naïve and Haydée tucks her chin to her chest as the tears well and slide free, shame tugging at her features as she hates the fact that she is so damn weak. After a short pause, she says, “Maybe Ethne would have been better off with someone else as the Leader. Every alpha I have met is tall, there is not a short one among them! But me… I’m short and… and maybe this wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t the Leader.”

The exhaustion has forced out thoughts that she never wished to voice. Finally, Haydée looks up to Artorias, eyes filled with tears, sorrow, and hopelessness as she silently begs the man to help her… with what, she isn’t even sure.


"Haydée Kedieo"