In My Stronger Moments

Katja bore her moment of indecision stoically, stiff and taciturn as if she expected the worst. Knowing her, she probably did. Her explanation left Raisa a bit wanting, but she did her best to understand despite this. Pride... Pride when the well-being of children was on the line... Raisa would not have acted this way, but it bore saying that Katja wasn't Raisa. Raisa was soft-hearted, when all was said and done. How was she to decide who was right in something like this? Two women so important to her, both thinking they are fighting for her children. Her fire and ice eyes squeezed shut, and her head began to ache. What was the world coming to...



Sucking in a slow, deep breath, Raisa squared her frame. She stood tall and a strong light came into her eyes. "The past is in the past," she intoned. "Neither you nor Virgil acted with honor, even if you thought your intentions to be for the betterment of the children. In all of this, it's they who suffered." She looked away and sighed. So much suffering in her circle. Perhaps she truly was cursed. "Now the time has come to set it right. I'll deal with Valeriya's negligence another time. First, I need to find Sigmarr and Sindri and bring them home. I'll start there." She allowed herself a long blink before turning to Koros. She found him looking at her with wide eyes, as if he'd seen a ghost. She narrowed her gaze, overcome with suspicion. "What on earth are you staring at?"



His mouth opened and closed several times, a bit like a fish out of water. She had to let go a frustrated sigh before he would force himself to speak. "F-forgive me, my lady. But do you realize you have been speaking this whole time?" Raisa nearly told him to stop with his jokes, to take this seriously, but the words froze in her throat. She'd been... what? Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. In fact, her surprised was so great that quite ironically she could say nothing at all. Koros saw her trying to find the words to express her wonderment and his ears flattened. "Oh dear. Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything..." Raisa leveled him with a burning glare.