[2] WEEPING MONK║you're not what I was looking for

55| A Blind Eye - 𝐈𝐈

Ari makes a decision to follow her heart

[TW// Moderate Panic. Mentions of injury, fire]

On the surface, everything was as it should be when the dozen returned to the forest the following afternoon. The crowd of Fey welcomed them upon their horses with smiles and cheers. If only they knew what had happened on their journey, then they would not be so joyous.

Ari led the way to the edge of the crowd — a sea of earthen tones all shifting around one another. She caught her father's eye. The silver of his long hair causing him to stand out from the flock and his stature a foot above the rest. As the others dismounted, they held each other's gaze, Ari telling him silently in the flatness of her expression of the outcome of their journey.

He looked to take a deep breath, a hint of frustration flickering on his features. Then he was gone — leaving down the trail behind him towards anywhere which was more silent than this clearing, Ari guessed.

She landed in the sun-dried dirt and pat Dusty's shoulder in thanks, when from behind her, Elyan came striding past. Twisting, she watched as his three young children ran away from the folk who cared for them and the other children, dodging between the legs of all kinds of Fey. With a grin he fell to his knees and wrapped them in his arms, his wound above his elbow not giving him thought.

The relieving embrace put gentle smiles on most of the returning travellers' faces. Lancelot was not used to witnessing fatherly affections enough to be moved by them, on the outside at least.

This is what coming home should be, Ari thought as her eyes fell on the family. Not tears or mourning, but joy.

While the horses were being circled around the busy clearing and taken away to the paddocks, Ari gathered together those who had accompanied her. They stood close so that she did not have to speak too loud, since many others were still hovering around them and vying for information.

"I will tell the elders," she said, her sullen tone indicating of what, and added more gratefully, "Thank you for journeying, but, rest."

Gawain stepped forwards. "Let us be there," he said to her but she shook him off.

"I can do it. I must do it." Ari took a breath and looked between them. "Eat and rest, I will join you all later."

One by one they drifted off, as did the crowd, but Lancelot remained. And did so until he held her attention — until her eyes scanning around her people's welcome met his.

"You should rest too," he said solemnly, a distance greater than what he would like between them.

But Ari's lips hardened in a tight line. "I cannot."

Lancelot softly tilted his head. Filling with worry now for the plain sadness he saw her try to withhold. If he could, he would drag her to her tent and make her rest until she were ready to leave again. But he would probably be scolded by a forest full of Fey for that.