DESOLATION

5, Lauren - Suspicion

Steven pushes Seara aside, it makes something inside of my angry. I grit my teeth and turn to Quincy to scold him but Tesia beats me to it. “Why are you so ditzy, Quince.” she scowls at him, she seems more angry than I am. “It didn't seem like a big deal to me, he wanted to know where his shawl was so I told him” my brother shrugs, his face nonchalant.

I groan and roll my eyes at his ignorance. “Hes Ethellian, Quincy. Their shawls are everything to those people.” my voice is harsh, I turn to follow Steven out to see what hes doing, before I do I hear a loud growling sound come from outside of the room, seara jumps in the doorway, turning around slowly. I sprint out, going to look to see what happened.

As I come out I find that Steven is staring at his shawl, an infuriated look on his face. He looks dusgusted, his lip curled up into a snarl. He reminds me of an angry wolf chasing a sheep. His eyes are dull the color in them being slowly lost, but they hold more emotion than expected. His head snaps over in my direction, his eyes hold no warmth. Purple veins show through the area around his purple shoulder. A pinkish liquid drops down from his nose.

“Who did this.” his voice is low, it sounds much calmer than he looks. I shake my head, I refuse to tell someone so angry something like that. He sighs heavily, dropping to his knees and holding the shawl to his forehead. This makes me tense up, keep my eyes trained on his movements. He mumbles to himself, some language I cannot make out or understand. 

He stands up, the mist has stopped swirling around him from his shoulder, he looks calm now. He must have been praying. He sits crisscross and takes the needle and starts to sew the shawl himself. He looks at the already sewn parts with digust but continues with gentle care. The group has joined me in watching Steven sew is shawl, he does it with quick sureness that is hard not to admire. 

He hums while he does this, Seara walks from the goup to him, I miss trying to grab her arm. She continues to walk to him, sitting next to him in the same manner. He doesnt even seem to notice her, she opens her mouth to speak, “I’m sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I meant the best when I had been sewing it. I kew it meant a lot to your people, I didn't know I was doing anything wrong, for that I apologise.” She doesnt seem guilty when she says this, something is different in her voice that hasnt been there before. 

He nods, looking at Seara, he looks angry at her, but understanding as well. “Only Ethellia may make these.” He has seemingly finished the shawl, he stares at it like it is the most important thing in the world. He gently pulls it over his head, resting it on his shoulders. Before it falls over his shoulder I can read words there, a tattoo. 

It reads out,

May Hero be with you