✓ | POOR JUDGMENT (A.FORRESTER)

White Harbour. Chapter Seventeen.

With the glistening stretch of water lying along the horizon, the familiar sense of intertwined emotions returned to the deep pit within Cynthia's stomach, to which all she could do was bask in the time she still had left with the old friend at her side. She was more than thrilled to be that extra step closer to Asher, but the sudden realisation that from here on she would be alone had her contemplating turning round. She loved Arthur like a brother, and, over the past days, she had grown pleasantly accustom to his positive company, a companion she was now forced to say farewell to; something that was easier said than done, as she was none the wiser as to when their next meeting would be, and under what circumstances. All she knew was that it would be some time before she saw the young Glenmore again, and though goodbye was in the near future, she endeavoured to savour her last moments with him for as long as possible, so that in the lonely nights ahead she could at least reminisce the times once spent with her closest friend at her side. Arthur and Cynthia had bonded instantly several years back, with a shared love for archery and the like. And with Rodrik's close relationship with Quiver's sister, his siblings were expected to engage with the other Glenmore as much as possible, which was what Cynthia had initially done - for Rodrik's sake. But since their first encounter, it had been clear that they were designed to be friends, good ones at that, a theory yet to be proven wrong. And thus with such a strong relationship, Cynthia found it even harder to bid him farewell, after finally having made up the time spent separated through the duration of the war. For a long time it was thought Rodrik would not be coming home, something that had become commonly believed by most, and so the Glenmore's enthusiasm to spend time with the Forresters dwindled, as they prepared for other arrangements, decreasing the amount of time the bonded children could spend with one another, to the point where they'd drifted apart almost entirely. This was them rekindling the relationship lost in the mists of war, and being forced to end it just as suddenly as they'd continued it.

Approaching the marbled harbour, Cynthia allowed a discontented sigh to slip through her lips, her eyes fixating on the skyline in front of her rather than the man at her side, whom was now set to depart from her company. "Your ship," Arthur stated calmly, his coolness ceasing to falter in his speech; his long, gangly arm stretching in the direction of a large wooden vessel. "Aye, so it is." Replied Cynthia, lacking the same sleek approach to an otherwise sensitive situation. This was it. The last moment. Neither knew how long it would be exactly before they shared another, only knowing it would be a while, and so they savoured it while it lasted. Cynthia hated every moment of it; the anticipation of having to say goodbye, the words being on the verge of conversation but not being uttered until the last possible time. It was hard, to say goodbye to a friend, but somehow it had to be done.

"It's been good, Glover." Arthur smirked, nudging the girl's side, the time finally arising for farewells to be said. "That it has-" Cynthia breathed, shaking from the exposure to the cold, sea breeze and the anxiety of what was beyond the horizon. The Unknown. "-I'll miss you Quiver." She smiled slightly, as best she could, turning to face him. He towered over her now, something she was still unable to adjust to, though she was sure she would with time. "You too, Cyn." His long, strong arms linked around her small frame, pulling her close to his firm body, getting to share one last moment with one another, before things came to a close. "Go on then. I'm not being your reason for missing your last chance at true love - or however you put it." Arthur taunted, pushing the small girl gently away from him, his hands slowly losing contact, leaving her suddenly feeling more alone than ever, despite him still only being 2 feet away. "Stay safe!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around herself, and gripping tightly to the handle of her bag, that of which faced the deathly hold she kept persistently tightening with every step she took further toward the boat. "You too," he smiled one last time, his charming features slowly being imprinted in Cynthia's memory, for safe keeping until their next encounter. Whenever that would be.

And between that moment and now, everything was a blur. Somehow, the mess of nerves and uncertainty had managed to walk forward, further and further away from the only familiar thing she had left, leaving it behind and not looking back. She kept going, her feet moving normally until she'd safely reached the ship. She boarded in a haze of words and exchanging of coin, stepping up onto the wooden vessel without tripping. Then she'd approached the side, her gaze being cast to where Arthur had previously been, but now there was only space. She hadn't wanted to see him again, in all honesty, seeing him from a distance would only force her to wish she could run to him, leaving behind the adventure and going home. Something that wasn't an option now. She was too close, Asher was just across an outstretched ocean that was now wavering beneath her; she couldn't give up, not on him, not now. She wouldn't. She'd lost him once before, a 2nd time would presumably do untold damage, that not even the strong Glover could withstand. And so, still staring aimlessly at the spot her old friend had stood in, Cynthia waited, anxiously counting the seconds until the vessel shuddered to life, before finally leaving the harbour. It happened quickly, she could remember so clearly when Malcolm had said he was leaving, and when Ethan was still alive. And now, suddenly, here she was, aboard a ship bound for Slaver's Bay, where she could finally be with her love.

The small ounce of fear she still possessed now grew, leaving her tainted with the idea of him not remembering her, or not wishing to see her, or worse, him not actually being there when she arrived. She wasn't quite sure which would be worse. Only knowing that if any of the previously listed outcomes arose, she would sooner crumble. She'd missed him too much, though having put on a brave face, over time it had eroded, and now the lie she'd once upheld could easily be perceived by those around her - especially her close friends. Rodrik more specifically. He understood her love for Asher long before it had even been clear to her, and he'd witnessed the harm it had done to know Asher was not only leaving, but doing so because of a woman he'd so easily fallen for; a woman that was not Cynthia. It had ruined her to see the man she so desperately loved with another woman, and knowing that the woman was a Whitehill only made matters more painful, yet it had somehow gotten worse with his banishment. Cynthia could still remember it, the pain, the devastation, the look on Talia and Ethan's faces when they'd heard the anger in their fathers voice - something they very rarely heard, or the expression of pure distraught that flooded Mira's face when hearing of her brother's leaving, the sudden idea of living without him plaguing her mind. And Rodrik...him and Cynthia had been the worse. Rodrik loved Asher beyond words, no phrase could do their bond justice, as did Cynthia - only in a different way. And forced to listen to Asher's sentence, the pair had crumbled inside. Now, now was the chance for that to be the past; Cynthia could finally replace the 'last moments together' with new ones, ones that blocked out the heart wrenching events of their last encounter. And how excited she was to bring him home to his family, and see their delighted response to their brother's arrival home, at last.

This boat, which slowly edged further out of sight of White Harbour, was her salvation. House Forrester's chance to have the loved, rogue and exiled son return to his family once more, fighting at their sides at last. No vast distance or fear of loneliness would prevent Cynthia from bringing that back to her people and her family.

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