KAJ

the aurelight

He's not left alone for long. In some way he considers it odd, if only because, if he felt so alone surely that meant he was? A backwards sort of logic, but one that had proven flawed rather quickly. He had no companion to alert him to her approach, the only sound that captured his attention the groaning, rustling sound of foliage being violently displaced. Followed almost immediately by a voice, one that spoke a singular syllable. His name. For a half-second he couldn't place the voice, and just fervently prayed that they'd go away. He couldn't let anyone see him like this, couldn't let them question his power, his status. He was nothing without his title, a broken fool of a puppet, and he knew it. Kaj couldn't let that be taken from him, not when it would leave him broken so far down that he could never rise again. Would rather die than have that stripped from him. 

Until, he does remember. It's a faded, dust-covered memory, but it clears as it comes to the surface. A dark night and a bright moon, brokenhearted words and an ivory smile that spoke of understanding. They'd sought solace together beneath the boughs, as lost as the other, holding onto one another because they had nothing else to keep them afloat. A wet laugh came from his throat as he turned to face her, something lost on his face as he tried to cling to the amusement. "Arah," rolled off his tongue familiarly. "Why is it we are always in these states when we meet?" It came out cloaked in a discordant mix of hysterical hilarity and sinking despair. 

Without thinking he turned and wobbled towards her, left leg lurching, uncomfortably stiff after not moving for well over an hour. Well, that was one way to tell her what was wrong, he thought cynically. His muzzle dipped towards her, needing to touch, needing to cling to her as they were drowning together. Watching the tears slip down her own face, feeling their parallels on his own. What had they ever done to deserve this kind of ending? Were they fated to always meeting in some deplorable state of sorrow and grief? 

"Can I just - ?" voice broke off, cracking pitifully, one wing opening in clear sign that he wanted to clasp her to his side. While he could not hide in her frame the same way, he could at least offer her the warmth and comfort of his touch, and perhaps they could find a little bit of solace together. Two broken creatures trying to fit their shards together to form some semblance of normal.