My thoughts are the cold kind,
I've got storm clouds brewing behind my eyes

So much for cheering him up. The topic she chose for distraction was obviously a poorly chosen one, because no sooner was the man smiling again than her mention of the Basin doused it, like a bucket of water poured unceremoniously over a flickering flame. Erthë saw his falling expression and could have kicked herself, if her weak limbs would have permitted such an act of agility. Unfortunately it took all she had of speed and willpower just to keep up the pace, and it would be too humiliating to force the king to slow down even more for her sake than he already was. Oh yes, she was fully aware that he cut his stride shorter on her behalf; it was a sweet gesture and she truly appreciated it, not the least because of the growing pain in the broken cannon. Expecting to fly rather than hike across half the continent she had been only taken half her usual dose of painkillers... and it was coming back to haunt her now.

Whether because the added pain that caused her limp to grow heavier or due to some supernatural ability to pick up on her thoughts, Temobvu mirrored her thoughts and asked, very gently and thoughtfully (as usual) about her condition. The girl couldn't help it; she tensed at the subject, and as she noticed her own stiff shoulders she withdrew ever so slightly and let her gaze wander out across the landscape. It was a shame that she barely saw the stunning view of the mountains and the distant plains to the east; normally she would have relished every second of it.

"Oh, there has been no change, really. I don't know if I told you that the Amaranthine finally found time to take me to the shrines? She pleaded with her Lord, the Sun God, but he wouldn't do anything. I suppose it's beyond even the gods to heal certain things... I'm just going to have to learn to live with the limp."

She threw him a quick glance, proud that she was able to smile even after such bleak and boring words. It wasn't even that she had come to terms with her disability; Erthë just refused to dwell on it or think overly much at how hindered she had become. With meticulous care she banished every passing inkling of self-pity or envy she might feel on seeing the able bodies of others, no matter how brief they may be. Jealousy and foolishness was unbecoming, and the inability to accept facts was not needed in one who had the sight set on the Seer's seat...

"Don't worry about it, please?" she added, upon noticing the sad expression her surrogate father was wearing. "I manage to get about anyway, and I have my ways to cope with the pain... I'm quite alright really."

Shrugging she tried to leave it at that. No one usually bothered about how she got herself to all the corners of the continent and back home again, and she expected no further interest on Tembovu's part now that she had told him she was fine. Thinking the matter was dealt with, she began searching for something else to talk about, something that wouldn't bring a cloud of sadness over those deep blue eyes...

Surely there must be some way of making the man laugh, she just had to find out what it was.

Erthë

And my heart will be blacker than your eyes
when I'm through with you