Now we’re both casualties in this

Part of her was surprised that he stopped to listen – that he stayed silent and quiet, watchful over her words and expressions as she let her past slip from her, crossing over the threshold to the Laurelin in her own troubles and conquers. And as such, she told him the story, his silence growing ever stronger but his eyes still dark and watching until she came to the conclusion of her story. Her gaze followed him, watching him in return as his harks pinned down. Hers, in turn, did the same – uncertain of what Thranduil might begin to say. Her words had struck a chord, and she knew that despite the words he wanted to hear – she knew that she had moved on, and nothing would take that away.

He could yell at her, condemn her, fight her all he wanted, but she would know that she had the inner strength to look toward the future. She wouldn’t let him tear her down from everything she had built up. And as Thranduil’s words left his lips, she returned the silence. ”I won’t meet him. I don’t know his face.” Part of her wanted to tell him it was a good thing, that he wouldn’t have to see the face in its haunting gaze of a piece of her and a lover that was never to be. But Calstron hadn’t really ever been her lover – and perhaps that’s how it was so easy for the gilded siren to move on. She had lost a child, but she hadn’t lost her true love. And perhaps part of her wondered if this conversation would be better suited for Tembovu – as she recalled his words of burying his baby and his lover during the siege of his homeland.

Yet, she stayed silent until he began to insult her. Ears pinned harder to her skull as she lifted her exotic face, stepping once toward him. “You are blind as all the rest.” Her gaze narrowed on the shadow of the Laurelin. He continued on, speaking of the mark that she wore from Calstron, of the hopes and promises she had tried to show him burned and crumbled beneath her at her feet. He spoke of no moving on, and Rexanna fervently disagreed. But she waited, she waited until his tirade was over. Until he would no longer be able to stand her company. Yet, the only way she knew that would happen is if he were to leave himself.

She was far too stubborn to be the one to leave after these insults.

“Do not show me your scars and pretend they do not ache every night.” Rexanna’s head lifted higher, hearing the distrust, anger, and inevitable exhaustion that left his golden lips as he spoke to her. She took one more step toward him until he continued on, and then fell. Her brows furrowed, but she could understand. She wasn’t going to rush to his side. He needed to deal with this himself, without her words trying to comfort him. But she knew, she would stay and tell him how much he was wrong about her – about her events and how she wished everything hadn’t happened to him – but if it hadn’t, would he really be who he was today? Would he be proud of who he was?

Instead, her eyes stayed glued to the Laurelin as a sound began to move from behind her. Marembo squeaked lightly to Rexanna as Haldir moved to her. He whined, tossing his head toward the gilded man in his silent state. Her gaze drifted toward the little deer, compassion crossing the anger that had bubbled within her breast. Lowering her head, she aimed to press her muzzle gently to Haldir’s nose before stepping over into the shadows of the cave as the lightning and rain continued to move on outside.

“You couldn’t be more wrong, Thranduil.” She began, his exhaustion keeping him still. She only hoped he’d be forced to listen. “I am not blind. But my story isn’t yours. It sounds like you really loved her.” She began, her words soft as she looked toward the gilded man. “And that’s where we differ. You loved her, you two were supposed to have a child – and yet, it didn’t happen.” She began, trying to sum up her understanding of the situation. “I’ve moved on because I didn’t love Cal. I loved my son, I did.” She admitted, turning her head slightly away from the still Laurelin on the cavern floor. “But I will not stand by and let you condemn me for moving on. I will not let you destroy the pillars I had made for myself.” Her voice was strong, but it wasn’t filled with anger. “I know many things, Laurelin. My scars ache every night. I’m forced to live in a land where the nightmare of my past had followed me, scaring me and marking me as his for punishment of killing his son.” Her gaze flickered back to him. “The nightmares never end, but what good is it in wallowing in what should have been. This is life and whether you like it or not, Thranduil, the world keeps moving. It keeps spinning and people keep living their lives, unaffected by the trauma you’ve endured.” She lowered her head to him, her muzzle hovering above his ear.

“It’s up to you whether or not you want to keep living in the past. But think of this, would your lover and son be proud of who you are now?”

"Talk."

Every kiss and every word—

They were bullets spraying hazardly from lips.

Rexanna