Sawyn swung her feet over the edge of her bed and lowered slowly onto the stone floor. The cold was a shock to the body for a second, but then she moved carefully from her bed to the window and silently stared at the waves of green treetops.
From atop her keep, she could see why it was called the Green Sea, with the hills and cliffs making the landscape look like a green ocean frozen during a storm. On the ground though, it was more like a mossy cave, with the sun barely able to break through to the ground, the corpses and leaves rotting and being eaten by the forest to birth new life.
For the creatures on the ground, who have never known the sky, this must have seemed like a bleak place. While it was full of life and rebirth, you never saw the light that was driving this process. Only the horrors.
For the clouds above, they only knew of the silent treetops, frozen in their waves. A violent moment frozen in peace. Sound never escaping the forest floor, they only watched birds fly free.
Sawyn wished she could be a bird like that.
From a side chamber of her room, a man with skin the color of a stormy sky walked in, wearing only a waistcloth, scars permanently etched into his body. His short dark hair remained static, never growing as long as she knew him. His features were sharp, and if it wasn't for the soft elven embroidery on the waistcloth, he would almost look battle-ready. He looked at her with his black eyes, and they scanned her side.
"She really got you good," he said as he continued walking to a desk on the far side of the room. "I wouldn't expect anything less from her."
"Yes, but she got hers in the end," Sawyn said as she walked back to the bed carefully and sat down. "Reinhardt is a different story, but he's just a broken man now."
"Hm," he said, half listening. He sighed and took a deep breath as he reviewed some documents. "With Four Roads and Anor's Post out of the picture, do you think we can still bring in enough coin? How are your prospects out west?"
"They are fine, my lord," she laid back down on the bed and turned her head to watch him. She watched his back move with his steady breathing. "I noticed you're pretending to breathe... Is that on my account?"
He froze for a moment and turned to look at her with a smile.
"The Shadow Lord would be nothing without the Light of your smile," he stood and crossed the room to her bed. "You had asked quite some time ago. I believe your exact words were 'I don't want to feel like I'm fucking a corpse.'"
"Well yes, but, if I may quote you back to you as well, 'why would I waste time doing something that's unnecessary?'" she said, doing her best to match his tone. "And that was also the last time you were here... which was years ago now. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I've had time to reflect while I've been indisposed," he moved next to her and kissed her neck. "I guess I realized what's important and what isn't."
He leaned against her as she put an arm on his back, running her finger along one of his scars. She replied with a soft moan, but her eyes remained focused on the mirror, and the reflection of the window and birds flying in the distance.