DREAM OF ME, sihtric & finan

4. trapped bird

The mention of his thoughts running, she dared herself to look him in the eye. He was staring intensely, nodding his head along with his words so she understood that he meant them — that he couldn't let this go on any longer. Only a few days and he was breaking at the sight of her breaking, what would another week do to him? To her? A month? If she was even alive — the thought knocked him sick.

She repeats, "A plan?"

Sihtric didn't have a great plan yet.   "For your escape," He confirms so she can hope, looking over his shoulder quickly before back at her. "I will plan it tonight, I know the routine by heart but I will scale everything and plan it perfectly so you may take your leave, Tova." Her hand came over his, her eyes searching his mismatched ones. 

"Our escape," She corrects him.

He wanted to be able to leave with her, to run and live a life together somewhere else, like they spoke about in the forest as she'd make him flower crowns.   He wished for that now, but that would have to wait. 

He shook his head and her face fell, "I cannot go with you, I must mislead them the best way I can," Sihtric explains his reasoning, and she hates that, he's staying behind to help her.  "I must not make them suspicious or slow you down with the chance of being so close to capture again. But," She wasn't looking at him now. "Tova,"

"You can still come with me.  You are a prisoner of Kjartan more than I—"

"No, it will only be you this time," Sihtric interrupts her, not wishing to juggle the possibility of her convincing him to change his mind.  "I will find you."

Her face was doubtful, her eyes darted away, lips pulling downwards. 

He ripped his hands away, only to replace them on top of hers, trying to make her listen.  "I will find you."  Blue eyes met his, tears filling hers, and he hates that he is the reason for such.  He hates that he has caused her any pain. "Wherever you are, I will find you. You will leave signs, you will leave tracks — that only I would know."

That only he would know?  They had spent years apart, they hadn't known each other since then, since now. 

But then a smile pulled on her lips, replacing the frown, though it's devastating all the same.  "You always complained about my flower chains."

He did, Sihtric remembered.   You make them too long to pocket, he would often say if he was handed a chain instead of a crown.  He hated how he took that for granted, their moments of peace until it was taken from him.  Until he was taken from her, more like it.

"Then that is my sign," Sihtric whispers, curling his fingers against the back of hers.  "Do you agree?"

Tova was exhausted, her body ached and she wished to cry.  Her only source of comfort came in the form of Sihtric, who wouldn't be leaving with her if she managed to escape at all. "As long as you promise you will do as you say."

He doesn't waste a second in nodding, he was telling the truth.   He'd storm every castle and village after he took his own leave to be with her again.  "I will find you, I swear to you," He holds his necklace in one hand now.

She wraps her hands around her own.  "Then I agree."

After Sihtric had left, she remained sat by the cage for a while longer before removing herself and taking a stand, closing her eyes as she rubs the dirt from them with the cloth he had given to her.   Blinking with mud or blood on your eyelids felt uncomfortable.