Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kiae stammered for a second, not knowing what to do. She finally settled on telling the truth as best she could. "You are the last person in the world I would call cruel, Ethin," she told him, still keeping her gaze away from his. "I fear I am being so and asking you to stay against your wishes would be worse. You should have a choice, not as my Warder, but as..."

She let the words die on her lips, turning pale. "I want you to stay, Ethin," she whispered.

(Ah, the angst! Is it cruel of me that I'm laughing?)

Kiae allowed herself to meet his gaze reluctantly, fearing what she would find in the depths. She moved to touch him, to draw comfort from him, and pulled her hand back. "I love you, Ethin. So much it scares me. How can I possibly tell you now?" she thought miserably, running her hands over her face and taking a deep breath to steady herself.

(Oh good. I thought you might. 3nodding )

Kiae remained silent, feeling guilty and yet aware of a growing resentment towards life in general. She had never set out to purposefully hurt Ethin - it had all happened before they were even close - and it just didn't seem fair she was to be punished now.
"I need to find an inn first," she said, her voice strained for calm.

Kiae merely nodded stiffly, relieved he hadn't taken her back to Esole to watch her squirm. "This is fine, thank you," she murmured, slipping past him and inside in one fluid motion.

The inn was busy and loud, travelers of all sorts going back and forth from rooms and business at hand. They paid no attention to the Yellow, accustomed to seeing Aes Sedai, Warders, and merely strange people in their travels. She found someone who looked to be in charge and caught their eye.
"Can I help you, mistress?" the man asked, quickly sizing her up and deciding she met with his standards.
"I need two rooms. I'm on business and require them for a long period of time," she said, willing to pay more for longer than necessary than try to find rooms if they stayed longer than planned. He nodded.
"Of course. There are two on the third floor, will that suit you?" he asked. "I'll need payment upfront, of course. How long is a long period of time?" he added, eying her once more.
"Enough for two months," she said shortly, dropping the coin purse on the counter. He stared at it in surprise, than glanced over her shoulder as Ethin appeared behind her.

The Yellow blinked in confusion, fiddling with the key in her hands nervously. "I thought you'd want one. A separate room, I mean," she added, the sensation of drowning creeping up on her.

Kiae sighed. "That's why I thought you'd want a separate room. If you still wish to share one, go change the rooming arrangements," she told him, sounding defeated. She unlocked the room she had been given and glanced around for any weaves before turning back to Ethin, staring resolutely at his chest.
"I will be here. Do what you want about the rooms," she said, handing him her key before slipping in the room, not bothering to shut the door all the way.

She sat down on the bed and hid her face in her hands, not sure whether to cry or throw something at someone.

Kiae didn't bother looking up as Ethin entered the room and sat down, not wanting to look him in the eye. The silence was both painful and unnerving and she took a deep breath, trying to work up the courage to say something.

"I'm sorry," she said finally. It was the only honest thing she could think of to say in the end.

Kiae winced, feeling his hurt and anger through the Bond and knowing part of it, if not all, was directed at her. "Not without reason," she told herself in disgust. "Everything is horrid now and for what? For a stupid whim for a stupid man who's dead now!" Tears began to well up and she blinked, glad her face was hidden.