[It was nice to hear that he didn't think she would be useless, even if she believed it herself. They'd begun the ritual when she was young... A mere five years of age, and it was difficult to remember what walking about freely had felt like. What her feet had once looked like. Strange, that she could remember every word she'd ever read, remember formulas and maths in her head like nothing at all, but her own body...
It had been easier to forget than keep memories that would only be painful reminders of a loss.]
If I could stay in Oska for a few months and let them heal... Perhaps skip a mission...
[It would be easier to make the decision. But to unbind her feet would mean at this point rebreaking them, potentially multiple times until they could be convinced to heal correctly in a way that would enable her to support her own full weight without pain... And though she felt she could speed it along slightly with the magic she had now... It wasn't enough.
She would keep searching.]
But then I wouldn't be able to protect you, so.
[She tried to smile at the joke, that she was the one protecting him all along, fingers curling in her skirts at her knees, feet twisting inwards anxiously.]
Truthfully, he has no expectations for her to go either way so he tells himself he's ready for any answer Sieglinde decides to give. It's just that he doesn't expect the joke-- especially not the context she decides to use. Immediately he moves his head to look down at her, surprised, but his questioning expression freezes seeing that attempt of hers to laugh and smile.
For a moment, his heart sinks a little, reminded of times he would do similar to Kojuro, as if in the end it wasn't as big of a deal or painful to accept the scenario they were placed in. A part of him wants to tell her not to joke because she can stay here all she needs for all the time in order to have this opportunity. He wouldn't let ALASTAIR say otherwise.
But, that's a long time and without constant support of people—
He bows his head a moment before he reaches to raise her onto his lap facing him and affectionately bumps his forehead against hers. Eyes closed, he smiles a little, sounding playfully exasperated by her reveal. ]
Ahh, OK— It's true I would be in trouble without you.
[ This girl is the only thing he has here. Keeping her from harm and seeing her as happy as possible are the only things that keep him on a path. Perhaps she thinks she does none of the protecting—that's not entirely true. She protects his soul from wandering aimlessly and becoming lost. ]
Should you ever change your mind... just tell me. I'll stay behind with you or be your feet until yours recover-- here or there doesn't matter.
[This time there's no mistaking the contact for anything but familial, but comforting and warm, and Sieglinde's smile falters and twists a bit in a surge of emotion even as she pressed back against his forehead slightly, trying to keep hold of the tone and smile she'd managed a few seconds previous.]
I know.
[To both things. Her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging close as she sighed, the options she had traipsing through her head. She knew he would stay if she asked, even if she didn't know if ALASTAIR would even allow such a thing. She knew she could keep looking for a magical solution- she knew healing spells, but none that could fix wounds that weren't fresh, that could fix complex breaks and rearranged bone, atrophied muscles and removed nails.
She knew that even if she trusted him, even if Masamune was the person she trusted the most in all of ALASTAIR, showing him what was beneath the bandages would be difficult for her. Would be trying- and that wasn't even the actual physical pain from the rebindings. It seemed inconsequential in comparison.
But she still took a moment to gather herself- to calm her heart. The foot binding could wait a moment.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Stupid sibling feels
It had been easier to forget than keep memories that would only be painful reminders of a loss.]
If I could stay in Oska for a few months and let them heal... Perhaps skip a mission...
[It would be easier to make the decision. But to unbind her feet would mean at this point rebreaking them, potentially multiple times until they could be convinced to heal correctly in a way that would enable her to support her own full weight without pain... And though she felt she could speed it along slightly with the magic she had now... It wasn't enough.
She would keep searching.]
But then I wouldn't be able to protect you, so.
[She tried to smile at the joke, that she was the one protecting him all along, fingers curling in her skirts at her knees, feet twisting inwards anxiously.]
kicks at dirt tsuntsun
Truthfully, he has no expectations for her to go either way so he tells himself he's ready for any answer Sieglinde decides to give. It's just that he doesn't expect the joke-- especially not the context she decides to use. Immediately he moves his head to look down at her, surprised, but his questioning expression freezes seeing that attempt of hers to laugh and smile.
For a moment, his heart sinks a little, reminded of times he would do similar to Kojuro, as if in the end it wasn't as big of a deal or painful to accept the scenario they were placed in. A part of him wants to tell her not to joke because she can stay here all she needs for all the time in order to have this opportunity. He wouldn't let ALASTAIR say otherwise.
But, that's a long time and without constant support of people—
He bows his head a moment before he reaches to raise her onto his lap facing him and affectionately bumps his forehead against hers. Eyes closed, he smiles a little, sounding playfully exasperated by her reveal. ]
Ahh, OK— It's true I would be in trouble without you.
[ This girl is the only thing he has here. Keeping her from harm and seeing her as happy as possible are the only things that keep him on a path. Perhaps she thinks she does none of the protecting—that's not entirely true. She protects his soul from wandering aimlessly and becoming lost. ]
Should you ever change your mind... just tell me. I'll stay behind with you or be your feet until yours recover-- here or there doesn't matter.
kiss and make up
I know.
[To both things. Her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging close as she sighed, the options she had traipsing through her head. She knew he would stay if she asked, even if she didn't know if ALASTAIR would even allow such a thing. She knew she could keep looking for a magical solution- she knew healing spells, but none that could fix wounds that weren't fresh, that could fix complex breaks and rearranged bone, atrophied muscles and removed nails.
She knew that even if she trusted him, even if Masamune was the person she trusted the most in all of ALASTAIR, showing him what was beneath the bandages would be difficult for her. Would be trying- and that wasn't even the actual physical pain from the rebindings. It seemed inconsequential in comparison.
But she still took a moment to gather herself- to calm her heart. The foot binding could wait a moment.
Happy birthday to her.]