eachdraidh | video - open to both courts

[The feed comes on sideways, and gives a good view of a big black nose. Bryndis, loyal to her master, has found some way to turn on Kìli’s dropped locket. There’s a brief snuffle from the pup and she draws back to her master’s side, who is lying on the ground with his eyes closed, looking half-beaten and certainly nowhere near sober. He is apparently completely unaware of the locket being on and is slurring out words in a mixture of English and his own native tongue. There’s a nice cut down his forehead, blood trickling down into a black eye, but he’s too gone to care.]

Thatrulkhud fandùna, bunmel, ulnas... She’s gone, Bryn, she’s gone... [He curls in on himself, giving a small little whimper. His fingers curl into the dirt.] I am makarfûn. Mahal, I...this is...this is... kherkhar.

[The pup whines, sitting down beside him. Kìli reaches for her, one hand stroking her fur before pausing in her scruff and tightening there.] Zusul, Bryndis. I...I thought...I thought she was my sabrel, that I could...ihrêr.

[The direwolf pup shifts, her wagging tail hitting the locket and sending it skidding another direction as she comes closer to comfort her master.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And I loved him.

That doesn't bring him back.

[Not when he loves someone else.]

No, but...how could I say those things when they aren't true?

People lie to themselves all the time. To feel better.

Or you could get drunk. That works, too.

Didn't work out too well for me. Got drunk, lost a fight, and it hasn't brought her back.

I didn't say it would bring 'er back, mate.

Just that it was a way of feeling better.

Maybe it doesn't work for you. Anyway, it's a temporary thing. You can't go around being drunk all the time, though I've seen some try.

Might be worth a shot. [He sighs.] How do you keep going, after things like this?

I wish there was an easy cure for it, darling. You just can't let it break you.

You just... go on. I like to get distracted with work, but everyone is different. And sometimes talking about it can help, too.

I feel broken already. [He lets out a shaky laugh.]

The wound is still fresh. These things take time. Unfortunately.

I guess that's something we have plenty of in this place, at the least.

Yeah. For better or worse.

video - open to both courts

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio

audio