It Almost Feels Like The Lines @forwardmoved Gives Are Something Either Memorized And Quoted Time And

it almost feels like the lines @forwardmoved gives are something either memorized and quoted time and time again or something that are said without second thought or hesitation. he says them just as ella used to recite passages in books back to her parents- the history of bogs hollow, tales from the unending desert, legends of the uncrossable sea, and far, far too much poetry, but the prince says these words with such practiced eloquence- she almost wants to accuse him of stealing them but shes never read them before, and hearing them… “You're exquisite. You're transcendent. And you are mine.”

in truth, ella almost envies the easiness of his tongue. her every word, every thought has been for the singular purpose of survival yet he has no worries. ella ashmore is trying her very best to play the part she is dressed as, but all the same, her thousands of fears cling to her with a cruel tightness. she feels she is out of her element, even this is everything she’s ever imagined. the only reason she’s gotten this far is relying on both the few lessons she learned from her parents, some of the… more tame things her stepmother has said, as well as well… things found in the limited romance books she’s read.

she is a star now. she is not herself- she is radiant and burning, transcendent, as he put it. she will burn so bright, she will be blinding. hopefully that light will be enough to cover her uncertainty.

" yours? " there's something so comical about the statement. she hasn't belonged to herself in so long. ella does not let herself linger on it, though. she smiles. she teases. " you are quite confident, my prince, aren't you? "

this was also a reason because what a fucking line

if you're friends with me on steam and just saw me play five hours of bg3 no you didn't...

hit that heart and i will send some memes your way!

and i cry

if you're friends with me on steam and just saw me play five hours of bg3 no you didn't...

oh. oh...

perhaps ella should have prepared herself for the embrace, but it caught her so incredibly off guard, her arms tightening around her almost felt like a stab right to her heart. their conversation, her own feelings, everything for a moment is lost and fades as the warmth of justine’s touch overwhelms and comforts her. she barely can hear justine’s words as that warmth wraps around her and overwhelms in the best possible way.

she doesn’t know the last time she’s been held like this… or rather ella does not think she has ever been held like this…

her mind returns to her before justine continues to speak, but not before she has time to let the forgiveness sink in. the queen listens even as protests stir in her mind- she would have wanted them to. anyone else would have and she would hold no malice or hatred if they had, but lucy and justine were not like everyone else.

that’s something that ella already knew deep in her soul. even before they had saved her life.

protectiveness flairs in her at justine’s words, both at the steadfast loyalty in the statement and mention of the gods- they are alive but ella knows she is changed. no longer is she that happy, carefree, thing skipping around making up languages and dancing about the forrest floor with no worries. she fears that she is gone for good, that her stepmother severed her connection to her along with her feet of flesh. she feels something new, someone who knows too much and perhaps should not be alive, yet here she stands, feet made of strange starlight, crown on her head, mantle and the kingdom on her shoulders. none of that matters as much as who holds her tight- for now, at least.

the queen inhales. the queen exhales. she holds justine back with a fierce tightness, as though her grip could express everything that echoes inside of her head left unsaid. then she laughs softly.

“ careful. i fear my questions are heavy and there is oh so many of them. ” her tone light but relieved all the same. her eyes are shut but she’s smiling still.

ella dares to open her eyes a moment later, shoulders relaxing as she stares into justine’s. “it goes both ways though. if there’s anything that you want to know i promise you that i will tell you. and i promise you you are safe. i swear it. ” she would do anything and give everything to keep that promise.

but where to start?

“ how are you both back? what happened? ” it is a starting point, though ella is slightly scared for the answer.

The weight they all carry could have easily crushed them. It could have squashed the care they feel for each other, but Justine feels stronger for it. She must be stronger to help Lucy and Ella carry it. She refuses to let her tether to either of them snap. Lucy was already her world, but Ella has become another one entirely. She needs Ella as much as she needs Lucy. Without them in her orbit, she will float off into space—a dying star.

Her gaze softens as Ella apologizes. She feels no entitlement to an apology, but she listens without interruption. Ella needs to get this off of her chest. Justine sees it in the way she carries herself. This is a burden that must be released.

She takes a step forward, releasing Ella's hands only to wrap her arms around the queen's neck, cheek to cheek. She hugs her in silence for several moments.

"I forgive you. Of course I forgive you," she echoes Ella's words in a whisper.

She takes a step back, relinquishing her hold on Ella, but she keeps her gaze.

"Even if we found out before stepping foot there, Ella, do you think we would have turned back?" She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"We would have come to get you, and no one, save for the gods, can say if we would have gotten away unscathed."

Justine feels as sure about this as she does about the fact that the sun will rise in the morning. She would re-do that wonderful, horrible day over and over again if it meant that Ella could finally escape her captivity. The only mercy she would ask of the gods would be to take she and Lucy at the same time, so neither had to suffer the other's demise.

"I am here, dear Ella." She places her hand on Ella's shoulder. "I am just as real as you." Her smile grows, creating tiny creases in the corners of her eyes. "And I have all the time in the world for any questions you have."