Sublime

cloying,

hoarfrost

She leant towards me. I smelt soap and glue and the leather of her apron.

lank

Elise danced up the steps of the down deep, her breath trailing in long curls of steam behind her, the clumsy feet of youth making a racket with their heavy boots on the wet steel.

I dreamt of Natan. He was boiling herbs for a draught, and I was watching him and running my hands over the smithy’s turf wall.

Kesler and his people remained

She needed someone who might quiet the shrieking wean, who might help her resurface after she was hit with the waves of her grief.