A Beautiful Nightmare

"Blacken… Blight…"

Ash's eyes stared solemnly into her hands that rested atop her lap. I sat in the empty space she made where her feet were once stretched out. The slow blinking and the silence… they both nearly guilted me into apologizing for giving such a rude awakening.

Catching her up to speed on things was a process done with a heavy heart. Wasn't at all particularly fond of having to be the one to bore all the bad news to her… especially immediately right after a long sleeping session. 

Nevertheless, someone had to do it and who else better to relay the situation to her than me?

Ash's contemplation lasted as brief as my explanation did. She raised her head, no fear, no hesitation, it was just plain resolve that glimmered in her emerald eyes.

Just as you would have expected from a knight of her caliber, resolve was her sword, and determination was her shield.