[open] Crown of Bone and Thorn

[Tiernen]

I'VE WALKED THE EARTH AND THERE ARE SO FEW HERE THAT KNOW
HOW DARK THE NIGHT AND JUST HOW COLD THE WIND CAN BLOW

He isn’t sure if her answer was meant to be a joke of sorts—he can’t remember the last time he had laughed, though he hadn’t realized that until just now, when he is wondering if he is supposed to laugh. Her tone is unreadable, and unfortunately mind reading was not one of the gifts he gained when everything in his world shifted. He decides the safest course of action is to simply do nothing, and so he remains as he is, nearly statue-still and simply staring. He thinks that just staring might come across as rude, though, and so he gives a nearly imperceptible nod of his head to acknowledge that he had heard.

There is something strange about her, but that isn’t saying much. Everyone here is strange. He has the sense that someone else would have been afraid of her; or maybe he is stupid for not being afraid. He isn’t, though. Not yet, at least. There isn’t much that manages to permeate the perpetual numbness that he always seemed to feel, not even fear.

“I was not aware they belonged to anyone,” he answers her truthfully. “Is that why you are marking them, then?” It would make sense, he supposes. But that also sounded exhausting. Surely she didn’t have time to scratch all of them, did she? She did seem pretty determined, he had to give her that. “My name is Tiernen,” he offers her, though he has a feeling she isn’t going to care. It was difficult to shake the manners his father had instilled into him.

T I E R N E N

@ Kreed