ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴍᴇ

[persequor]

ᴘʀɪᴠᴀᴛᴇ
I feel like I'm going mad. I keep forgetting things. This morning I woke up and I couldn't remember your voice. [ her voice breaks. ] I kept trying, but it was gone. I couldn't remember it at all. I was really scared. I thought I was going to forget you completely. I don't want to forget. If I forget… [ she trails off. quieter, she continues. ] When will you come, Father? We need you here.

[ A pause as she tries to add some semblance of happiness to her voice. ] I'm doing my prayers every night, Father. I'm working. I earn mine own coin now. And I've got really good with Needle. When you get here, I'll show you. I'll make you proud, I promise.

I wish you were here.


ᴅɪᴄᴛᴀᴛᴇᴅ
How normal is forgetting?


ᴀʟʟᴇɴ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇʀ
[ considering how curt and frantic she had been, she figures she owes him an apology. ]

Um, I'm sorry. For my behavior that night. And...thank you.

Comments

[persequor]

Can you speak plainly?

[hedonic]

Memories are not as trustworthy as one might think, and I don't merely speak of this realm's method of magic. Humans are notorious for their subjective recollections. If a memory is inconvenient enough, little details may be altered over time. If it is pleasant, then these traits may become even more exaggerated.

And, if it's beyond the scope of your own definition of tragedy, completely ignored or replaced all-together.

[persequor]

Your memories are perfect?

[hedonic]

Mm, not at all, though I might say better than an average human. I prioritize as well. But everything is different the longer you live. It's a natural occurrence; part adaptation, and part desire.

[persequor]

How long do you live?

[hedonic]

Why, not long at all! I'm plenty young and spry. Elves don't let petty numbers slow them down.

[ A scoff. She's half-kidding, since most elves she knows are stuck-up bitches hiding in their trees. ]

Except for the ones that grow beards and harrumph if their soup is too cold. Their end is probably around the corner.

[persequor]

Unless they've inheritors who want them dead. Then they'll never die.

[hedonic]

[ Oh isn't that an interesting, adult way of looking at it... Best to foster that! ]

And how do you mean, little wolf?

[persequor]

The people who ought die are never the ones to die.

[hedonic]

I would agree with you.