[Adelaide's touch was not unwelcome, quite the opposite in fact, but it was unexpected. Galadriel looked down at her hand, where it rested atop hers, and considered the woman briefly.
The bitterness in her tone, the derision in her snort, they were impossible to miss, even without reading her heart. Adelaide had seen much darkness, too much for one mortal soul, but mortal souls did not collapse under the weight of such things. In that way, she was stronger than Galadriel would ever be, but it was a poor sentiment to offer.
She did not need to know how wrong she was.]
Do not apologize. [Galadriel settled her other hand across Adelaide's and her own, and squeezed it gently--weakly, but there was little difference between the two.] You have given me more hope than you know. To learn about a world, any world, is to learn of darkness and despair. Finding light in it is a gift, one that I have been granted and appreciate.
[Her expression didn't pull into a smile, she was too tired and grieved for such things, but the calm on her face was not so fraught as it had been.]
If I could, I would teach you to read the darkness in the hearts of men, but I cannot manage it myself. Often it is harrowing but...very rarely is any one of them truly something to fear.
Even this Warden...his blood was poisoned but his heart sang of beauty and butterflies. [She sighed quietly, her tone still laced with some measure of disbelief.] Butterflies, of all things.
no subject
The bitterness in her tone, the derision in her snort, they were impossible to miss, even without reading her heart. Adelaide had seen much darkness, too much for one mortal soul, but mortal souls did not collapse under the weight of such things. In that way, she was stronger than Galadriel would ever be, but it was a poor sentiment to offer.
She did not need to know how wrong she was.]
Do not apologize. [Galadriel settled her other hand across Adelaide's and her own, and squeezed it gently--weakly, but there was little difference between the two.] You have given me more hope than you know. To learn about a world, any world, is to learn of darkness and despair. Finding light in it is a gift, one that I have been granted and appreciate.
[Her expression didn't pull into a smile, she was too tired and grieved for such things, but the calm on her face was not so fraught as it had been.]
If I could, I would teach you to read the darkness in the hearts of men, but I cannot manage it myself. Often it is harrowing but...very rarely is any one of them truly something to fear.
Even this Warden...his blood was poisoned but his heart sang of beauty and butterflies. [She sighed quietly, her tone still laced with some measure of disbelief.] Butterflies, of all things.