Arialla flinched away from Osozo's hand -- an instinctive reaction that she almost regretted when she realized it. She was hardly in a place to refuse any offer of comfort right now, however awkward. It took her a moment to swallow her incipient tears, a moment of blinking and looking down, covering her mouth. Finally she managed: "I already was what I wanted to be. Now I have nothing."
Not even hope. If Osozo was right -- Arialla could only pray that they were mistaken. She'd ask Safrin. She'd have to hang the remaining scraps of her hope on Safrin's guidance.
please don't take my sunshine away
