The words echoed far louder for Kali than the lingering clap of thunder that followed the streak of lightning that had briefly illuminated the room between the two friends. They rang dully in Kali’s ears, like the aftermath of a gunshot or the pealing of great bells -most of all, they hurt.  They hurt more than anything kali had felt for many, many years and she did not know how to cope with them despite all of her years of experience with both emotions and pain. She’d been stabbed, shot, bludgeoned and worse. She’d lost the tip of her right ear and had her face kissed by a razor sharp blade but yet she did not know how to cope with three simple words.<br/><br/>The immediate emotion illuminated on her face is shock, her almond shaped eyes go wide and  her mouth hangs agape for a moment before the words finally click within her head and the gears of her mind start spinning. Shock is followed closely by doubt, had she misheard her queen? Surely it was just a test of sorts. Doubt was followed by the spectre of pain, her lips falling downward into a frown and her golden-amber eyes losing all of their previous luster. Her face twists and for once since their meeting she looks ugly, a mask of regret, doubt, pain and other heavy feelings and emotions fighting to express themselves before she simply nods her head and collapses into a nearby chair.<br/><br/>The chair creaks under the sudden weight applied to it but  it holds  and Kali leans back in it, resting her head on the high back of it. Her heart fluttered like an injured butterfly, its strained beating leaving a dull ache in her chest she had not felt in many years. Without even thinking she reaches for a pitcher of wine and pours herself a glass, greedily drinking form it until nothing but the dregs were left and some of the drink had spilled down her chin. She didn’t care however, the elf made no move to wipe her chin nor even look Lanthra in the eyes as she processed what she just heard.<br/><br/>Finally when words do come, they are bleak and without Kali’s usual charm or character.<b><i>“Of course you are.”</i></b>Dull acceptance of what had just been presented to her.<br/><br/><br/><i><b>“I’ve always been told I was far too sentimental; perhaps this is proof of it.”</b></i><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>