Scar-Faced Hag
When he motioned towards her hip, gesturing to where Horace had burned the last act of defiance from her body and left an ugly reminder of his cruelty and her submission, Cora turned away. Still seated on the crate, she angled her body towards the wall, shifting her hips so that she was not facing him.
Makko had been her one comfort in all of the hurt. Through their bond, she'd reached out to him during some of the most painful, soul-shattering points in her marriage, and he'd reached back. He'd seen, felt, and heard things he shouldn't have. He'd helped her, burned himself for her over and over again in devotion, and she was utterly ashamed that her actions had driven him to such self-destructive lengths.
He'd almost been too close. How could they continue on, with Makko knowing what he knew?
"I thought…I thought you'd left because…you were hurt."
Cora bit her lip hard to stay the trembling of her voice.
Noble unions on Ukatis were more akin to business deals that love matches. Murdering her husband had damaged her family's reputation and potentially the well-being of her siblings, who were likely to bear the fallout. In removing the King's only heir, the Cholmondeley's position was less secure, which could insight another war for the throne.
She'd been the one to do that, though.
Cora's guilt, pain and shame boiled over, which she threw upon Makko whether it was fair to him or not.
"Do you have any idea what could've happen if you'd killed him? If they'd tracked his murder back to the Fractal State, back to you? It could've incited war with Denon, or Ukatis' exit from the Alliance!"
Hissing through her teeth, Cora glared through Makko. She couldn't look directly at him.
"He wasn't yours to kill."
Makko Vyres
Makko had been her one comfort in all of the hurt. Through their bond, she'd reached out to him during some of the most painful, soul-shattering points in her marriage, and he'd reached back. He'd seen, felt, and heard things he shouldn't have. He'd helped her, burned himself for her over and over again in devotion, and she was utterly ashamed that her actions had driven him to such self-destructive lengths.
He'd almost been too close. How could they continue on, with Makko knowing what he knew?
"I thought…I thought you'd left because…you were hurt."
Cora bit her lip hard to stay the trembling of her voice.
Noble unions on Ukatis were more akin to business deals that love matches. Murdering her husband had damaged her family's reputation and potentially the well-being of her siblings, who were likely to bear the fallout. In removing the King's only heir, the Cholmondeley's position was less secure, which could insight another war for the throne.
She'd been the one to do that, though.
Cora's guilt, pain and shame boiled over, which she threw upon Makko whether it was fair to him or not.
"Do you have any idea what could've happen if you'd killed him? If they'd tracked his murder back to the Fractal State, back to you? It could've incited war with Denon, or Ukatis' exit from the Alliance!"
Hissing through her teeth, Cora glared through Makko. She couldn't look directly at him.
"He wasn't yours to kill."
Makko Vyres