- Scumport -

                                    

                                          
"That was intense." 
After an hour of flying in silence, River speaks up from behind me. He had stripped his armour and top in order to dry from being, well, frozen. The sun is finally starting to set, but it did the job well. 
"You could say that again." I can't stop thinking about half-dead Viren's words. I'm confused. 
"Is your face okay?"
I glance back at River, flashing him my left cheek, "do I have a badass scar?"
He seems somewhat surprised but mumbles a yes as confirmation. Sure enough, I feel my upper cheek and from under my left eye to my ear, there's a thick raised scar. I hope Soren likes the look of it. 
River's body shifts behind me - he's putting on his clothes. "I'm sorry." I twist my head slightly to hear him better over the wind. "After all these years, I didn't know Viren was responsible for your parent's death." 
Right. Claudia and I'd argument got a bit heated. "Well," I say, "I'm sorry I allowed you to come on this silly mission." I laugh a little, but I'm not lying. "Any more close encounters like that and I'll be responsible for your death."
He chuckles now too. "Cut me some slack, (Y/n), I'm tougher than that."  
He's not wrong. "Anyways, you've got a wedding to plan, don't you?" 
"Don't remind me," he groans, head falling backwards. "I would rather die than marry her." I laugh harder now, it's such a wonderful statement to hear. "I'm serious, (Y/n)," sure enough his tone of voice is far from humorous. "No exaggeration, not being overdramatic..." he inhales slowly, "if I had to choose death, or to marry Dalia..." I look back at him over my shoulder. The wind is in his hair and he looks the most free I've ever seen him. "Death wins without a doubt." 
He smiles at me - half happy, half sad. It reads the look of a man whose proud of what he just admitted. A man who wants to have freedom of choice in his life.
"So why do it?" It seems so simple from an outsider's perspective. "Why commit yourself to a life of..." there's no easier way to put it, "... torture." 
"My parents don't understand," River starts. "It's not out of the blue, actually. Our families have always been friends." He chuckles to himself, "therefore, I've just seen how much more of a conniving bitch she is." I stay quiet, letting him open up. "Don't get me wrong, I did want to come with you on this to be helpful... but it would be dishonest to say I'm not prolonging another return to Katolis."
I turn away from his gaze. "Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner every day of your life." Obviously I don't wish death upon River, but I wouldn't wish living a life out of your control on anyone. 
"You could say that again," he repeats. I hope he finds the courage to speak to his parents, or some sort of genius loophole to get out of the marriage arrangement. 
I take a deep breath in, shaking my shoulders. My braids have gone so utterly frizzy that I decide to take them out. New destination, new hair. 
"That Earthblood elf," I explain, "his name is Terry... and I just hope he does the right thing. As far as slowing their trek." I use my hairband to put my hair into a simple ponytail. The amount of waves make it voluminous and I apologise to River quickly since he's receiving it in the wind. "Like, do the right thing, you know? Even if he loves Claudia." I ponder their situation together. "Love is weird," is my only conclusion. 
"Love is weird," River echoes. "You love Soren?" It's such a straightforward, no bullshit, honest sort of question. He has always been good at throwing those at me. River is an honest sort of guy.