( At this, she seems to shiver imperceptibly — ill at ease, but swallowing through nausea, finding her footing. )
We shouldn't speak of this. ( A pause, then her hand fishes out at distance, seeking purchase. ) Take me... take me farther out. Where they can't hear for him.
( And yet she speaks even before Daenerys may start them on their journey, for all she knows the predatory creatures yet crawl close. Hyang-Won keeps them from her, but he is still the Beastmaster, and his animals take precedence to his people now. )
Their son. His. Hyang-Won's. And Anui's. They... the boy was special. Very handsome. And smart, and... we are a hunting family. Not me, but... clan Hyang has provided for the village for decades.
( There's an inkling of pride in her voice, something steeled. ) So, they thought they would be... that he'd grow up formidable. He was only in his eighth summer, but... he didn't want to. Hyang-Won didn't want to send the boy. But Anui, she was from Waicai, and we thought she'd lost that edge and... that fever madness for the old way, and I think she did. I do think... for years, she did. I was sure of it. We were all sure of it. She came here, with Hyang-Won. Had her child. She was happy.
( Another silence, measured. Then, bitterly: ) But maybe it was sleeping in her, all along. Maybe that Waicai madness of the faith was just waiting for Sanwon to start heating, and... she gave the boy. Her own flesh and blood, when the Waicai priests came for sacrifice, and Hyang-Won was hunting. With her two hands, she just... and they took him. He was a good boy. Went with his mother, as if he were going on a stroll.
no subject
We shouldn't speak of this. ( A pause, then her hand fishes out at distance, seeking purchase. ) Take me... take me farther out. Where they can't hear for him.
( And yet she speaks even before Daenerys may start them on their journey, for all she knows the predatory creatures yet crawl close. Hyang-Won keeps them from her, but he is still the Beastmaster, and his animals take precedence to his people now. )
Their son. His. Hyang-Won's. And Anui's. They... the boy was special. Very handsome. And smart, and... we are a hunting family. Not me, but... clan Hyang has provided for the village for decades.
( There's an inkling of pride in her voice, something steeled. ) So, they thought they would be... that he'd grow up formidable. He was only in his eighth summer, but... he didn't want to. Hyang-Won didn't want to send the boy. But Anui, she was from Waicai, and we thought she'd lost that edge and... that fever madness for the old way, and I think she did. I do think... for years, she did. I was sure of it. We were all sure of it. She came here, with Hyang-Won. Had her child. She was happy.
( Another silence, measured. Then, bitterly: ) But maybe it was sleeping in her, all along. Maybe that Waicai madness of the faith was just waiting for Sanwon to start heating, and... she gave the boy. Her own flesh and blood, when the Waicai priests came for sacrifice, and Hyang-Won was hunting. With her two hands, she just... and they took him. He was a good boy. Went with his mother, as if he were going on a stroll.