Following Kaleeth's eyes, Remus also turned his gaze to Aurana. Even Aeramina had quietened her chirping sobs to listen.
Aurana was still shivering in fear. She pressed her arms to her sides just to stop them shaking. "I'm...I'm sick...of being inside all the time." The volume of her voice faded up and down. "I want to go out and make friends. I want to learn how to swim in the river, and go fishing." Her words echoed some of the stories Julan had recited. "I want to have stories to tell and meet people. And travel around." Her eyes glistened. "Every night I have been crying because I know I am forbidden to do it. Every time I go out on my own, you punish me for it. I cannot stay inside!"
"You know why we keep you safe here, Aurana, must I repeat myself again?" Remus was unflinching to Aurana's tears. "The city and the wilderness are not safe for you. You will remain where you will live so that you may continue without harm."
With a blink, a line streaked down Aurana's cheek. She met Remus' gaze directly. "But I know that's a lie! That's not why you keep me here at all!"
Remus' held his head back a portion. It was a wonder if he ever blinked.
Aurana pointed at Janius. "You're keeping me here because you didn't want me to die like Janius! You didn't want to spoil this chance for me to carry on the line, or some stupid duty like that!"
At that, Remus' brow lowered further. The furious red was creeping up his face again.
"Well he's fine, alright?! He's safe, right here! And he's done better than you ever did!"
Janius swallowed. Aurana was past the point of no return, but she was not wasting the opportunity to let loose where Janius and Kaleeth would protect her.
Aurana's scathing shouts continued. "I've got a nephew now! And you've got a grandchild! And now that I met him, I heard where he's been and what he's done. He got to do all that because he was allowed to go out and see the world. He got to live!"
A silence pervaded. Aurana was the only one making sound, catching her breath and letting further tears fall from her chin.
Remus was beet red in the face. "You. Do not know. What is best for you. We do, as your parents."
"I won't let you leave it at that, father." Janius was defiant. He took a step forward. "You can't ignore that keeping her locked away is doing more harm than good."
Lunise braced herself as she was taken through the portal. She was poised and slightly bent in the knees when her shoes found the sand. She looked around her feet, almost surprised that there had been no complications this time. It only took a second longer for Lunise to process where she was. She scanned around at the cliffs and the water with a relaxed frown.
She was faintly listening to what Meesei was saying. Confirming that no one else was around made her shoulders lower in some relief, even if her Thalmor uniform made such movements difficult to notice.
Lunise spoke with an airy tone. She was finding other more profound words lacking. "I...should think it more incidental destruction than a 'want,' but...I cannot deny the beauty of this place."
She realised that she was looking out at how the low sun was sparkling off the waters. She realised herself, turning her head to Meesei. She had nothing to say, so her eyes went down to Meesei's bare feet. Lunise looked left and right, paused, and then knelt down to unlace and remove her own footwear. All the while she held a neutral frown, as if flowing along beyond a conscious control.
She stood up with her sock-stuffed shoes pinched between her thumb and fingers. She looked at her pale feet and curled them into the sand. Her face turned up to look at Meesei again.
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