Kalaya pulls back, glancing at you with a lopsided grin. For a moment, the sun is peeking out from behind those clouds once more.

"I think I understand. We can't really control who we love, can we?" she says, chuckling ruefully. 

"You know ... despite how badly everything from Turtlehead to Hell went, and it went [i]pretty [/i]badly I'll admit, I think I gained more than I lost.

"The tourney, the fight with Ushua, even this whole mess with the Dominion and its politics?" she says, an edge of heat creeping into her voice. "What I found with me and Ven? That was worth it. It was worth [i]everything[/i]."

[Clearing Guilty]

"So don't you go around carrying any burdens on my account." she continues, hiding glistening eyes by leaning back into the hug. "I remember what you did for my Father. And what you've done for me - both then and now. You are a [i]good person[/i] Giri."

You can feel her head turning on your shoulder, eyes drawn towards your collar.

"You're not a curse to be warded against or a prize to be claimed .. no matter what Cathak or her servants' views may be. Just remember who you are and what you are worth is far more than that."

"And never forget - you will always have an ally in Lilly and in me."

[Rolling my own emotional support - 5 + 3 + 2 = [b]10[/b] - Giri's turn to pick one and if she opens up Kalaya will clear another condition.]

"I just wish I knew what to [i]do [/i]about it all." she continues, huffing a frustrated breath and waving a hand at her teacup. "The Dominion wants me to dance on a string for them. Ushua is wounded and likely held naked below in chains. The Rakshasa is still out there - apparently bending the Kingdoms to its needs in my name."

"All that and yet ... no matter how hard I try to entreat the gods, [i]any[/i] gods for a sign - I get nothing. I [i]always [/i]get nothing. I don't know if I'm doing the ritual wrong or if they just don't care."

"It won't stop me from trying though. It never has. Gods and their ways aside, I swore to help those in need. Even when everything else is silent - it's [i]those[/i] words, the Oath of Thorns, that keeps me going. And after finding Ven again? I now have [i]two [/i]reasons not to give up."

At this, she places a hand on your shoulder and there's something about the girl's earnestness that invigorates you. Fortifies you. Dulls your pain. It might be that she missed out on a calling as a motivational speaker.

Then again, it might be something more...

[Activating [b]Lay on Hands.[/b] Giriel is healed of physical ailments. Giri marks an XP if she validates Kalaya's devotion(s) - Kalaya gains a string if she criticizes it.]