Suddenly, the hail stops. The storm stops. The mans arms fall to his sides, his shield shattered. Tears flowed down the rough curves of his features, unchecked, and uncaringly, as his head bowed in misery. Everything seemed to hold its breath, like the pause before a cackle of thunder, which, afterward, makes no lasting effect.
His hopes and dreams, and, basically, his life, had been based upon the well-being of his family, and such. Without them...
"It's not worth it..." He whispered to himself.
Suddenly, she appeared ten or so feet away from him, his youngest child, months old, in her arms, asleep against her shoulder. She was a black form, black robed billowing about her, her raven hair streaming. The man looked, and really was, completely helpless.
~No, it's not worth it. Even by doing this to save you family, is tearing others like yours apart, and will, eventually, ruin yours to the same. This little one here needs you, don't you think?~ She said, her tone tragic and serious in his mind.
He stared. "I had...I had good intentions."
She looked up at him, her red eyes sharp and scolding. ~The worst of things can be done with 'good intentions.' Your little boy here could be lost to you, and yet it was all for good intentions.~
He met her cold eyes, the tears flowing from his now freely as ever before. "I'm sorry...It'll never happen again..."
Suddenly, a knowing half-smile passed over her strained lips. "I know." The sleeping child suddenly floated from her arms, resting in its rightful fathers, who fell to his knees, hugging the infant, rocking, and crying. His wife came out of the mist behind her, and went over, speaking soothingly to her husband.
And Lavenders form disappeared without their knowing, as so did her reigning presence from the school, unreachable, untraceable, and un-wanting.
