ELRETH
Sucking in a breath, eyes wide, Elreth yanked her hands off her father's throat, and sat back, gaping at him. He'd broken the eye contact. He'd submitted.
She'd won.
"Dad, are you okay?" she breathed.
Without turning his head, he looked at her. His eyes were bloodshot and tight with pain, but glowing too. Alight with… pride?
"Reth?" her mother sobbed, her voice broken and jagged as she scrambled across the dirt towards them.
Her father groaned as Elreth pushed off of his chest. Then he rolled onto his side, his back to her as she continued to stare, her jaw dropped.
There was a moment of quiet as her mother slid to the dirt next to her father, pulling his head into her lap, and whispering comfort to him, Elreth stared. Her father raised a hand to her mother's face. He didn't speak, but something passed between them and her mother sobbed, bending over him, holding him as he patted her shoulder weakly.
