"Is that all you care about?...A promise?"
"..."
He opened his mouth to speak, to explain, but the words wouldn't come.
How could he tell her that it wasn't just the promise that held him back?
How could he explain the fears that haunted at him, the doubts, the guilt?
Before he could say anything, she slapped him, the sound sharp even over the storm.
Her hand stung against his cheek, but the pain was nothing compared to the chaos inside him.
He stood there, stunned, as she glared at him, tears now flowing freely down her face.
She cried, her voice breaking as she hit him again, her fists pounding weakly against his chest. "You promised my master, but what about me?.... What about us?"
He didn't resist, didn't try to stop her.
Each blow was a reflection of his own self-loathing, of the guilt that had been eating away at him.
