"Oh, it was also me." The woman giggled and brought her brush and jar down. She gestured at her painting with a flick. "Look, I prepared a wedding gift for the gem. Do you remember her sitting down with me last week? She's getting married to one of those kings in a few days, right? We can't be there, so I just made a painting."
She walked to hug Almani and flashed a grin. "Let's go see Neuskull again! Lovelle finally allowed me to paint her! I can't wait to sit with her."
Almani's hands entered the frame and hugged the woman back. One hand stroked her head. "Sure, why not? We haven't seen…"
["I shouldn't have trusted them!"] Almani's angry bellowing started to overlay his soothing promises to the woman. ["I fed you to monsters. I'm sorry…"]
["What won't I do to bring you back? That girl is never enough… Her hands can draw as much as you can, but she knows nothing… nothing—!"]
