brigid

If it is, then why do you abandon those who can be saved?

If not, then why do you make such empty promises?

I am full of anger and doubt. I hope you'll come see me.

So that, under cover of darkness, with the Dark Woods as my witness,

I will see whether you still walk alongside me, from a thousand miles away.

...And now to pick a few flowers.

She should be here by the time I get these flowers and weeds twisted into knots. Just like before, she'll climb over the ruined stone walls and cross the cape where the lighthouse went dark... to see me.

She'll be here before sunrise.

There are two small bundles of nondescript flowers, one wrapped in leaves and placed in front of Evelyn's tiny grave, the other tied into a knot and placed at the nomad's feet.

She waits until dawn, just to dispel her lingering doubts. However, by the time the sun rises, all the questions she wanted to ask have lost their meaning.

She can wait no longer.

(gently nudges Brigid with snout)

She didn't come.

(gentle rub)

Do you think she's always made this choice, every time, and I just never knew?

She was always a wee different from the other wakemen. But ever since she left the ruins and the wilds, and went to the cities on the wheels...

She hasn't been the same.

Moo, moomoo—

I know, big one. It's past sunrise. She's not coming.

Okay, let's go! We've waited long enough.

Brigid stands up with the help of the burdenbeast. She leaves the knot where it is. Her limbs are a bit stiff, both from sitting too long and the bitter cold.

She takes one last glance at the burial mound in front of her, ignoring the sun-drenched nomadic city behind her.

Goodbye, Evelyn.

Quite a long while after the nomad leaves, another pair of hands picks up the withered, yellow knot on the ground.

Brigid?