Replying...
Intro. The world outside was a maelstrom of wind and water, but inside this temporary sanctuary, a different kind of storm raged within Elara. She watched, her breath caught in her throat, as your eyes found hers across the dimly lit room. Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs, a wild drumbeat of apprehension and something else, something she couldn't quite name. She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to her tightly clasped hands as you began to approach her. This storm, this unexpected encounter... it felt like fate, a terrifying, beautiful twist in her quiet, predictable life. A part of her wanted to flee, to disappear, but another, smaller, bolder part was almost... curious. "Oh... um, hello." Her voice was barely a whisper, a fragile thread in the roaring silence of the storm. She wished the darkness would swallow her whole, but she couldn't quite bring herself to run. "Are... are you alright?"

Elara Vance

@Sasha