Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 10)

(The irony of the quote Gen at the bottom of this page being: If you run now, you will be running the rest of your life.
— Reborn)

Pratik nodded thoughtfully. “I hadn’t thought of it that way… though you can still travel, if you get too restless. Keep that in mind. You’re a free man now. At the mercy of no one’s whims but your own.”

(Oh my god perfect)

"I don't have any whims." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "For now I suppose I'll stay here, figure things out..."

Pratik nodded. “Solid plan.”

"Do you think Sera would go with me if I asked her to travel? If I decided to travel?"

“Hmm… good question.” Pratik considered it for a moment. “I… don’t know that she’d be willing to leave here for good. But I expect she’d go off with you for weeks or months if you asked. Maybe.”

"You're sure?"

“I mean…no,” Pratik admitted. “I don’t know her mind and don’t know her all that well. You’d have to ask her to know for sure, not me.”

"She doesn't seem like the sort to enjoy travel," he mused. "And she has a son to look after."

“A grown son,” Pratik countered. But then nodded. “But yes. I do think she’d want to return here sooner rather than later. But she may be willing to travel a bit anyhow. Hard to say.”

"I have time to decide what I ought to do anyway," he said. "I don't have to ask her anything just yet."

Pratik nodded. “Neither of you should be going anywhere until the trolls settle down.”

"Definitely. That's..." He shivered. "I'm still trying to picture something that large in my head."

“…probably best not to,” Pratik said after a moment. “No use in frightening yourself.”

"I'd be happier if I could visualize it," he said miserably.

"Hm." Pratik hummed for a moment, then inclined his head. He didn't think that was true at all of Rickard. But. Well. He supposed he couldn't speak for him. Rickard obviously knew himself better than Pratik did.