Ari’s word is their bond. They’ve known this from a young age, a blessing and a curse bestowed to those in her family. To make a promise, one full of meaning and heart, was to intend to keep it until your dying day.
Ari wasn’t thinking of this the day they sat by E in that flower field, promising to ‘never leave’. They didn’t think about what that would mean, the consequences if something were to change. Fate had a hellish way of interpreting their promise, making sure that a piece of E always stayed with Ari, a way to remain close even when the distance between them was far.
A small token, a wolf in ink, hidden behind clothes at all times. Ever present headaches from a stubborn ass who couldn’t stop running into bad situations, gut feelings of danger befalling someone Ari would rather forget about.
Her mother had always called it a 'soul link'. A promise that was full of magic made sure you kept it. Soreness when he fell into the abyss, the feeling of being without something important when he disappeared. Frequent insomnia that would never go away.
There was no escape from their word, Ari had learnt this a long time ago. And now they had to pay the price of an old, foolish promise.
It was completely different when Ari made that promise to Phyrrhus. Maybe they had only known each other a short time but the thought of anything happening to him filled Ari with dread. They had felt the promise settle as soon as it was made.
To keep him safe and alive… Ari had every intention of fulfilling that promise. Even if they had to give everything, they’d follow it through to the end. Maybe it was the butterflies, or just the atmosphere… But Ari didn’t regret it. Not a single bit.
The promise to Nin was an accident. Ari said it before she could think, just wanting to comfort a friend. It wasn’t as… intense as the ones before but they knew it would have consequences.
Even if they didn’t know what they were yet