1x1 With AnnaCat17 and Echo!

[AnnaCat17]

Iris hadnt left her room for several days. She stared in a daze up at the ceiling from where she lay on her bed. The air on her room was stale and everything was dark, having not bothered to have the burned out lights in her room changed.

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"Iris?" Dalton called softly, slowly entering her room. He approached her, sitting on the edge of her bed.

[AnnaCat17]

Iris looked at him through the darkness before shifting so her back was to him. "If this is about Azuna she can stay thete for a few days. She punched a guard and could use some time away from that pig's influence."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"It's not about Azuna." He gently combed through her hair with his fingers. "It's about you. You need to take care of yourself, Iris. Your people need their leader."

[AnnaCat17]

"Civil unrest is almost as high as during tge dark year. They would be perfectly happy if you took over so don't even try to lie." She looked over at him. "How are the twins?"

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Dalton lied down beside her, folding his arms under his head. He couldn't get Azuna's voice out of his head. "They're good. So is Clara." He looked over at him. "They're just anxious to get out." He gave her a reassuring look.

[AnnaCat17]

"Arent we all." She released a sigh before shifting onto her back. "Any progress or are we still stuck down here?"

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

"I've being trying to get it open. Unfortunately, we think the cave collapsed on the vault. We can't get it open. From the inside. Our only hope is that there's someone outside to dig us out." He gently brushed her hair over her shoulder. "How are you?" he asked softly.

[AnnaCat17]

Iris closed her eyes. "Everyone outside died, dalton. You know that." She didnt respond for several minutes and when she did her voice was quiet. "Im tired of being leader. If someone were to challenge me id just hand them the title. It has cost me too much."

[EchoOfShatteredIce]

Dalton gently stroked her hair. He didn't reply for a moment, trying to think about how to respond. "I can't tell you to change your mind, because I don't blame you for it. Leading is hard in general, but down here? Even worse." He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Don't be hard on yourself."