Although Arwen laughed, tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, hinting at the emotion twisting inside her chest. Shaking her head slowly, she stared at Catrin and asked in a mocking tone, "Don't you feel pathetic now?"
Catrin tilted her head to the side, her gaze empty, revealing more about what happened to her. "Pathetic?" she repeated blankly. Her voice felt weak, detached —like a broken record that had forgotten its rhythm.
Arwen's jaw tightened, and keeping it locked, she nodded. Her eyes were sharp as she looked at Catrin. "Yes, pathetic," she said, taking a small step closer. "You spent your entire life chasing the perfection that was never needed, the power that held no meaning, the control that never mattered —only to end up in the state …" her hands spread to gesture towards her, "... like this. It's pathetic."
