Patience was something he had needed to learn over decades, and serenity something that had required practice to master. He had been a very different young man when he had been Sohalia's age; proud to the point of arrogance in some ways, moody and prickly and so very self-conscious of his faults in others, and impulsive enough that he had regrets that would follow him to his grave.
But as long as he learned from those mistakes and tried not to make them again, he had found that he could live with himself.
He had been lonely before he had become king, and taking on that honor and duty had done little to change that. Little... but not nothing. He raised his gaze from his tea to meet Sohalia's eyes, and though there was weariness in the set of his mouth and the crease in his brow, there was also a small smile. He reached across the table once more to cover her hand gently, offering physical reassurance along with his words. "We are not alone," he said, his voice soft and deep and warm. "I have you. And Evie. And Phoebe. And Noah." Who was not currently a leader, but who had been, once, and knew the weight of it. "And you have us." And perhaps Soh could still have Harper as well, though Hadama had lost that right.
Thunder rumbled outside the window, but it was a softer and more distant sound, the storm shifting to another part of the city. The mermanta's smile faded to solemnity as he searched his young friend's face. "Why did you choose to become Stormbreak's Heart? And do those reasons still hold true?"
But as long as he learned from those mistakes and tried not to make them again, he had found that he could live with himself.
He had been lonely before he had become king, and taking on that honor and duty had done little to change that. Little... but not nothing. He raised his gaze from his tea to meet Sohalia's eyes, and though there was weariness in the set of his mouth and the crease in his brow, there was also a small smile. He reached across the table once more to cover her hand gently, offering physical reassurance along with his words. "We are not alone," he said, his voice soft and deep and warm. "I have you. And Evie. And Phoebe. And Noah." Who was not currently a leader, but who had been, once, and knew the weight of it. "And you have us." And perhaps Soh could still have Harper as well, though Hadama had lost that right.
Thunder rumbled outside the window, but it was a softer and more distant sound, the storm shifting to another part of the city. The mermanta's smile faded to solemnity as he searched his young friend's face. "Why did you choose to become Stormbreak's Heart? And do those reasons still hold true?"
