He tilted his head in partial acknowledgment of her correction, and in appreciation of her graciousness. Still, he met her reflected eyes when his head rose again and there was no pride in his gaze. "Mmh. Thank you. But sometimes it is not responsibility to others that stops me." He shifted his gaze so that he met his own regard, facing himself in silent judgment. "The last time, when we met with Thalassa in the Greatwood, it was fear." He fell silent then and turned his attention back to Maea in quiet contemplation, and soon enough she filled the comfortable silence with words of her own, secrets of her own heart shared in the soft glow of fire and starlight.
He listened, taking in the name of this dragoon, the proposed partnership not unlike what he shared with Flora... and then his co-ruler's name. And some of what Maea had spoken of in the recent past clicked into place with a soft sigh of understanding from the Tidebreaker as he waited for his friend to trail off with the worries that harried her heart.
"Mmh. Perhaps there is something to what she told you. But... I had nowhere near your current strength when I took the crown of the Merfolk." He tilted his head at their reflections, before turning to look at Maea directly, studying her face in profile. "Neither did Flora when she came to me to demand I make her my co-ruler." He had forgiven her that, though it had taken time for him to see how earnest she was and how responsible she could be. "There is more to ruling than brute strength." He flexed his hands slowly, looking down to consider the calluses upon his fingers and palms. "It helps. But it is not necessary." And then he looked back up and the softness in his eyes was not without its own strength of a different kind.
"Doubt yourself. Question the decisions you have made. But take responsibility for them." He pulled away from her so that he could free his arm, lifting his hand to rest it on her shoulder - stronger indeed than she realized - and squeezed it gently. "And if you are not yet ready to take up the crown now, it does not mean you will never be."
He listened, taking in the name of this dragoon, the proposed partnership not unlike what he shared with Flora... and then his co-ruler's name. And some of what Maea had spoken of in the recent past clicked into place with a soft sigh of understanding from the Tidebreaker as he waited for his friend to trail off with the worries that harried her heart.
"Mmh. Perhaps there is something to what she told you. But... I had nowhere near your current strength when I took the crown of the Merfolk." He tilted his head at their reflections, before turning to look at Maea directly, studying her face in profile. "Neither did Flora when she came to me to demand I make her my co-ruler." He had forgiven her that, though it had taken time for him to see how earnest she was and how responsible she could be. "There is more to ruling than brute strength." He flexed his hands slowly, looking down to consider the calluses upon his fingers and palms. "It helps. But it is not necessary." And then he looked back up and the softness in his eyes was not without its own strength of a different kind.
"Doubt yourself. Question the decisions you have made. But take responsibility for them." He pulled away from her so that he could free his arm, lifting his hand to rest it on her shoulder - stronger indeed than she realized - and squeezed it gently. "And if you are not yet ready to take up the crown now, it does not mean you will never be."
