LOREN
At the mention of Phoebe attacking Roana’s children, Loren winced. ”I’m sorry. Are they okay?” He bit his lip, feeling Frey’s and Vi’s joint command to plant his final Rose as soon as possible. And he would, after he got home, clothed, and a good night’s sleep. He didn’t want to chance fighting off someone with the blight while he wasn’t at his best, or in the middle of the night after having summoned a phoenix that was still circling overhead. ”Have you confronted her about it?” Wessex was queen, now, sure, but Roana was tough, and Loren couldn’t imagine the ex-captain letting such an action go without being answered.
Luckily—or maybe unluckily—for Roana, Loren didn’t mind philosophy. Plus, he’d been doing a lot of thinking about his own future, which also made him pretty good at considering the future of others. ”Well, the enemies we used to face were trying to wipe us from existence. Or at least, that’s what they told us.” Whether or not it was true was another matter entirely. ”But why serve at all? We have a chance here, to forge our own paths, independent of monarchs and gods.” And bowing to the whim of any higher power that he didn’t know he could trust was abhorrent to the Launceleyn, strange as that might be to anyone who knew the oaths of obligation that used to bind his family.
But those were gone, now, and he was a free man. If only he chose to accept that freedom.
Luckily—or maybe unluckily—for Roana, Loren didn’t mind philosophy. Plus, he’d been doing a lot of thinking about his own future, which also made him pretty good at considering the future of others. ”Well, the enemies we used to face were trying to wipe us from existence. Or at least, that’s what they told us.” Whether or not it was true was another matter entirely. ”But why serve at all? We have a chance here, to forge our own paths, independent of monarchs and gods.” And bowing to the whim of any higher power that he didn’t know he could trust was abhorrent to the Launceleyn, strange as that might be to anyone who knew the oaths of obligation that used to bind his family.
But those were gone, now, and he was a free man. If only he chose to accept that freedom.
But don’t be weary if it’s broken
Families are like that—
they’re split up and always torn.
