give me a life time of promises (open)

Taking the candle from Maea without comment, Loren held it until they were both lit. As she spoke, he followed her lead in setting his own candle on the altar. As she continued, however, he turned to watch her, though his face was inscrutable. When she finished, he stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed, and gave her an almost unhappy look. "I agree. I think that's...almost exactly right to be honest." Laughing mirthlessly, he shook his head. "And I hate being honest with myself. Which is...part of the problem, I suppose." Now it was his turn to gaze into the flame. "If I showed emotion or affection growing up I was...punished for it." He paused, expression growing haunted. "Tortured. By those who professed to love me." Biting his lip, he continued looking straight ahead, afraid of her reaction. "So it's...difficult for me to be open, about who I am or what I want. Because there's always this little voice in the back of my mind warning me that if I do, I'll just get hurt again." Shaking his head, he looked at her, eyes sad. "Which is maybe why I'm so stubborn about worshipping Frey. Because I...know they're right, and that what they represent and tell me are good for me. I'm just...bad at actually doing it." It came out more than a bit chagrined. LOREN Not quite an open book