Larksong Grotto today i finally let go of your infantry

Hiram's heart broke clean in two in the wake of his daughter's emotional outpouring. It was a profound pain -- one the likes of which Hiram had felt only one time before: when he had believed his children to be dead by the hand of Sleeping Dragon. He had failed to protect them then, and now, he had failed in being the father he hoped to be. All of his endeavors that had led to this point had been all for naught. Her words cut so deep, and once again, Hiram was in the same place he had been that terrible day by the lake when he had hoped to drown his misery underneath the wake.

"Indy, I --" Hiram's voice hitched weakly, helplessly. The topic of their mother was still terribly sensitive. Hiram tried his best not to think about Saena, and on good days, her memory did not torment him like it used to. But when she was brought up Hiram could feel all the guilt rush back. "I never wanted to leave Mom." He shook his head and felt a sob rise in his chest. Despite his grave mistake, Reek would have done what was necessary to repair the family he had broken if he had been given the chance.  

"I know it's hard Indy," he said. "But I'm doing the best I can. Jhala isn't your mother, and I don't want her to be some replacement, but there's some things I can't put back together no matter how hard I try. I miss your mother -- I miss her everyday. But even that doesn't compare to the thought of losing you. You and your sister are my heart, you need to know that." Sometimes, Hiram felt his heart had split into four separate pieces and had left his body completely. But try as he might, it was impossible to wrangle all four pieces back together. He looked to his daughter with desperation and said, "I love you dammit."