Blacktail Deer Plateau o father (in law) where art thou

grayday had asked the question he had been avoiding himself, and he sighed, the sound slightly ragged. how to put into so few words the thoughts that had been plaguing him? he had to give it a shot; to lie would be an immense slight to grayday, and to remain silent. . .well, that would be a lie, too.

"when i was out on my own, i didn't have to worry about anyone but myself," aditya said softly. "sure, i had friends, lovers--none of which amounted to much in the end," he added hastily, giving grayday a sideways glance. he didn't want to give the man the impression he still burned for anyone but his daughter. "but i wasn't accountable to anyone. no one but myself."

his eyes, golden and shrewd as an eagle's, raked over the territory, as he continued. "but this. . .is mine, as a member of morningside. dawn is mine. her family is now my family. and for the first time, i feel truly responsible for others."

aditya looked back at grayday. "i am religious. i hold strongly to my beliefs--one of which is to do no harm. but surely, with the life we live, there are exceptions to that." a low growl formed in his throat, as he gazed upon his father-in-law's missing eye. "i want to harm the woman that threatened our land, hurt our family. i want to kill her. and it's an emotion i've never felt before. . .and i'm grappling with that."

he fell silent, still quietly bristling but waiting for grayday's response.