Moonspear see through the banner of the sun

There was an ugliness that lived deep, deep inside her heart, a fissure in the solid foundations of her soul where no glue could heal, and no warmth could reach. It was a place where even the happiest thoughts would shrivel away to darkness and it was this place that Sialuk touched with her words. Resentment built for the child and her idea of the perfect future, a quickly mounted animus for one so innocent and naive that she would say something so thoughtless to one who had experienced loss before his time had ever come.

A younger version of the woman would have acted on such irritation.

Keres folded the anger and the pain away, slipping on a mask of smiles and laughter. On the surface, she conceded to the girl's whims, if only so that they could turn from this conversation all the sooner. You are right, I have forgotten myself. I cannot wait to meet him. Though her words were warm, she did not allow Sialuk much of a chance to respond, instead steering the direction of their talk with a question. What are your mother and father like?