Larksong Grotto i see fire

two sisters abandoned by their father, perhaps. mahler was only speculating at this point, silently gathering the details of the things she had told him. if so, if he had the guilty luck of approximation, it would explain much in regards to the way laurel held herself.
mahler was not expecting the last hushed words. his breath staggered a second; he stared hard at the shadow of a passing bird, and reined his shock in quickly. laurel did not need his unnecessary word, his startled pity, his inquiry and desperation not to know.
"some might say this has all made you resilient, laurel," mahler murmured quietly instead. "i vould ask if you vanted to be so resilient." to endure so much until the ripping away of her sister, and to endure beyond that, beyond that — mahler could not imagine.
"i hear you speak so goodly of indra and i vonder if you speak as goodly of yourself."