Dragoncrest Cliffs partita

Ashlar was subdued again. He looked at Etienne, then at Chacal, addressing her first. He asked me. But you can check. He wouldn't mislead them about something like that. About anything like this. It felt so strange to feel as though he were standing trial for help he had tried to give, but he knew this was something he had brought upon himself. None of them had any reason to trust him. He'd proven himself to others first. Etienne didn't owe him an apology, but he wouldn't override Chacal to say as much.

I wouldn't keep him. Just while he learns. Then he was quiet for a moment. It was hard to know what to say when he accused himself of being a bad brother. Ashlar knew it wasn't true, because it was obvious he cared deeply, but he had never had siblings of his own. Ashlar did know what it felt like to not be enough, though. This was something he knew intimately, constantly, and it was a struggle he would likely never overcome.

Just because he wants to see a new place and learn.... learn new things doesn't mean.... it doesn't mean the old ones are bad. Or the new ones are better. He finally added, a little softer, for the benefit of Etienne. He didn't know if it was the right thing to say but it was the only thing he could.