Two Rivers Isle Except a memory, a distant Echo

Ulrich watched his wife eat, a little surprised at her ferocity, but she was pregnant, so he wasn't going to judge her. At her apology and question about food, smiled at his paws and then looked up at her, giving her an indulgent look. No, I'm... not hungry. Besides, I enjoy watching you eat. He paused. Is that strange?

She began to speak of baby names, wanting names from their homeland. He didn't know quite how to feel about this because he had such negative memories associated with that place. However... He did like his own name, and Adylaide's. Yes, he mused, slowly. Perhaps we can... take back our naming conventions, use them here, in this place. Reclaim some of our customs. That felt right. He repeated the girl's name, Everarda, to himself, shaping it in his mouth. And when she asked if he had any names in mind, one popped out his mouth before he was even aware of it. Manias. He blinked at himself, surprised.

Manias had been the name of a soldier he had been friends with back home. He had not had many friends, and he had not thought of Manias in months, pushing all thoughts of that place far from his mind in an attempt to distance himself from his trauma. Manias, he repeated, thinking now of his friend, a soldier younger than himself, with a much more hopeful outlook on the world than he'd ever had... Ulrich wondered if he was still alive, after the chaos that had erupted that night... Oh, Manias...