Ocean's Breath Plateau lonely times when i could not find a friend

A breathless laugh escaped him, as if he thought the older man must be joking. He realized only now that he had been waiting for someone to tell him to stay — to let someone else find Seelie. To tend to his wife and his remaining children. To rest, to recover. That things would turn out fine, and that he could lie down next to his wife and sleep.

Aditya did not promise this. Dutch shut his eyes and gave a dismissive shake of his head, a tear sliding down the hollow plane of his cheek.

"I need to find her," he replied. There was no other option, no matter what he wished. "Once she is home — then I will stay. Forever. Always."

He blinked more tears out of his eyes so that he could see Aditya clearly. He could hardly remember what the man looked like when his muzzle was only peppered with gray. There was still some youth left in his eyes, Dutch thought, but there was no mistaking him for anything but an old, old man.

"Dhanyavaad, baba," he murmured, miserably, unable to meet the other man's eye. "Jab main yahaan nahin tha tab yahaan rahane ke lie." He took another steadying breath. "Just a little longer," he pleaded. "Watch over them for a few more days. I will bring her back to us."