Neverwinter Forest the beach, the way the water felt-

And some tags for ref just 'cause. :P Many details vagueyvague.

When he could, Mal put on a particularly untrue face -- when he went to go see @Aibreann and their children or swung by @Miriam's to see her and Liliana, mostly for the benefit of the children -- and to those who were wise enough, it was probably fairly easy to see through. He would spend more time with Caerus for obvious reasons (unless the boy outright avoided him), and there he was more honest, but still afraid of seeming too weak to his son. Mal was the adult. He needed to be available if his son needed support, not the other way around. However good that might be working. He probably saw @Simmik too? She'd get a similarly kinda honest view of things but he was pretty avoidant of a lot of things.

He might be healed from his previous escapade across the realm, but he certainly was in no state to do more, despite the better weather and everything. There were times he just went off by himself, lay down under a tree, and practically melted into the ground itself from the mental exhaustion at it all. Though obviously awake, he wasn't particularly aware of things, lost somewhere in the back of his mind, running over events, doubts, and everything he did wrong and now couldn't fix for the millionth time since and it was just as draining. This absolute disaster.

Unsurprisingly he wouldn't notice her approach -- perhaps at the last minute if she was being loud.