Noctisardor Bypass morgenstern

mahler came to crouch near, a gargoyle carved from flesh and still as stone.
there was no soft greeting in him now. "vylla intends to take our daughter to the sea for a time. she will be gone a vhile."
"there is a place for you as graf here. now. later. vhen you vant it."
a breath to search her youthful features. 
"vhen she returns i vill step down. and i mean to see if she vill take my position beside you. i know vhat has transpired. but i also know that she has led many times before. she is a guardian. and she is fair. she does not need my vord on her merit, but there vill alvays be strife here if you are not equal."
again, a breath.
"the problem is that i cannot be balanced between she and rivenvood. i do not know how to put vone before the other, and almost alvays i choose our land. but i do not want to rule now. i am done vith it."
"i vent to speak vith her on your behalf and it — vell," he trailed off. "i made a mess of things. and i vatched it happen. and rivenvood must not suffer for my actions."
"i must make a much different choice now."