He nods, and falls into step with her. Soft brush of flowers against their legs, as they walk with no destination in mind, just for the sake of being in motion. Holding her hand, and trying not to think of another, sunny and vibrant meadow, where he'd also wanted to hold her hand, in their lost future.
Absorbing her words with attentive concern. Then surprise, written openly across his face, a widening of deep blue eyes. One of Nel's brothers lost, a different one taking his place - not something that would be remotely possible in Lythos, where each rare child was a blessing, but far more believable in Gradlon. Such a flood of sadly neglected children had been born there, treated as disposable, pitted against each other, soon forgotten if they fell. As an outsider, Alear knows the barest details of it all, and those are horrific enough.
Ultimately, howeverâŠwhile that history matters, it doesn't change the core truth of that bond between Nel and her brother. Both brothers. It doesn't change the dedication in her heart; that's clear for anyone to see, even somebody who might know her less well than Alear does.
She'd tried to hard to protect Nil, always. Does it feel like failure, to learn that he's already lost? Another source of grief, undoubtedly. But she did succeed, with the one who came to Lythos. She brought him to safety, watched over him tirelessly, and it's a trait Alear has always admired in her. Listening to these revelations, that admiration doesn't falter in the slightest.
"Whatever his name, you were still his precious sister. In a way, the strangest part is that he thought he needed to hide the truth, for so long. Was he actually worried, that any of us wouldn't accept him?"
Surely not. Love doesn't just disappear like that.
A boy acting the part of a dead sibling, hiding his identity to win a sister's care. Regardless of the story's finer specifics, it must have been harrowing. How could they respond to that, with anything but sadness and sympathy?
Honestly, seeing them had often made Alear regret his status as an only child. It's been a millennia since the last member of his family died, even if he's done his best to build a new family since then.
Doomed since⊠She doesn't need to finish that sentence. Since Alear made the wrong choice, confronted Sombron in the wrong way, misjudged too many things. Oddly, the violence of death itself has only left a vague impression on him, barely noteworthy. Too much else surrounding it, that's more important.
His turn to squeeze her hand a little tighter, for a moment.
"I can't believe you cast a shadow over him, rather than bringing light into his life. However it happened, he must wish you were still by his side."
Then again, it doesn't help to dwell on how devastated her brother will be feeling, does it? It must be similar to how Alear felt, after his mother's death. The severing of an essential link, a sacrifice made by one, so the other can continue. Is that how it happened?
He doesn't understand why Nel says death was necessary, in her case. She can choose to elaborate, or not. Alear isn't here to interrogate, trusting that the information she shares is what really matters. Besides, it's too late to change anything now.
He comes to a halt, aiming to catch her gaze again.
"I know that you did all you could. For him, and everyone else. I never meant to leave you, with so much to deal with."
If she believes Nil - or whatever he'd want to call himself - will be okay, then of course Alear is satisfied. Most of the Four Winds are still alive to support him, aren't they? Alear would have sensed them cross over otherwise, he's sure. Zelestia is still there, the loyal soul who has been part of his makeshift family for centuries. And that other Divine Dragon won't abandon them; he's sure of that too.
Not all is lost, not everything is gone. A few resilient glimmers of hope, against the shroud of despair.
