[His brow furrows, that frown of his persisting as he gently cards his fingers through her hair, letting his thumb brush against her cheek as it moves past.]

Being human is not so terrible. We are vulnerable, yes— but capable of so much more than many would give us credit for.

[The human spirit could be a truly wondrous thing, though he had also seen it bent to wicked deeds.]

What he did... it's related to what you heard in the Vale that day, yes?

[She had heard the voice of someone who had loved her dearly. Someone who was no longer with them.]