Part of him started to wonder...if he had stayed would this still have happened? Would their mother have started taking those drugs? If he had decided to stay in Crimson Dreams instead of leaving, could it all have been avoided. But no. Haven shook his head to clear such dangerous thoughts from it. Dwelling on the "what ifs" wouldn't change anything, it would only drive him mad. Besides, he knew that he had made the right decision for himself. He couldn't be held accountable for every action a member of his family made. Naniko was an adult and she and only she was accountable for her actions.
He had known that that was where his sister's loyalty was. One's family was due loyalty as well, but when they strayed from a good course to a bad one then that right was forfeit. If he had done something bad he wouldn't expect them to stand by his side. Wrongdoings needed to be punished, in some way or another, and it appeared their mother had been reminded of it the hard way. "Then stand with them. I know they'll need you." While he had no idea of exactly what all had happened, he knew that it must be taking a toll on all of them. Such a shocking thing was not easy for anyone to take, especially when it concerned your leader. It was true that his own leader had some vices, but Jac would never bring harm down on them. He had sworn to keep their best interests at heart and he trusted the collie to do so.
Haven managed a weak smile back at Mati. Both of their expressions weren't strong, but at least they were smiling. It was better than the alternative. A soft little laugh escaped him at her words. "No, I wouldn't have imagined that either." It was a complete role reversal. But Haven knew it took great courage for a child to stand up to their parent, and Mati had done that. He was proud of her and that truth shone in his eyes. "I'll go get some blankets and you can sleep on the couch. I'm sure you need some rest," he said as he stood up and walked past her, his hand resting on her shoulder for a moment.
| Messages In This Thread |