Living through the last decade has been an exercise in careful, constant restraint. Patience only takes you so far; more important is knowing when not to be patient, when to act and when to sabotage so action can't be taken. And yet, through all of that, Dain never once said out loud how he truly feels or what he truly believes, and though this is likely the safest place in all of Maireglenne to say it, habit forces him to take several seconds simply to unstick his throat.

Tuo's hand on his helps a great deal. Dain looks up into his friend's earnest eyes, and the unbidden smile that comes to his face makes it easier to answer.

"At first," he says, "it was because I thought I could change things, from the inside. The orphanage encouraged it, at the time -- training for the priesthood, I mean -- and I thought I'd be able to change some minds. It didn't really work, of course. I'm... it would take more than one person, to tackle a challenge like that. By the time I realised it, it was dangerous to turn back. I had to make a choice, and I chose this, because Shepherds are the ones who decide who lives and who dies. And --"

He pauses, his tongue once again betraying him, and drinks a little more of the tea.

"-- and at my last count, Tuo, I've rescued thirteen people."