Telfenham stared after his son, the stinging insult still in his ears. Never before had his son turned his ire against him, it was a side Telfenham had never before seen. He turned back to Gilean. "Judge not my son, Eosos."
"He's going to get himself in trouble..."
"You have been in much the same fashion for other reasons. You may not recall your final days in Elysium, but I do. As much as it may disgust you to be linked in such a manner, you and my son are alike in many respects."
"Perhaps... but I didn't aim to harm any others with my opinions. I only tried to change minds.. not others' lives."
"It may not have been your aim, but it was the deed. You may have only seen your own desires, but it pained your father and mother greatly. And your opinions separated what would have been a life long union."
Gilean looked down and Telfenham knew he had pushed upon an issue deep within the lesser celestial. If he could press on this, perhaps he could force a trust between his son and Gilean. "After your father was banished, the tribunal asked your mother if she would join him. And she severed all knowing of you or he."
"I never intended that... I didn't know that would happen."
"Opinions have consequences, as do judgments."
"Perhaps... but your son knows the consequences, I did not."
"You seem to misunderstand my statement. It matters not whether you know, but there are consequences to every single action we take, Eosos. Including when we choose to judge one another. He is still my son."
Having made his point, Telfenham turned to the skies. None of this boded well, but he had no other alternative. "I have your eternal promise?"
"Yes, providing I get back. Not that I doubt you... but more your son."
"I cannot stop him if he follows, Eosos."
"If he keeps me from my family, I have only one recourse left."
"His desire is not to keep you from your family, but to take her from hers," Telfenham spoke plainly.
"You know it is in his best interest not to follow. You must do what you can to prevent him from going."
The idea of an outcast telling him what to do made Telfenham irritable. "I will get you to your home. My son has no quarrel with your return to your business."
"Yes, but I have no intention of rejoining my family, only to rip another asunder. You have to understand that."
"If you will not agree to the terms, what reason have I to rejoin you? You damn me for pitying my son's pining heart. We all make our mistakes. Mine was hoping to give my son love, and he did seem to be grooming it while Sanria was here. She truly did wish to remain, you understand. Given her life. She truly wished to forget."
"Do you truly think that your son will not use his presence, and the presence of this place, to get the result that he wants regardless of her wishes?"
"I have only the power to advise him. But just as you had the choice to go against all warnings and council given to you before your exile, he, too, has that choice. I, however, do not wish to be exiled from my family and community and race because I wanted to offer him the chance for love he had yet to experience."
"It should be her choice. Please... just see to that. Have him understand that. It's not love if they don't have the choice."
"I will only see to that provided I have your word," Telfenham said.
"I will trust you," Gilean replied with a nod.
"You will have to."
