"And the mystery," Maedhros adds. "Don't underestimate the allure of the unknown. But it'll fade in time. They'll come to see that though mystery and the grand romances of the old stories sound awfully tempting the reality of living through it is another thing entirely."

"Ah. No reason to apologize, my good man, I have sons of my own. I know how they are at that age." Maedhros waves it off, though he does take a moment to observe Draven while his father turns away to call him down.

He thinks he's starting to put the pieces together now, and he supposes he feels some sympathy for the boy. But even so he feels far more sorry for poor Brienna, who had been so terribly wronged just because the boy was infatuated with her.