The Drow Queen of Glaley [Very NSFW]

[Jassinth]

"Oh sweet girl," Jass croons, laying one hand gently on her shoulder as a test. "It's okay, you are safe and no-one is hurt. It's okay."

[Shiori]

She shakes her head, looking up with tear-streaked face. "Is it my fault?" she asks, in a small, plaintive voice. 

[Jassinth]

"What? No! Of course not. How could it possibly your fault?"

[Shiori]

"He left me," she whispers, bowing her head again. "And-- and everyone kept telling me how weak and pathetic I w-w-was, and how I st-stuttered and how I was a b-bad s-s-son..."

[Jassinth]

"Why would it be reasonable for you to be good at being a son? I would be a terrible fish. Or badger. Or a daughter."

[Shiori]

"It was my r-r-responsibility t-to be the... the m-man of the house."

[Jassinth]

"No, it wasn't," Jass replies firmly. "One, you are and never were a man. Two, where you even of age at the time? Tsuki implied you were still a child when-- at the time."

[Shiori]

"...nearly. B-but he t-t-told m-me in his n-n-note to t-t-t-take c-c-care of t-them."

[Jassinth]

Bastard! "Perhaps he meant emotionally? Or... being helpful around the house, with chores?"

[Shiori]

Shoiri shakes her head, just letting tears fall for a moment. "I w-w-wanted to... I c-c-couldn't s-s-stop it. Anything. My s-s-s-stepdad. S-s-seiya. Nobody."

[Jassinth]

"It wasn't your responsibility to stop any of that," Jass insists. "You were a child; you should have been protected and cared for, not expected to do that for others."

[Shiori]

"I was an a-adult when S-seiya was t-t-taken."

[Jassinth]

"And what training had you been given? What support did you have, what gear, what connections or allies?" Jass shakes his head firmly. "You were just barely an adult, alone and unaided by any, and those who should have protected and nurtured you were either your enemy or had abandoned you."

[Shiori]

"It..it'd my f-f-ault he's g-g-gone..."

[Jassinth]

Jass squints at her disbelievingly. "Uh-huh. How so?"