Funeral of Hearts

The answer was at least honest. Maybe a touch hurtful, out of context... but if one paired it with what his mother had always said, about it not being safe, it could be taken less painfully. Nairn sometimes had a brusqueness about him, so Haulean tried not to let it sting and just listened to his further explanation. And the timing of things began clicking into place, when he mentioned the Boom. 

"W-we weren't there anymore... because she got too sick to work." he said in a soft, fragile tone. "We got k-kicked out of the Rose. And then... th-then she sent me here. She said I had to keep my f-full name a secret, and hers."

Haulean picked up his own letter and began reading through it in tearful silence, until Nairn -no... his father- spoke up again. And the last words he uttered shattered the boy's heart so much that it ought to have been almost audible. His face fell, his eyes widened, and welled up with fresh tears. "You're... s-sending me away??" he asked, paling beneath his freckles. "WHY??"

Oh gods, he felt dizzy. It hurt to breathe. All of his worst fears were manifesting, all in one night. "You don't w-want me anymore? Because... b-because I'm... because... we're...?" he gulped and closed his eyes, feeling more and more lightheaded. "Please..." he begged, once more looking up into Nairn's eyes. "Don't make me go! We... w-we can just forget all about it, and p-pretend things are the same as they always were! I n-never was gonna ask you for anything, I promise!"

The more the boy spoke, the more frantic he became. He was literally losing everything all at once. If Nairn sent him away, he'd die of a broken heart. "Please, I'll work harder, I'll do anything you want me to!"