Lirien placed a hand on Elyria's shoulder. "You're not a bad mother and don't say that again. You will definitely see your son. But first, you need to rest. Look at you... You're shaking."
Elyria bit her lip, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Don't you see, Lirien? I... I forgot about him, Lirien. I left him. How could I do that? He must hate me now."
Lirien frowned softly.
"Elyria, what are you talking about?"
Elyria shook her head, tears falling freely now. "You wouldn't understand. I should've stayed. I should've protected him."
"Later," Lirien said firmly. "We'll talk about it later. Eat something first."
Elyria hesitated, then finally nodded. She sat down and began eating quietly while Lirien and the others stayed close. When she was done, she pushed her plate slightly away and said softly, "Leave that. It's for Winter."
Lirien smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. I'll have them cook something fresh for him when he wakes. You don't have to save your food."
