What hurts the most

The weight his father carried. Charlie could see it pressing on him. As the Warlord settled before him Charlie kept focused on him. His heart hurt in his chest seeing his father so troubled. His ears lay flat, and he listened, listened to the part of the story from his father’s view. It had been more than just the fact they were enemies. But there were things that didn’t add up on Deluge’s side. If Dread was such a dear friend why would she take him as a prisoner? Charlie let out a growl. The sound was loud, guttural. There were times when Sirius’ lessons might have been hard, but Charlie never once considered his father to be unfair or trying to make his children live in his shadow. It hurt. Gods it hurt, but knowing how it hurt Sirius switched the normally well meaning boy to angry.

“That choice was not your fault.” He hadn’t realized that angry tears had begun to prick his eyes. “What you supposed to think, after a raid? From the time we were small, you made decisions the best you could for us, and for the Armada. You have not made mistakes.” And the fact that Dread would make his father feel that way made him feel so sick. How could Dread say such things? Charlie growled again. “Any time you needed to be harder on us, it was out of love. When you took Silveris, threatened me with never becoming a warrior… It was not to leave me in your shadow. You wanted to make sure I would be safe… not freeze in battle. …and seeing him fall, seem hurt and threatened… what were you supposed to think!?”

Charlie drew in a breath. He stayed quiet for a moment, shaking from his ear to his tail tip. “Maybe he took it differently, but I’ve always found your actions out of love. At worst overprotective… but you’re our dad. You’re supposed to be.” He felt that anger continue to spike. “...She confessed to taking him prisoner too. Even if your friend did need to get away, that’s not the way you do it. That’s not right.” He drew in another breath, and the boy would draw closer to Sirius. He hugged his father tight. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, and Charlie’s voice would soften as he tried to get ahold of himself. As angry as he was, seeing his dad like this… his dad needed his reassurance now. His love.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” He was sure of it. How many others would have thought as Sirius had? “...and you have nothing to be sorry for.”

"Speech," 'Thought.'