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Thancred had a silver tongue and knew when to stay silent, listening for information, but if a plan called for action, he was one of the first to support it. He was a man of action, as they say. Yet he was also surprisingly (and he tried not to take offense to this; what was so surprising about it?) very good at lending an ear to his comrades. The little baby sprout adventurer needed advice and support for her first job as a Scion? He was there.
“I don’t think I’m cut out for undercover work, Thancred,” she said dejectedly. Her lavender hair tied in twin braids made her look like an adorable teenager instead of a young woman in her mid-twenties. “I mean, I’m not that good at lying, you know? I’ve never needed to before.”
Thancred handed her the old and worn shepherd’s clothing for their disguises. “But I’ll bet you liked to play pretend as a child, yes?”
She blushed and averted her bright green eyes. “Yes, what of it?”
“This is a game of pretend, with the goal of attaining information. Think you can play pretend for a little while?”
Slowly, but with more confidence, she grasped the clothes. Then she nodded determinedly. “Yes, I can do that.”
“That’s our girl.” He patted her shoulder and headed off to do his intelligence gathering.
(And then she became the Warrior of Light and he had to sit back and think in awe that he told her what to do, once upon a time.)
Thancred fumbled—no, that was being kind, he massively screwed up when it came to Ryne. He was still heartbroken and grieving over Minfilia, and to have a little girl with her name and her appearance (but not her real appearance, it was the face of the Voice of the Crystal who watched him from a little girl) travel with him day in and day out, it took a lot out of him. He tried to protect her by teaching her everything he had learned over the years; Minfilia grew to be quite good at using knives. Yet she was not his Minfilia and his Minfilia had told him she could not come back, for it would cost this Minfilia everything.
So he pushed her away, kept her at arm’s length from his heart. It was unkind, it was cruel. She was just a girl, she needed guidance and love and care. She’d been locked up for so long that she didn’t know anything about the world. He cared about her, he kept her safe, but he was so, so wrong in how he treated her.
This time, he needed Ryne to lend him an ear as he apologized and swore he would do better.
“I’m sorry.”
“But… you already said that.”
“In the heat of battle and right before you and our friend ran off. That hardly counts as an apology.” Thancred crouched beside her, taking her in. Ryne was growing up, right before his eyes; it was about time he acknowledged her as the woman she was becoming, instead of forcing her to stay a child. “I was wrong, Ryne. Whatever was going on in my mind should not have been visited upon you. You did nothing wrong, not in all these years. I… I…” For being able to charm the ladies out of every piece of information they know, you sure do trip over your words when it’s personal! “I never wanted you to disappear, and I never hated you.”
Her lips trembled and her eyes welled up. Immediately, her hands jumped up to rub her eyes, but it only made her break down further. Her body shook as she tried to hold back the sobs, yet he could still hear her cry. “I thought you hated me! You didn’t want me, you wanted someone else! Nothing I could do ever made you proud of me!”
“That’s why I was wrong. I hurt you, and I’m sorry. I meant it when I said we’re family, so of course I’m happy to see you.” Thancred sighed and clasped his hands. “I wanted Minfilia back, yes. It wasn’t fair that Hydaelyn stole her from us, and then she went away to stop the Flood. But I never, ever wanted you to be gone.”
“Then why?!” Ryne rubbed her baby-blue eyes again, sniffling. “Why did you make me feel like you hated me?!”
It hurt to watch her be this upset, but he deserved it. “I didn’t know how to deal with the grief, and you suffered for it. You’ve always been important, Ryne, just for being you, not because you were Minfilia and you’re the Oracle. It was wrong of me to treat you that way. I should have let you make your own choices.” I should have let you in. She was a good girl, and he’d always known it.
She was quiet at that, but he could see that she was trying to think of how to respond. “At first… at first, I needed your protection and shelter.” Her hands wrung together, as she was still thinking. “But eventually… yes, I wish I could have known what I needed to. What you were trying to protect me from.” A deep breath, and she looked up to meet his eyes. “I’m still—you hurt me.”
“I did.”
“I thought it was better if I were dead.”
“I know. It’s not, but I know how you felt.”
“So… so right now, we have Lightwardens to defeat, but—but it isn’t going to go away. Not today.”
“Nor tomorrow,” he said, watching her. “It’ll be all right, Ryne, if you need a hundred years to forgive me.”
This actually brought a smile to her face. “Maybe not that long.”
“I’ll be a better protector and friend, I promise you.” He made a fist and placed it over his heart.
“More than that, do you think, maybe—do you think you could be a father instead?” The request was shy, but strong. Ryne was already more and more confident than she had been only a day ago.
His silver tongue failed him. Ryne wanted that? From him? Despite everything? “If that’s what you want?” he questioned in return.
She nodded a couple times. “Yes, please. I want that very much.”
I’ll be the best damn father in the world, he swore to himself. If she was willing to give him one more chance to love, care, and protect her as she deserved, then he was going to give it his all. “All right then. I’ll be your father.” Thancred placed his hand on her head and rubbed it a few times.
Ryne’s smile was a little watery, but it was his favorite memory.