Are you sure about that? You were influenced by an outside source, after all, are you sure anyone else would have been able to resist it?

[From the way she spoke about it it sounded like it had happened before.]

Mayhaps you are right, child, or mayhaps you are wrong. But still, I must point out, that most people haven't lived your life. They have not faced your trials or tribulations, so it is only natural that your struggles and accomplishments shall be different. An eagle might soar the sky but should it try to swim like a fish it will sink and die. That does not make it a failure, it only means it has limits.

[He gives her a searching look.]

And now you know your own limits better, yes? A hard lesson, undoubtedly, but one you shouldn't let yourself get dragged down into a dark pit of regret and despair by. No one died, titta nar, this is not a mistake that cannot be fixed.

[He's done with the vegetables now so he deposits them in the pot he's brought with him then adds the dry meat, some herbs and water. While he's working on their food he listens intently to what she's saying, waiting until she's done before talking again.]

Could have, yes, but did it happen? No. The worst did not come to pass, wether by chance or because there was a part of you that did it's best to deter you from that path. Do not dwell too much on what could have been, that path rarely brings you peace of mind.

[Maedhros is likely more experienced in living rough than she is, and as such he is more aware of what one needs to bring or keep an eye out for in the wild. Most of the vegetables and herbs where things he'd picked up along the way when he'd seen them growing in the wild.]

And you think isolating yourself completely will do that? It might just make things worse, you know?

[He hums thoughtfully as he thinks.]

This nightmare energy, what causes it to build up in people?

[He doesn't really agree with that, he can see many ways in wich complete isolation might end up causing more destruction in the end. A risk you know about you can plan to mitigate, if it comes out of nowhere... well, that can cause quite a bit of problems.]

And now you know to avoid it. You don't need to cut yourself off completely to avoid such heavy exposure again.

[But he knows children often jump to extremes as a first solution rather than take more logical and less drastic steps before doing so.

He makes a thoughtful sound as he keeps tending to the food, which is actually starting to smell pretty good by this point.]

Is there a reason why I shouldn't be?

[He doesn't clarify either, even though he understands exactly what she means.]

Hmm. Truly? Perhaps I am just so used to looking after the younglings around me that it is second nature to me by now?

[It is not the whole truth, but it is not a lie either. Maedhros has long since been incapable of letting a child be left alone and unnatended, especially one as troubled as she seems to be.]

I am not most people, though, and everyone agrees that my line has always been strange in our ways.

[If anything her outburst only makes him more convinced she is a child]

Blameless? Innocent? I never claimed that, child. I have no doubt you've done wrong in your life, but I am hardly in a place to judge and unlike you I do not have the excuze of youth.

[Nasty? Yes, a bit, but anyone who's got any experience with children will know they can be some of the meanest people around when they lash out. And this one is as prickly as a hedgehog.]

Not as many as I have, I'd wager. Your human lifespan would not allow you to reach those numbers even if you dedicated the rest of your life to it. And all the wrong I have done I did knowing full well how evil and unforgivable it was, but I did it anyways and all the justification and excuses I told myself were just that. Excuses. The blood of men, women and children stains my hands and the name of Maedhros Fëanorian is whispered across Arda in fear and hatred. As well it should.

[He heaves a heavy sigh and look upon her with tired eyes.]

If you truly were a monster, child, you would not be so pained by the fact. You would not care at all about it, and would instead revel in it... but you don't. Why is that? I cannot give you the awnser to that question, though I have my suspicions, but I think it shows that you are not irredeemable.

[He let's out a humorless laugh.]

Ofcourse they don't just change. It's not as simple as simply deciding to walk down a different path in life... that's why most people don't. Because it's not simple or easy and people are creatures of habit no matter which race they come from. Men, elves, dwarves... we're all like rivers flowing down the same old route over and over again. Carving out a new route to go down takes just as much time as it does a river to change it's course, and it requires just as much work besides.

[Then he levels her with a look that tells her she is being a bit petulant and that he's not terribly impressed by it.]

It's not impossible, just hard. And, forgive me for making assumptions, but you don't seem the type to shy away from something merely because it is hard.

[He doesn't push, just sits back to let his words sink in a bit. Huming softly as he sees to their food, throwing in some herbs into it.]

Easy words to say but hard ones to live by, I know. Especially for those young enough that anything that doesn't have immediate results feels like abject failure.

[Maedhros can be blunt when he feels it is needed. He didn't much like seeing someone walk down such a familiar path when he knew where such things led.

He raises a questioning brow at her.]

Do you truly count yourself such an insignificant sacrifice that the hurt you do to yourself should be overlooked? Forgive me but I will have to disagree with you on that point.

Some peace and quiet is never a bad thing. [He agrees amiably enough.] Too much of it, however, is just as bad as none at all. And if you truly did not mind cutting yourself of from everyone and everything you would not have been so obviously upset by it.

[She's good at lying, he'll admit that much, but like every other child in existence she does not always seem to notice the logical inconsistences between her behaviour and her words.]

No doubt that is part of it, I don't think I have yet met a person who enjoys that kind of loss of control. [Then his lips turn slightly upward in an amused smile.] Parties are a pain more often than not, I can't really blame you for avoiding them, but parties are hardly what I was refering to.

[He digs through his pack for the bread he brought with him, it is wraped in a piece of fabric to keep it fresh, and he sets it down between them. Later a couple of bowls join it there as well as two spoons.]

But I cannot force you to do anything, child, only give you some advice. What you do with it afterwards... well, that's entirely up to you.

If you say so, my young friend, if you say so.

[It is quite clear he is unconvinced, however.

He grimaces slightly at the thought of parties and the like.]

No. Not in the least, I've had to attend to many of them both in my youth and as a grown man to have much fondness for such things. Too much noise and inane conversations about things nobody actually cares about... no, I much prefer this honestly.

May I ask why?

[There is no judgement or condemnation in his voice as he asks it, only an honest wish to know her perspective on the matter.]

They were unkind in some manner, I might assume.

[It's more of a statement than a question, for he's heard these sort of things before from his brothers and hurt feelings were often at the core of it.]

Gatherings like that tend to attract a certain amount of arrogant asses, if you don't mind me saying so. I always found it tiring to deal with people that would smile at your face and then whisper behind your back, as those types tend to do.

[It seems to him that one way or another she has been hurt, and that she doesn't truly know how to deal with that kind of emotional turmoil.]

Hmm. The memory of this conversation seems to pain you somewhat, child, perhaps it would do you good to speak of it? I am more than willing to listen, if so. Now or at a later date if you so chose.

[To be listened to without judgement is what he is offering, whenever she feels she might wish to take him up on it.]