At that, in surprise, all eyes shot to Faunus, even Teddy’s.

Faunus did not take his attention from Hans.

“For if you had not turned him out due to the flaw in your soul,” Faunus continued. “A flaw no man should have, and certainly no father, he would have been here, at work with you in your fields, unable to do the deeds he did to bring peace and save lives. Fortunately, he was not and the peoples of two realms, and specifically seven very grateful women and their families, are indebted to him.”

Faunus then bowed low toward Hans.

“Tedrey,” his father whispered, and Teddy looked to him.

Hans’s skin had slightly paled, but his eyes were brightening with pride.

Faunus’s voice sounded, regaining both a son and his father’s attention.

“You should know, as Tedrey is a particular friend to the Captain of the Trusted and his wife, and they have grown to know him very well, that Mars, King of the Firenze, and your King True, are aware of your betrayal of your flesh. And although your son has great humility, and will probably have some difficulty in accepting the praise of kings and the rewards they will wish to bestow on him, it will be made clear to them that you had naught to do with this outside causing him to learn how to be extraordinary by surviving your cruelty.”

Hans’s body jolted.

“I—” his father began.

But he stopped when Faunus’s hand came up.

“Your words are uninvited, but even if you spoke them, they would mean nothing. As you mean nothing. You are incidental in a man’s learning to be a survivor. I am here as the one who loves him. I am here as the man who has given him my heart, to share with you the depth of your profound mistake, so you can think on that until you rest on your pyre.”

Clearly finished, Faunus turned, his mantle swinging about his shoulders, and his gaze came to Tedrey.

“Now, we can go home.”

And with that, he strode to his horse.

Teddy didn’t follow him for Moira’s voice took his attention to where she stood, Saturn close to her back, within inches of his father.

“I am one of those women he saved,” she declared.

Tedrey jumped and his father flinched and took a step away as she spat in his face.

Directly, she moved away, Saturn following her.

He watched as his father slowly lifted a hand to swipe the spittle from his face, and Moira and Saturn came up beside him, Moira taking Teddy’s hand.

“Let us go, Teddy,” she urged.

He just stood there, staring at his sire.

“Teddy,” Faunus called from where they had left their horses.

Father and son looked into each other’s eyes.

His father opened his mouth to speak.

But he didn’t, for Teddy said, “How odd. I feel nothing.”