"Oh... How fortunate that they were able to grow up together and stay close."

He urges Sinric to lay back against his knees, and to tip his head back so that he can thoroughly rinse his hair. He sweeps stray suds and drops of water off Sinric's brow and temples with his fingers as he does so.

Growing quiet himself, he hesitates to ask what happened to his other brothers.

"And the other little birds?" he says softly, hardly over the sound of the water.