YOU'RE ONLY AS SICK AS YOUR SECRETS
If Aela had been a mindreader, she would have been fascinated by Gale.
The way that the Curse batters the memories of her half-brother around would have certainly been of interest. The way that something dark wrapped and warped itself within that brindled body would have roused all the curiosity in hers. But what she thinks is Gale smiles and the palomino suppresses an eye-roll.
She didn't know this brother well - no better than knew Reave, really - but they both share a common gift with Heartfire and Aela knows better than to meddle with that kind of power.
Besides, there are much better uses for it. Better to harness it, if she can. And if it requires indulging a fraternal sibling in idle chatter, Aela doesn't mind. She smiles back at him - lovely and impish - before saying, "The dark doesn't bother you?" she murmurs, sounding surprised. She isn't, not when Gale could shift into something with much larger teeth or claws. It's another trait that she finds quite useful and the young mare has no intention on turning any of that towards her.
Better she and @[Gale] get along because there might come a day that she needs a familial favor.
Aela brightens at the mention of Loess. "I might be making a trip there soon," she tells her brother, rewarding him with one of her rare dimpled smiles. "A diplomatic one." Her blue eyes look up then at the stars - some of the same ones that Gale says were in the South - and asks with a silver voice, "Perhaps you might tell me some of its history?"
