Lloyd's expression morphs into one of understanding and culpability as Zelos opens up, not exactly explaining what it is that's been bothering him, but leaving Lloyd an obvious enough bread-trail to find his way to the center of it himself. And... Yeah, Lloyd can find himself empathizing with Zelos on the things he's left behind. Lloyd was a knight, not even one with land to own or power to wield. When he left, he left behind nothing but expectations, a reputation that had ruined his young life, and a father who no longer pretended to care for him. But Zelos...
Zelos left behind a lot. People who depended on him, land that needed to be led by him, responsibilities that he was trained his entire life to pick up. Lloyd knew, when he had asked the lord to join him on his escape, that Zelos would be leaving it all behind. But right here, right now, Lloyd can see just how badly the guilt is eating at him, and that causes Lloyd's own guilt to bite at his determination to see this through with Zelos. Maybe he doesn't mind Lloyd as much as Lloyd feared, but it looks like he regrets ever saying yes to this, and the last thing Lloyd wants is for him to suffer because of it.
Licking at dry lips, the ex-knight tries to figure out what to say in the quiet, the rain acting as a steady beat to keep it from being oppressive. There's really nothing he could say to make what Zelos has left behind any easier to shoulder: "they'll be fine," is shallow and vague, and Lloyd knows that without any real successor to the lordship, there's a decent chance they won't be, which pangs at his own heart - (knights are supposed to protect the people with their lives. What kind of person is he that he would throw away that obligation for freedom, instead, innocent lives be damned) - and "you shouldn't have to bear the weight of the world alone" is something Zelos has never responded to well before. Lloyd has no clue as to where to go from here.
But he supposes he could offer Zelos the choice to go back home.
"Would... Would you like to go back to the manor?" Lloyd asks, keeping his voice soft, gentle. It hurts him to think about, as far as they've come, but if Zelos wants to go home, fix what's been hurt by Lloyd's selfish actions, then he won't stop him. He can't go back to the manor with him, knowing he'll be executed as soon as he's caught by any guards, but maybe he can take him back as close to the manor as he can, lead him to a city that's bound to have guards around. "If you say that you killed me and ran, I'm sure they'll take you back without question."
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Zelos left behind a lot. People who depended on him, land that needed to be led by him, responsibilities that he was trained his entire life to pick up. Lloyd knew, when he had asked the lord to join him on his escape, that Zelos would be leaving it all behind. But right here, right now, Lloyd can see just how badly the guilt is eating at him, and that causes Lloyd's own guilt to bite at his determination to see this through with Zelos. Maybe he doesn't mind Lloyd as much as Lloyd feared, but it looks like he regrets ever saying yes to this, and the last thing Lloyd wants is for him to suffer because of it.
Licking at dry lips, the ex-knight tries to figure out what to say in the quiet, the rain acting as a steady beat to keep it from being oppressive. There's really nothing he could say to make what Zelos has left behind any easier to shoulder: "they'll be fine," is shallow and vague, and Lloyd knows that without any real successor to the lordship, there's a decent chance they won't be, which pangs at his own heart - (knights are supposed to protect the people with their lives. What kind of person is he that he would throw away that obligation for freedom, instead, innocent lives be damned) - and "you shouldn't have to bear the weight of the world alone" is something Zelos has never responded to well before. Lloyd has no clue as to where to go from here.
But he supposes he could offer Zelos the choice to go back home.
"Would... Would you like to go back to the manor?" Lloyd asks, keeping his voice soft, gentle. It hurts him to think about, as far as they've come, but if Zelos wants to go home, fix what's been hurt by Lloyd's selfish actions, then he won't stop him. He can't go back to the manor with him, knowing he'll be executed as soon as he's caught by any guards, but maybe he can take him back as close to the manor as he can, lead him to a city that's bound to have guards around. "If you say that you killed me and ran, I'm sure they'll take you back without question."