"And… because I couldn't stand the rotten atmosphere of the palace," Khan continued, his voice trembling slightly, though he tried to keep calm. "Even though I knew leaving would break my mother's heart… I left. When I was eight."
He looked down for a moment, as if recalling the image of his younger self walking alone beyond the palace walls. "Since then, I've met many people. Seen parts of the world they never talk about in noble dining halls. I've witnessed suffering, hunger, betrayal… and true friendship."
His gaze swept across the room—from Denon, to Nea, to the rest of the Band of Massiah."Out there… I learned how to be human. I found comrades whose lives were far worse than mine. And with them… I built this place. The only place in the world where I feel accepted."
