This was all so strange. Never in his entire life had their relationship ever been so strained. Not even when Alphard had bombarded Walburga day after day with reasons as to why she should say no to their parents and resist her marriage. Alphard hated it, but had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Shifting over to give her more room when she joined him, Alphard kept his hands folded in his lap and waited. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew it couldn't be good. After silence for so long, what else was there to expect.
Looking over at her when she spoke, his suspicions were partly confirmed by her words and he gave a curt nod. Looking down at her hands in his, he opened his mouth to speak but found his words quite caught. Instead he furrowed his brow and looked up at her. "Wally-burga" he said, dancing between his nickname for her and her given name. "You can just tell me." he insisted, squeezing her hand gently as his unsettled feelings worsened.