His heart went out to her. "It is not quick. I mean, sure, getting used to this place, that can be quick, people are adaptable, but everything else? Um...me, I guess? This didn't happen over night. It is still difficult for me to merge what happened with now. Not just in the village, but at home too. I don't want to make this about me, I really don't, but if you are thinking everyone just adopts a new personality here or has to even, well, you don't." He ran a finger down her cheek and gave her a genuine smile. "We both know I was, well, frankly, fucked up. It took my mother and my friends and a mental healer for me to even begin to accept what happened. There was no going back to the way things were before the war. Even just from a survival standpoint for any of us."
The wind was picking up. He really needed to get her inside. "You'll go to school," he said. "There are some nice students there. If you would like an apprenticeship, I can help with that. I am the Peer Mentor at the castle. If you stay busy, I think you'll see life just sort of happens." He needed to be honest. "Trace, most people wind up staying for a long while. There have only been a few incidents where people left quickly."