"That does sound like him," she agreed. "So what you need to do, then, is show her, whoever she is, that she's worth being a father to. Because if you keep bailing, you'll end up just like him. You're right, two black eyes is nothing for your child. I would cut down armies for my children. I would sink whole armadas if I thought I could manage it. When we have children, when they are born, we make them a promise, whether we know it or not. We promise to love and protect them, to be there for them when they need us, and to put their well-being above our own; at least to an extent."
She poked his shoulder for emphasis. "And that is what you need to start doing, o son of my husband. Or else she'll think you're just like him." She wasn't saying these things to be cruel. But it seemed like what Theseus needed, more than anything, was a bit of a wakeup call.