While it did indeed seem as though presently all Helena was doing was grieving and processing, it was also a learning experience for her. At least that was how Svetlana saw it. It was because she hadn't let herself grieve and process that she was here in a way. It was something she needed to learn how to do and if Svetlana believed the assertions people made at times, that the Seal was sentient and had its own motivations, she would wonder if this were a lesson for Helena. To make her actually process and grieve things in a more normal manner, a less damaging one. Svetlana couldn't say. She didn't have the best track record when it came to processing the things in her life that hurt her. Didn't know how to process things if Anatoly didn't push her to do so.
As Helena spoke of how she doubted someone could truly love her, Svetlana remained silent. Because she did agree. That to love someone, truly love someone, was to take their faults, understand them. Know that it was part of them, even if you did not exactly like it. Anatoly's pride. Her own stubbornness and refusal to accept help. Both were frustrating but it did make them who they were. Though the bit about constantly struggling to keep the dark part restrained was new information in terms of it being voiced. Svetlana had her suspicions. She knew of the murders because of Christina's death and had seen flickers, things that were said. But this was one of those things that she and Helena never really discussed because it was a nonissue for Svetlana. It wasn't really something she understood on the level she understood Helena in most other aspects of her life.
So she remained silent, letting her express her concerns on the matter until she took a break.
"People can be very surprising. It might seem impossible, but that does not mean it is so. Perhaps Irene did not love you, I cannot say, I never spoke with the woman, but it could be possible for someone who is the type you truly fall in love with to accept that part. They may not like it, but if they truly know you and truly love you, they will know it is still part of you. You cannot make assumptions on what someone feels. You can be the best judge of character, have wonderful skills at reading them, but people will still be surprising and really are the only ones who know themselves..."
And this was coming from someone who was terrifying in her ability to read a person, as well as play chess. Someone who managed to hide her thoughts and feelings because it was all she knew how to do. Anatoly knew her, though. He knew what to look for. He knew how to make her open and respond. Surprising. Anatoly was surprising in that ability even though she was quite used to it by now.
"Precisely. Sometimes though, it is possible to be ready for it but you tell yourself you are not. That is what you need to look out for."
The relationship between her and Anatoly was far from conventional. It was codependent but not in the way most people viewed codependency. It was also rare to have someone know you so well. They did complete one another in a way most relationships didn't work. They were lucky in that, but unlucky in the codependency aspect. But Svetlana knew it wouldn't change and that was comforting and frustrating at the same time. It was why she couldn't really ever use her relationship with Anatoly for a basis because well, it was too unconventional for others to understand. But it helped in dealing with people with uncommon backgrounds, even if they were different in terms of hers. Or so she'd tell herself anyway.