"We'll get through it," Noble said; he clapped a supportive hand to Ford's shoulder, briefly. Noble could have checked out of this situation - he was a second son without even half of the obligation that Ford had - but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't leave his brother out there to drown. (Because he loved his siblings, and - well, also because there was no fucking way Ford could get through this by himself. He would never be able to manage it.)

"They're certainly not going to make it easy, though," Noble said, intending to encompass their sisters but also their mother, who certainly was not helping to any extent.

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