[ here, he falters somewhat. the question is wholly unexpected. he will remember this, fond as he already is of romain, even as he takes a moment to answer, his tone shifted into something more thoughtful. ]

They are not. There is no body to return to the soil, and it would be impractical besides. [ he would die before seeing gwenaëlle rise as a wight or preserved unnaturally in the nevarran fashion; luckily andraste has saved them from that. ] We mourn temporary, if lengthy, separation and not loss.