"W-Why did you let him go, San—Mom?" Aqualina asked, her pouty lips trembling slightly as she watched Aether walking away... or rather, running away, as though escaping from some unseen terror.
Her eyebrows furrowed, and she let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms like a petulant child.
Sandra chuckled softly, "Come on, dear... You can't just lock someone inside the Palace. It's not fair, and it's certainly not love if you hold someone captive against their will. You might not understand this now, but trust me, it's incredibly painful to be confined, unable to see the outside world. Especially if it's someone you care about deeply. Love isn't about chains; it's about freedom."
Aqualina's lips quivered slightly as those words hit her, stirring memories she had buried deep. She recalled a time when she said.... the exact same thing to her daughter.