Upon first stepping into the circle, Nirael felt a touch worried about how things would turn out. He had relied on instinct when confronted by Lunari's mother about his heritage. He could have kept his words to the point of his father being a scoundrel and not knowing much about him, and thus hiding his ties to changeling heritage a bit longer, but somehow, he knew it was time to unveil that. He worried on their reaction but admitted what he was, feeling such deception could have cost him greatly in these moments, and thus he revealed that which he feared would bring an end to the uneasy peace there was. He hoped that his bond with Lunari would survive, and that the elven people would not turn against him, but he did not know.<br/><br/>Lunari's gasp had stung but it was of surprise not more he hoped, and the lady before him seemed to have accepted his admission in a positive fashion. It also appeared that she was willing to consider it a thing in his favor. Thus he had carried on answering as honestly as he could, though fearing the end results, when Lunari's turn to speak would come. He hoped that her conviction to stand at his side would not waver on this bit of unexpected news, but he had to wait and see.<br/><br/>Wondering passingly how things would turn out, Nirael had finally stepped out of the circle, along with the words to undress. Drawing a short breath, his brown hair began to take on a more silvery shade, his skin a touch more pale and his figure shifting a little more slender. While he was far from androgynous, still retaining a bit of the human man's physiologue, it was apparent that the true form was a little bit more on the slender side yet than the human one. Yet it was also apparent that though he might shift his looks, he did not alter his shaft in any fashion beyond giving it a color matching the rest of his form. While he was no giant, he was comfortable with what he had and thus had not felt a need to embellish what he could present to a lady by shifting.<br/><br/>Standing bare with his pale skin in the open, he gazed upon the two of them, a bit of blush on his cheeks showed after having his shaft touched by his lover's mother, not an unwelcome bit of tease certainly yet he was reminded that the elves had different view on things and the evidence in this behaviour was enough to have his shaft standing at attention, although he sought to calm himself and cool down his thoughts. He was trying to be serious, but the beauty of their figures and the touch he had been teased with had a rather unrelenting effect, leaving him presenting in a relatively shameless manner.<br/><br/>Focusing on the words being exchanged however, he found himself listening curiously to the words about the two, and about Lunari's heritage. It was apparent the matter was a difficult one for her to bring up, and thus he waited patiently, a thoughtful look on his face. Her admission that her father was not an elf did not come a huge surprise after his previous thoughts, but he had to admit he had been wondering for a little while there. Still, it provided him with a little more insight about the lady he had roamed with, the woman who's side he'd chosen to stand at. Her reasons to leave reminded him quietly that he had brought the threat back to her home, but hoping that his arrival would help turn the odds in their favor. A lot of work lay ahead, he was certain of that, but also hopeful for the future.<br/><br/>The revelations of Lunari's methods of acquiring coins didn't trouble Nirael. He found himself with sympathy towards her actions. Ending the lives of people who would harm others was something he accepted and did not feel worry over. The little bit of news about the length of her search surprised him. She had mentioned it before but he had to admit he had not thought fully of just how much she had given up, trying to find him. How long she had been on the road, 'exposed' to the risk of being captured by someone. He felt a bit embarrassed about his own hesitation in the course of the past days, when she'd already put herself through a lot to get the object into his hands and then helping him this far even at the risk of angering her family and people.<br/><br/>Hearing they had passed the rites if he accepted what Lunari had to reveal made him feel a lot more relaxed and grateful, hopeful that things would work out fine, but the revelation of what Lunari had kept from him seemed to be coming, and he wondered passingly what it might be. He was not certain of it yet, though some hints lingered in the air he had not connected the dots. He wondered as he awaited, watching the two women as the mention of Lunari's father's aging came. That was certainly not something he'd expect from an elf, and her admission her father was not an elf caused him to wonder if she had human blood in her veins as well perhaps. He didn't think that would be so bad though, but perhaps to the elven people who were wary of humans it would be, and yet he was not certain it was that, there was something more, yet he wasn't sure and thus wanted to hear it. Looking at them, waiting patiently but quietly grateful it was all brought in the open.<br/><br/><em>“Because he was not a human.  He was a changeling and masked his own form, up until the very day of his death.  That is why I am half elf.  Though not half human, I am one half changeling.”</em><br/><br/>The words caused his brow to rise, as well as a sharp inhale, before he watched her silently for a few seconds. Admiring, a bit of blush on his cheeks, and shivering a little at the time with a thrill running through him. There was a dawning realization of yet another reason why he felt so drawn to her. He wasn't particularly thoughtful of fate or destiny usually, preferring to think people could forge their own paths, but at the same time this just felt right. He was caught a bit speechless, but his lips rose to a smile, as he gazed upon her changed form. His surprise had let his mouth part slightly at first, but the smile spreading on his face was genuine, and a bit of wetness at the corners of his eyes threatened to make him feel a bit silly. Manly tears had their time and place but these did not feel that manly. Yet at the same time he had to admit he felt joy, because he felt that there was hope for acceptance and understanding unlike any he had seen before.<br/><br/>Taking a step closer, he paused momentarily and nod his head to Nilari embarrassedly, before walking over closer and raising his hands slowly to brush up along Lunari's sides, gazing into her eyes.<strong>"You are truly beautiful, in spirit and form. I feared that when I was ready to reveal all about myself you might no longer with to consider me more than an ally, though I cherished each moment of the path and hoped you'd see beyond my form at the secret's end. I did not anticipate such a secret from yourself as well, but having lived long enough with one I felt no need to press for your secrets either until you'd feel ready to share. I've already accepted you long ago, and would be honored to continue the steps with you into the next dawn if you accepted myself after what was unveiled."</strong>He smiled, a hand brushing to caress the small of her back, another caressing up to the back of her neck, gazing at her quietly once his words had ended. Close enough to kiss, but wanting to hear her words, or leave it up to her to start with.<br/><br/>He may have found her one of his own kind in a sense, but he had kept things from her a long while, and while he was certainly hopeful she would not turn him away now after things had come in the clear, he had to admit a little bit of himself was still fearful, finding himself unworthy of her companionship. Yet a larger part of him was happily cheering in his mind of feeling already bound to her in so many ways before, without even knowing the true reason. While he might pursue others, she was the queen at his side, and this only made the bond all the more clear to him.