"It can, without treatment. Although that depends on the person." She spoke before she could think, a tinge of regret filling her face as the words left her. Not regret for having shared that, but for what it likely did to Thorin. For the life that this man was left to live.

She lowered her head. "I'm sorry, I feel like all I have to give is bad news." Lingering in that moment, she looked up again, trying to smile, to reassure him. "There are those who can live perfectly normal lives, so I hear. The ones brought here, for example. They seem happy.

"Quite frankly, the only ones I've known have been in the military, outside of those who were brought into the city just recently. There's a lot about them I don't know. Given the stressful environment, just about anyone could crack. I--"

She stopped abruptly. No. She didn't want to talk about that here. Elly cleared her throat.