You have never been anyone's fool, Alice [ he corrects gently ]

Unfortunate as they have been, you would not have survived them if you truly were. When I first came here, there was one who gave me courage - River, was her name. Do you know? She was broken, as badly as I have ever seen, but she danced still, a bird with clipped wings. She told me, before Asgard took her away, that she was glad that things had happened as they did, because they allowed her to befriend me. I will always grieve my past, and yours also - yet, I am grateful, for it has made you strong, gwilwileth, and it has not broken you.