[ As he sits back and turns his gaze back to wait for the answer for the question, Claude catches that change in expression even if it's partially hidden. Ah. A sore spot without question and easily identifiable as one even before the short explanation follows to make it clearer. ]

For what it's worth, I'm sorry. [ An apology for bringing it up even accidentally, or sympathy for what happened - maybe both, even if they don't necessarily change anything about either. ] War brings terrible things to wherever it touches, much as I wish it didn't.

[ To say the absolute least. But he'll let the other man direct where the conversation on that particular topic goes from here in hopes of avoiding any further missteps there onto things left better avoided if they should be, and instead gestures to the hatchling. ]

I think you've found a new friend there, by the way. You have any experience with dragons from before all of this?