if the earth quakes down, buildings fall
☼
The only time something inside had dimmed, had flickered as a flame does when exposed to the wind, was when she had told him that he could say something like 'no' to her. Had she been someone closer and not a simple stranger he had just met, Avallac'h might have actually laughed (from the guilt, the shame). She knew nothing.
(He disregarded the worry, and silently berated himself for saying words meant to be playful and having them fail miserably. He would need to be more careful, keep things more generic.)
Nothing about the level of self-esteem he held for himself. How weak, feeble, and low it was that he hardly felt worthy of saying no to another unless he absolutely knew he shouldn't. He never said no to those he believed, perceived, as worthier than himself. And given that Hälla had yet to show him, make him think, she was undeserving of such treatment from him Avallac'h would not say no.
She was free to say it to him as much as she pleased, he wouldn't mind, but when it came to himself that was a different story.
"I will keep that in mind." Is all he said in response, voice light, knowing that he would instead forget about what she said (all of it, even the swell of negative emotions that rose as a result of what she told him). Just as he had the way she stumbled, or about the tear he had spied.
For those were things the man -the one who was always willing to lend an ear, to help- never allowed himself to think about.
Leaving it at that, he managed to unearth that soft smile of his as he moved the conversation on effortlessly. It's reminiscent of his time in the Court, when he was always speaking to visiting dignitaries or those that made a comment, a gesture, that Avallac'h was willing to let slide. There was no need for him to hover around such topics, and the way he managed to avoid such things was by talking his way out of them. In a manner that was far too natural.
Within but a handful of seconds, he was focused on other things. That fluttering flame inside protected by caring hands once more.
Making no assumptions about the steps she took that drew her closer to the forest, he nodded in response to her question. "Yes, there are many paths within it that are well worn by those passing through. And, just beyond it, is a river that one must cross in order to get to the meadow I mentioned earlier. Along with the Dawn Court's capitol." He was curious as to why she was so interested in the forest; wondered as to why she wanted to know about it.
He didn't venture to ask.
With the lowering sun highlighting the set of her jaw, Avallac'h watched on in silent interest. Continuing to wonder but never being bold enough -he was too respectful- to ask. At her question, both of his ears twitch, betraying his mild surprise.
It hadn't been his plan to linger. Not here, anyway. He had simply planned on starting to make his way to the forest so that he might be back in Delumine sooner rather than later. However, as he considered her question and the line of conversation that had led up to it, Avallac'h was perceptive enough to see why she might be asking.
Had she not told him that he could tell her 'no,' he might have asked her if she would like him to stay in the plains until the morning. However, something told him that was, perhaps, not the best course of action. He was trying to evade such talk concerning that, including anything that might lead back to her bringing up what she had said to him.
So, he resorted to doing what he normally did.
"Considering I'm not as young as I once was, it is for the best that I settle in the plains until morning." He told her, tone playful. He wouldn't tell her that his plan had been to travel a little further into the forest, as close to the river s possible. "Besides, I would more than likely trip on something during the night. My cloak has a tendency to make me trip at times." He said with a huff that painted him as feeling personally betrayed by the item he spoke of.
"Even then," he continued on easily, "I will more than likely make my way a little closer to the forest before settling down. Even if it would be pleasant to find somewhere to rest out in the plains, the less ground I need to cover, the better."
"Regardless, though, yes, I will be in the plains come morning."
Then, carefully, he asks, "Where will you be, come morning?" He glances at the forest before directing his gaze back to Hälla. "I plan on leaving rather early but, if you would like, I could wait for you? That is if you wish to accompany me. If that was not what you were implying, I do apologize." He finishes with a small, apologetic tilt of his head.
Speech
@Hälla
(He disregarded the worry, and silently berated himself for saying words meant to be playful and having them fail miserably. He would need to be more careful, keep things more generic.)
Nothing about the level of self-esteem he held for himself. How weak, feeble, and low it was that he hardly felt worthy of saying no to another unless he absolutely knew he shouldn't. He never said no to those he believed, perceived, as worthier than himself. And given that Hälla had yet to show him, make him think, she was undeserving of such treatment from him Avallac'h would not say no.
She was free to say it to him as much as she pleased, he wouldn't mind, but when it came to himself that was a different story.
"I will keep that in mind." Is all he said in response, voice light, knowing that he would instead forget about what she said (all of it, even the swell of negative emotions that rose as a result of what she told him). Just as he had the way she stumbled, or about the tear he had spied.
For those were things the man -the one who was always willing to lend an ear, to help- never allowed himself to think about.
Leaving it at that, he managed to unearth that soft smile of his as he moved the conversation on effortlessly. It's reminiscent of his time in the Court, when he was always speaking to visiting dignitaries or those that made a comment, a gesture, that Avallac'h was willing to let slide. There was no need for him to hover around such topics, and the way he managed to avoid such things was by talking his way out of them. In a manner that was far too natural.
Within but a handful of seconds, he was focused on other things. That fluttering flame inside protected by caring hands once more.
Making no assumptions about the steps she took that drew her closer to the forest, he nodded in response to her question. "Yes, there are many paths within it that are well worn by those passing through. And, just beyond it, is a river that one must cross in order to get to the meadow I mentioned earlier. Along with the Dawn Court's capitol." He was curious as to why she was so interested in the forest; wondered as to why she wanted to know about it.
He didn't venture to ask.
With the lowering sun highlighting the set of her jaw, Avallac'h watched on in silent interest. Continuing to wonder but never being bold enough -he was too respectful- to ask. At her question, both of his ears twitch, betraying his mild surprise.
It hadn't been his plan to linger. Not here, anyway. He had simply planned on starting to make his way to the forest so that he might be back in Delumine sooner rather than later. However, as he considered her question and the line of conversation that had led up to it, Avallac'h was perceptive enough to see why she might be asking.
Had she not told him that he could tell her 'no,' he might have asked her if she would like him to stay in the plains until the morning. However, something told him that was, perhaps, not the best course of action. He was trying to evade such talk concerning that, including anything that might lead back to her bringing up what she had said to him.
So, he resorted to doing what he normally did.
"Considering I'm not as young as I once was, it is for the best that I settle in the plains until morning." He told her, tone playful. He wouldn't tell her that his plan had been to travel a little further into the forest, as close to the river s possible. "Besides, I would more than likely trip on something during the night. My cloak has a tendency to make me trip at times." He said with a huff that painted him as feeling personally betrayed by the item he spoke of.
"Even then," he continued on easily, "I will more than likely make my way a little closer to the forest before settling down. Even if it would be pleasant to find somewhere to rest out in the plains, the less ground I need to cover, the better."
"Regardless, though, yes, I will be in the plains come morning."
Then, carefully, he asks, "Where will you be, come morning?" He glances at the forest before directing his gaze back to Hälla. "I plan on leaving rather early but, if you would like, I could wait for you? That is if you wish to accompany me. If that was not what you were implying, I do apologize." He finishes with a small, apologetic tilt of his head.
@Hälla
