"Near the Kuali'i Isles would be an easy place for both to meet," he agreed, a reasonable compromise to make for neutrality in such an undertaking as Flora suggested. It was welcome to bounce ideas back and forth with someone again after Harper's increasing absences in recent months. And if she was not as confident as their previous meeting, her earnestness still came across regardless of the difference in their ages and species.
He asked his question without bias, stilling any expectations he might have held in order to listen to her answer with an open mind. At the mention of Frey and Rae he tilted his head in agreement; a reality that he had discussed with his former co-ruler. Not his preference, no, but the situation was too serious to linger over things that could not be. He gave a thoughtful hum of acknowledgment at the conjecture on their likely reply, but did not interrupt as she continued.
And it was good that he had not.
He met her gaze calmly, not expecting an apology nor disappointed when one wasn't forthcoming. He had asked her about the future, not the past, and the answer she gave...
Well. When she had finished he floated in the water, gaze turned inward as the waves pounded around them beyond the reach of his calming magic. The silence that stretched between them was even louder, however, as he turned around the ideas she had shared and how she had reached out to him.
At last he lifted his eyes to her once more, and the subtle crinkles were there at the corners of his eyes for those who knew where to look for them.
"A final question," he rumbled, solemn as ever except for the glint in his gaze that Flora might remember from simpler days. "Would you remain the Doubletake? Or would you take a new name as queen?"
He asked his question without bias, stilling any expectations he might have held in order to listen to her answer with an open mind. At the mention of Frey and Rae he tilted his head in agreement; a reality that he had discussed with his former co-ruler. Not his preference, no, but the situation was too serious to linger over things that could not be. He gave a thoughtful hum of acknowledgment at the conjecture on their likely reply, but did not interrupt as she continued.
And it was good that he had not.
He met her gaze calmly, not expecting an apology nor disappointed when one wasn't forthcoming. He had asked her about the future, not the past, and the answer she gave...
Well. When she had finished he floated in the water, gaze turned inward as the waves pounded around them beyond the reach of his calming magic. The silence that stretched between them was even louder, however, as he turned around the ideas she had shared and how she had reached out to him.
At last he lifted his eyes to her once more, and the subtle crinkles were there at the corners of his eyes for those who knew where to look for them.
"A final question," he rumbled, solemn as ever except for the glint in his gaze that Flora might remember from simpler days. "Would you remain the Doubletake? Or would you take a new name as queen?"
