While Maea spoke Tal was quiet, scowling down the empty stairwell ahead of him as he was faced with the uncomfortable thought of what he would have done if he'd been stuck inside the Barrier. Back before the Voice showed up and shit got real, curiosity out on the Tundra got a man killed more often than not. It hadn't been a trait he'd been overly burdened with, outside of his narrow interests and what he needed to survive. If it'd been on his shoulders, they probably never would have found a way out of the Barrier...
"I'm, uh... I'm sure he's fine," he mumbled, before hurriedly changing the topic to one that made him feel a little less inadequate.
"Mmf. Doesn't sound any worse'n King's End," he admitted, grudgingly glad that the damage hadn't fucked over the whole continent. Halo being hit as hard as it was had been bad enough.
The stairs opened into a broad area beneath the tree's roots, with the roots themselves twisting down from the ceiling and into the floor below like thick columns intertwined with stones to provide stability for the giant above them. Shelves were built into them and along the walls, but luckily there was a door within sight of the stairwell that led into a small office. Hunched over, the back of his head still brushing the ceiling, Tal hurried over and rapped his knuckles on the doorframe.
"Delivery for Mr. Kheelan," he called through gritted teeth. His hand was already plunging into his Bag of Holding to withdraw a paper-wrapped package of two thick books bound with twine and as the elderly Fae gentleman approached, adjusting his spectacles, Tal practically pushed the tomes at the man.
Mr. Kheelan took them with a raised brow and pulled out the card beneath the twine, reading it over with a nod of approval. "Ah, yes. I've been waiting for these. Thank you, young man. Just a moment, I have something for you..." Tal blinked, surprised, and barely managed to hold in a groan as the librarian returned, pale moth wings fluttering to keep his balance as he handed over a package very similar to the one he'd just delivered. "These are for the Atheneum in the Hollowed Grounds, care of Ms. Thrushwick. And this will pay for your room and board while you're in Sidhe Village," he added, handing over a small wooden chit with an elegant script on it. Tal took it glumly and nodded.
"Sure, 'm headed that ways next. Oh, an' she's got some questions t'ask," he added, backing out of the office so he could crouch down and get the books stowed while Maea did her business.
"I'm, uh... I'm sure he's fine," he mumbled, before hurriedly changing the topic to one that made him feel a little less inadequate.
"Mmf. Doesn't sound any worse'n King's End," he admitted, grudgingly glad that the damage hadn't fucked over the whole continent. Halo being hit as hard as it was had been bad enough.
The stairs opened into a broad area beneath the tree's roots, with the roots themselves twisting down from the ceiling and into the floor below like thick columns intertwined with stones to provide stability for the giant above them. Shelves were built into them and along the walls, but luckily there was a door within sight of the stairwell that led into a small office. Hunched over, the back of his head still brushing the ceiling, Tal hurried over and rapped his knuckles on the doorframe.
"Delivery for Mr. Kheelan," he called through gritted teeth. His hand was already plunging into his Bag of Holding to withdraw a paper-wrapped package of two thick books bound with twine and as the elderly Fae gentleman approached, adjusting his spectacles, Tal practically pushed the tomes at the man.
Mr. Kheelan took them with a raised brow and pulled out the card beneath the twine, reading it over with a nod of approval. "Ah, yes. I've been waiting for these. Thank you, young man. Just a moment, I have something for you..." Tal blinked, surprised, and barely managed to hold in a groan as the librarian returned, pale moth wings fluttering to keep his balance as he handed over a package very similar to the one he'd just delivered. "These are for the Atheneum in the Hollowed Grounds, care of Ms. Thrushwick. And this will pay for your room and board while you're in Sidhe Village," he added, handing over a small wooden chit with an elegant script on it. Tal took it glumly and nodded.
"Sure, 'm headed that ways next. Oh, an' she's got some questions t'ask," he added, backing out of the office so he could crouch down and get the books stowed while Maea did her business.
