It was during a pause for a drink of water and to wipe the sheen of sweet from his brow that he noticed the pale woman nearby, and his expression lightened from its deep concentration as he nodded for her to come closer. "Maea," he rumbled in greeting. "Welcome." Though many Ancients had moved to the Grounds over the past year Torchline remained a popular vacation destination for the heat-loving race, especially in Deepfrost.
Emerald eyes sparkled as he nodded to the delicate tiara he was coaxing into shape. "I was a smith before I was a king," he revealed, testing the metal for temperature before lifting it in his large hands and examining it with a critical eye. "As my mother is. And my grandfather was." The Mer had not always had such open trade with the landfolk, and they had their own artisans and trade secrets in crafting what they needed. And techniques for ensuring it would survive beneath the waves in ways that human metalwork rarely needed to do. "I am making Flora a tiara." Satisfied with the shape, he put the hammer and tongs away and reached for several other tools and a padded clamp to hold the headgear in place.
"What has brought you to Torchline?" he asked, attention returning to Maea as he set up for the next stage of crafting.
Emerald eyes sparkled as he nodded to the delicate tiara he was coaxing into shape. "I was a smith before I was a king," he revealed, testing the metal for temperature before lifting it in his large hands and examining it with a critical eye. "As my mother is. And my grandfather was." The Mer had not always had such open trade with the landfolk, and they had their own artisans and trade secrets in crafting what they needed. And techniques for ensuring it would survive beneath the waves in ways that human metalwork rarely needed to do. "I am making Flora a tiara." Satisfied with the shape, he put the hammer and tongs away and reached for several other tools and a padded clamp to hold the headgear in place.
"What has brought you to Torchline?" he asked, attention returning to Maea as he set up for the next stage of crafting.
