He would not normally ignore protests, but their very weakness was concerning and Hadama placed Maea's health above her dignity, at least for the moment. She was not as light as her lithe form had led him to believe; there was muscle beneath the pale skin, but also the weight of stone beginning to creep over flesh and blood as he got them both back inside and over to the fire. Though he might have held on to her longer he knew that the fire could provide more heat and comfort than his own body, so it was with only a brief hesitation - not reluctance, he could not afford reluctance now - that he set her down before the healing flames.
Still, he met her eyes without flinching, and only exhaled silently when she looked away.
He fetched the fresh wood from outside, bringing it over to her so that she could feed the fire to her preference. Then he fetched her coat to drape gently over her shoulders so that her own body heat could help thaw her. "Yes," he agreed solemnly with her assurance. A confirmation of acknowledgment, that her words had been heard, if not of belief in them. "But I will stay until you are warm again. If you do not mind," he added, courteous to a fault again now that she was safe.
Still, he met her eyes without flinching, and only exhaled silently when she looked away.
He fetched the fresh wood from outside, bringing it over to her so that she could feed the fire to her preference. Then he fetched her coat to drape gently over her shoulders so that her own body heat could help thaw her. "Yes," he agreed solemnly with her assurance. A confirmation of acknowledgment, that her words had been heard, if not of belief in them. "But I will stay until you are warm again. If you do not mind," he added, courteous to a fault again now that she was safe.
