"Believe me, if th'others had run, I would've, too," he assured his friend fervently. Then he scowled looking down at his scone with a stubborn jut to his jaw. "But Sah was there so... y'know. Very leastwise, I couldn't run b'fore he did," he finished at a mumble. Even if he didn't go looking for trouble, his pride was still just as likely to find it for him.
But he still cleared his throat uncomfortably and reached for his tea, hiding his faint flush at her praise behind a swallow of the hot liquid and having to fight not to react to the light scalding he gave himself on accident. "Um. I don't think y'ever met Petunia?" he said cautiously around the fresh burn. "She lives in th'Oerwoud, after I helped 'er move there from Halo." Not the most sociable type, but Tal could understand that better than most!
At her question about the flowers Tal nodded vigorously and sat back looking relieved when she seemed to get the very clever hints he was dropping - just in case anyone was eavesdropping on them. And seeing Soh relax and actually enjoy their snack warmed the cockles of his icy little heart enough that he was willing to go with the change of subject. "I've been... well, mostly okay," he admitted ruefully. "My partner Alys an' I had kind of a rough year, with me bein' gone most of it on deliveries an' searches, but she's started travelin' with me again an' it's been really good. Boreal's made some new friends," he added, glancing under the table with a grin for his dragon. "An' I've done some questin' for th'gods. Oh! I met Mort 'imself! He was th'one that told me y'were still alive!" And the sparkle in the courier's eyes spoke of awe and maybe a little adoration as he gestured with his spoon again, heedless of the glare from the passing waiter.
But he still cleared his throat uncomfortably and reached for his tea, hiding his faint flush at her praise behind a swallow of the hot liquid and having to fight not to react to the light scalding he gave himself on accident. "Um. I don't think y'ever met Petunia?" he said cautiously around the fresh burn. "She lives in th'Oerwoud, after I helped 'er move there from Halo." Not the most sociable type, but Tal could understand that better than most!
At her question about the flowers Tal nodded vigorously and sat back looking relieved when she seemed to get the very clever hints he was dropping - just in case anyone was eavesdropping on them. And seeing Soh relax and actually enjoy their snack warmed the cockles of his icy little heart enough that he was willing to go with the change of subject. "I've been... well, mostly okay," he admitted ruefully. "My partner Alys an' I had kind of a rough year, with me bein' gone most of it on deliveries an' searches, but she's started travelin' with me again an' it's been really good. Boreal's made some new friends," he added, glancing under the table with a grin for his dragon. "An' I've done some questin' for th'gods. Oh! I met Mort 'imself! He was th'one that told me y'were still alive!" And the sparkle in the courier's eyes spoke of awe and maybe a little adoration as he gestured with his spoon again, heedless of the glare from the passing waiter.
