The message had been... unexpected. His presence in Stormbreak was hardly a secret; his height and tattooed scars made it difficult to be circumspect, and so he made only enough effort at it so that he was not flaunting his visit to the floating city. Long sleeves that covered his arms, braid tucked into the back of his shirt and hair obscured by a warm cap so that it didn't catch the light with its Mer-tinted metallic shine, and the greatest indignity of all: boots upon his feet. But still, to be sought out in the heart of a Void-held region by a young man he had not seen in seasons might have seemed suspicious to a more paranoid man.
And perhaps it was suspicious to Hadama. But that did not stop him from coming to the appointed place at the time Jude had requested.
He approached slowly, his steps unhurried but instinctively light as he walked through the park towards the little pagoda, eyes taking in the returning greenery and the lingering litter of last year's leaves, studying the area for hints of violet hidden in its shadows. But as he neared the table and the lonely, lanky form hunched over it he turned his full attention to studying what had become of Jude since their last meeting.
He pulled out his chair with care not to scrape it jarringly over the cement before gingerly settling himself into it. It was too small for a man of his size, but the latticed metal creaked once in protest and then decided to hold, and Hadama relaxed. He folded his hands on the table in front of him while he sat straight and tall in his chair, regarding Jude with quiet concern as the other man slid his hands down to his legs, head still bowed.
And he listened, as the words dropped between them, pebbles into the still pond of the Tidebreaker's heart that sent ripples across the surface and stirred memories from deeper within. He inclined his head in acceptance of the apology first, finally drawing breath to speak in his quiet, deep rumble. "I was worried, when you disappeared. And...I have missed you." An admission made without pride as he sought for some indication that Jude had changed since their last meeting. But in the end he was Harper's son, and the year that he had been silent was something that the Tidebreaker could only accept and move forward with.
"Are you ready to speak of your father?"
And perhaps it was suspicious to Hadama. But that did not stop him from coming to the appointed place at the time Jude had requested.
He approached slowly, his steps unhurried but instinctively light as he walked through the park towards the little pagoda, eyes taking in the returning greenery and the lingering litter of last year's leaves, studying the area for hints of violet hidden in its shadows. But as he neared the table and the lonely, lanky form hunched over it he turned his full attention to studying what had become of Jude since their last meeting.
He pulled out his chair with care not to scrape it jarringly over the cement before gingerly settling himself into it. It was too small for a man of his size, but the latticed metal creaked once in protest and then decided to hold, and Hadama relaxed. He folded his hands on the table in front of him while he sat straight and tall in his chair, regarding Jude with quiet concern as the other man slid his hands down to his legs, head still bowed.
And he listened, as the words dropped between them, pebbles into the still pond of the Tidebreaker's heart that sent ripples across the surface and stirred memories from deeper within. He inclined his head in acceptance of the apology first, finally drawing breath to speak in his quiet, deep rumble. "I was worried, when you disappeared. And...I have missed you." An admission made without pride as he sought for some indication that Jude had changed since their last meeting. But in the end he was Harper's son, and the year that he had been silent was something that the Tidebreaker could only accept and move forward with.
"Are you ready to speak of your father?"
