It was nice to sit with a friend and simply be for awhile. With all that he had taken upon himself, it was the moments like these that were the balm and renewal that kept him standing tall and give him the strength to continue. He listened to the revelations that Maea had found within the reflective stones, a small smile softening his expression as she shared the precious pieces of herself with him. And when she leaned into his shoulder he gave a little pressure back, his smile flicking up a little wider for a moment as his 'nose' was tapped.
"Mmn. I see no strangers here. Only friends." His low rumble was as warm as the Burrows themselves as he allowed himself to relax. He stretched out his other hand, an unhurried gesture, to indicate some of the stars that glittered in reflection from his trident. "I see the power I have dedicated myself to. My strength. Enough, now, that I can protect what is important to me." Strength he had only begun to explore the limits of when he had first taken his crown on the eve of War. When he had been too weak to face even the Kingmaker upon Torchline's shores. It seemed half a lifetime ago, now.
And then he tilted his head to the side, his smile growing softer. "And I see her." He let his fingertips brush over the reflection of Maea's forehead before his hand returned to rest upon his knee. "A woman I admire greatly. Who I trust to have my back. Who is stronger than she knows. And who I should confide in more often than I do." He pulled away from her shoulder then, but only so that he could offer the woman gazing back at him from crystal a bow before he straightened and returned to his previous position, his arm pressed against her shoulder.
"Mmn. I see no strangers here. Only friends." His low rumble was as warm as the Burrows themselves as he allowed himself to relax. He stretched out his other hand, an unhurried gesture, to indicate some of the stars that glittered in reflection from his trident. "I see the power I have dedicated myself to. My strength. Enough, now, that I can protect what is important to me." Strength he had only begun to explore the limits of when he had first taken his crown on the eve of War. When he had been too weak to face even the Kingmaker upon Torchline's shores. It seemed half a lifetime ago, now.
And then he tilted his head to the side, his smile growing softer. "And I see her." He let his fingertips brush over the reflection of Maea's forehead before his hand returned to rest upon his knee. "A woman I admire greatly. Who I trust to have my back. Who is stronger than she knows. And who I should confide in more often than I do." He pulled away from her shoulder then, but only so that he could offer the woman gazing back at him from crystal a bow before he straightened and returned to his previous position, his arm pressed against her shoulder.
