He began to move the cooking meat and fruit off to the side of the grill at the first growled word, taking care to arrange them around the edges so that they would stay warm but would no longer cook quickly over the hottest portion of the coals. By the time he turned on his knees to face her the word Starfall was dropping between them, a boulder crashing through the rushing river of Flora's anger. The name that followed somehow held more weight than even that, though Hadama's serene expression did not change until he was sure she had finished.
"And your letter said that you would slap me for doing so," he agreed. "My apologies. I understood that to mean you knew where I was going." She did not usually promise violence when he went on a simple patrol of the only sea protected by Vi's Barrier, in the company of two of Halo's strongest defenders. But they were all on edge these days and he gathered himself to rise to his feet.
"Jack was a... last minute addition. I was unsure if he would come." He paused after that admission, emerald eyes gentle in the warm light of sunset. "And I did not know if you wished to see his name yet." Much less the captain himself.
But Hadama drew himself up and folded his hands behind his back so that he could not defend himself, inclining his head to his Queen solemnly as he prepared himself for whatever punishment she deemed suitable.
"And your letter said that you would slap me for doing so," he agreed. "My apologies. I understood that to mean you knew where I was going." She did not usually promise violence when he went on a simple patrol of the only sea protected by Vi's Barrier, in the company of two of Halo's strongest defenders. But they were all on edge these days and he gathered himself to rise to his feet.
"Jack was a... last minute addition. I was unsure if he would come." He paused after that admission, emerald eyes gentle in the warm light of sunset. "And I did not know if you wished to see his name yet." Much less the captain himself.
But Hadama drew himself up and folded his hands behind his back so that he could not defend himself, inclining his head to his Queen solemnly as he prepared himself for whatever punishment she deemed suitable.
