The fact that she wasn't asking him not to fight meant more to him than he knew how to say. In spite of how scared she was for him and how much she wanted him to be safe... she knew him so well. Knew that he might grumble and grouse about the inconvenience but when the chips were down he wouldn't leave his friends to face the fight alone, or let anyone get hurt if he could help it.
He closed his eyes as she rested her hand against his cheek, tilting his head just a little to lean into her warmth as she spoke. When he opened them again his gaze saw only her, even as she could feel the speed of his pulse beneath his shirt. The fear of the fight ahead alongside the stubborn determination to not back down from it. And the love he felt for her, for her support and her pride and her strength. He tilted his head down so they could rest their foreheads together and his free hand circled around to hold her in a half-embrace. He had his own lump in his throat making it hard to speak but that was okay, because it was his turn to listen. He swallowed hard, remembering how much it had burned when he had been in her position; not strong enough to survive the dangers his friends and heroes faced without him while he stood back.
"'Course y'can help," he tried to assure her, squeezing the hand he still held as they leaned together. "You're my Seer. Our Seer, if I gotta share. Fightin' doesn't do any good if we're not aimin' at th'right targets. That's somethin' only you an' th'gods can do, Alys." The next part, at least, was easy and he relaxed a little, forehead smoothing as a smile caught him off guard. "I can promise that. You're my home, Alys. I'll always come back t'you." Through rain or storm or dark of night. Though the night had gotten a lot darker as of late, and he hesitated only a moment before adding more soberly: "An' if I get lost along th'way, get hold o'Ronin as fast as y'can. He can bring people back from Mort's Halls if he catches 'em fast enough, I think." Between Mel and Flora and Maea, at least, that seemed to be how it worked.
He closed his eyes as she rested her hand against his cheek, tilting his head just a little to lean into her warmth as she spoke. When he opened them again his gaze saw only her, even as she could feel the speed of his pulse beneath his shirt. The fear of the fight ahead alongside the stubborn determination to not back down from it. And the love he felt for her, for her support and her pride and her strength. He tilted his head down so they could rest their foreheads together and his free hand circled around to hold her in a half-embrace. He had his own lump in his throat making it hard to speak but that was okay, because it was his turn to listen. He swallowed hard, remembering how much it had burned when he had been in her position; not strong enough to survive the dangers his friends and heroes faced without him while he stood back.
"'Course y'can help," he tried to assure her, squeezing the hand he still held as they leaned together. "You're my Seer. Our Seer, if I gotta share. Fightin' doesn't do any good if we're not aimin' at th'right targets. That's somethin' only you an' th'gods can do, Alys." The next part, at least, was easy and he relaxed a little, forehead smoothing as a smile caught him off guard. "I can promise that. You're my home, Alys. I'll always come back t'you." Through rain or storm or dark of night. Though the night had gotten a lot darker as of late, and he hesitated only a moment before adding more soberly: "An' if I get lost along th'way, get hold o'Ronin as fast as y'can. He can bring people back from Mort's Halls if he catches 'em fast enough, I think." Between Mel and Flora and Maea, at least, that seemed to be how it worked.
