"You are truly a wisewoman, or perhaps a philosopher," he murmured with a smile, both brows risen in respect and admiration for her deft simile of the puzzle. "How is it that you haven't been enticed to join the Loreseeker's yet, lovely Rexanna? We are in dire need of your wit and wisdom!" Well, perhaps not 'dire' but certainly her calm competence and thoughtful approach to problems would be more than welcome among his eager but somewhat motley crew!
He was not so distracted by his thoughts of Rory that he failed to notice how she evaded answering his question, and his grin widened in delight at having his usual tactic turned against him. He didn't miss the way she reached up to brush at the bruising now hidden by the night and the dance of shadows from the candles nearby, but to hear that Bastien was taking care of his friend continued the easing of his former anger against the selfish (con) artist. He returned her smile with a grin, then pressed a theatrical hand to his heart. "Madame, you wound me," he murmured, blue eyes sparkling in reflected firelight. "As if you did not already have someone who would be honored to escort you in search of new knowledge!"
He sobered after a moment, his teasing falling into a more solemn expression as he let his hand fall back to his side. "Promise me, though? That you two will take care and let me know when you go? I am also planning to lead an expedition into them after the festival, but after our last, ah, 'adventure' with Bastien I am... shall we say, not overly impressed with his skills at planning and preparation for adverse situations?" A lot of fancy words to remind Rexanna that Bastien had been singularly unprepared for his own quest, relying on the former queen and bard to think things through and secure their means of both light and escape in the underground chambers they had found themselves in.
He was not so distracted by his thoughts of Rory that he failed to notice how she evaded answering his question, and his grin widened in delight at having his usual tactic turned against him. He didn't miss the way she reached up to brush at the bruising now hidden by the night and the dance of shadows from the candles nearby, but to hear that Bastien was taking care of his friend continued the easing of his former anger against the selfish (con) artist. He returned her smile with a grin, then pressed a theatrical hand to his heart. "Madame, you wound me," he murmured, blue eyes sparkling in reflected firelight. "As if you did not already have someone who would be honored to escort you in search of new knowledge!"
He sobered after a moment, his teasing falling into a more solemn expression as he let his hand fall back to his side. "Promise me, though? That you two will take care and let me know when you go? I am also planning to lead an expedition into them after the festival, but after our last, ah, 'adventure' with Bastien I am... shall we say, not overly impressed with his skills at planning and preparation for adverse situations?" A lot of fancy words to remind Rexanna that Bastien had been singularly unprepared for his own quest, relying on the former queen and bard to think things through and secure their means of both light and escape in the underground chambers they had found themselves in.
