”Agreed,” Jigano grinned at his friend. ”And I would like to hear more about the gods of your world! We can add them both to the Guild archives,” he added, always looking for ways to improve their store of information for the future. Plus, he’d already discovered that Caiside was a vain creature, one that liked to talk about himself which was convenient since the bard liked to listen.
Some topics were harder to broach than others, though, as the conversation tipped towards the demigod’s lost father. Jigano glanced up and caught the tension in his friend’s face and carriage. His own smile was a little sad as he nodded acquiescence to the other man’s desire to change the subject. He could add nothing at that moment that would come across well; his own parents were dead due to his own hubris, and he would indeed have given much to have them alive and well again, especially his mother. But memory of his father, too, was filled with regret that he did not cherish the time he had with the man more while he was alive, and that the elder Silversmith had died without ever fully reconciling with his son.
Work did much to soothe the rougher-edged emotions, even as the heat of the forge burned the impurities from the metal they shaped as they spoke. Jigano grinned and winked atCaiside as the other man realized how literal his inherited name was. He could only shrug a little ruefully at the envious note that entered the other smith’s voice. ”We never appreciate what is ‘common’ to us,” he pointed out. ”Especially when we’re young!” Craving adventure, new experiences, new places, and not realizing how dear a home and family could be until they were gone… but a stolen glance at his companion’s work showed a man far more deft with his skills than a mere nail-maker. He not-quite-shamelessly asked for help, recognizing when his ambition overstepped his own rusty skill and studied Caiside’s work with the base closely. The other man’s hands sparked hazy memories back into bright fire, and though the bard’s fingers might have lost their forge-callus, still he couldn’t hide the eagerness and relief as his mind caught up with what was needed. ”Ah! Yes, that’s what I’d been missing – thank you, my friend!”
With the base done, Jigano was able to more easily assemble the lantern’s top and corners, creating the frame for his copper/silver panels. While Caiside worked on the mirror’s finishing touches, Jigano turned a steadier hand to tracing the stylized suns and flowers lightly over the copper before working in cutting them out with the small saw useful for such fine-grained work. ”Did you hear about the Fae tradition of ‘catching the sun?’” he asked idly as they worked companionably side-by-side.
Some topics were harder to broach than others, though, as the conversation tipped towards the demigod’s lost father. Jigano glanced up and caught the tension in his friend’s face and carriage. His own smile was a little sad as he nodded acquiescence to the other man’s desire to change the subject. He could add nothing at that moment that would come across well; his own parents were dead due to his own hubris, and he would indeed have given much to have them alive and well again, especially his mother. But memory of his father, too, was filled with regret that he did not cherish the time he had with the man more while he was alive, and that the elder Silversmith had died without ever fully reconciling with his son.
Work did much to soothe the rougher-edged emotions, even as the heat of the forge burned the impurities from the metal they shaped as they spoke. Jigano grinned and winked at
With the base done, Jigano was able to more easily assemble the lantern’s top and corners, creating the frame for his copper/silver panels. While Caiside worked on the mirror’s finishing touches, Jigano turned a steadier hand to tracing the stylized suns and flowers lightly over the copper before working in cutting them out with the small saw useful for such fine-grained work. ”Did you hear about the Fae tradition of ‘catching the sun?’” he asked idly as they worked companionably side-by-side.
