She let him reach out to her, his fear of hurting her falling away beneath the weight of the need to touch her, to feel her skin and know that this was no fever dream, fleeting and insubstantial. She let him hold her, and the shivers that ran through him had little to do with cold, and a great deal to do with relief and a tentative joy that he was still afraid to feel lest it be ripped from him again by the darkness that still tainted his body and soul. Even though her chuckle was wry, deflecting the praise she has more than earned, at least it had a hint of happiness and he hugged her again before letting her pull back far enough that they could look at each other again. "We will do the work together," he assured her gently. "Recovering is a... trial," came the admission, his smile faltering. "But it is happening, and that is what matters. What I did in the claws of the blight..." He winced, looking away from her, knowing that she knew some of it. More than he did, frightening thought. But he drew a breath and looked down at the dear blond head, straightening his trembling shoulders as best he could. "I will have to find a way to repair what damage I did. To find out what damage I did. But each day is better, and by Long Night I think I will be strong enough again to defend our home." A word he did not say lightly, but if nothing else the blight had shown him what was most important to him, and how those priorities had changed since coming to Caido. Rory was his home, and the farmstead where he now lived with the blond hunter, and Amalia and Devas Bakery was, too, as well as the Atheneum and the Guildhall. Caido was his home, and he would stand beside her to protect it from gods and monsters alike.
Her question and invitation earned a slow grin, a flash of his old humor showing through as he leaned down to press his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and still smiling as he fell into mindspeech. You have kept them well and safe, and I am so very proud of you for it. But I would be honored to accept this gift if it will lessen some of the weight upon your shoulders, my Amalia. You are right that we have much to do, and no time to wait for all the blight to be gone completely before we begin.
Her question and invitation earned a slow grin, a flash of his old humor showing through as he leaned down to press his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and still smiling as he fell into mindspeech. You have kept them well and safe, and I am so very proud of you for it. But I would be honored to accept this gift if it will lessen some of the weight upon your shoulders, my Amalia. You are right that we have much to do, and no time to wait for all the blight to be gone completely before we begin.
