Jigano blinked in confusion as Kaimana's questions turned on a Numerian copper and fired off swift as a trained archer, not waiting for an answer to the first before dashing on to the fourth. He shook his head as Kai focused not on the 'perhaps' but on the 'trade,' rushing off towards some worst-case assumptions that had the bard sighing, good mood fading as he saw the other man's joy and energy drain away to anxiety and unhappiness.
It was so much like a certain baker that he knew that his heart twisted painfully in his chest and he looked away. Words pressed against the back of his teeth, explanations and answers he might once have poured out without a second thought. Now he swallowed them down, remembering how those words did little but hurt those he had only wanted to protect. The Guild had been largely empty after LongNight, Caiside's death echoing in a hall where the remaining loreseekers rarely came anymore.
Because of the choices he had made, and the words he had spoken.
"Well," he said quietly, wondering if he should adopt Deimos's terse nature instead and avoid such mistakes in the future, "it might not be around much longer, given how things are going. But I'll answer questions as long as I can." He pulled his boot on and wiggled his toes to settle them in place. "And they trade what they want, for the most part. What they think the information will be worth to them, or what they can spare. Sometimes it's skills or favors, helping us fix up the Atheneum or loaning tools or wagons and the like. Often it's food, since while we're looking for their answers we aren't farming our own produce or caring for animals. When possible we try to trade knowledge, recording family stories or personal anecdotes to expand our collections so that if someone else comes along looking for that information we have it already at hand." Everyone had something they could trade, even if it was just their time. And if they didn't? Well, there were always future favors that could be called in for projects like repairing bookshelves.
Given that he had offered Kai and his sister the opportunity to make copies of the records, which would give plenty of chance for writing, Jigano wasn't sure why the young man felt the need to counter his words as though it was a conflict. He was tired of every conversation becoming a battle, but since he was the only common denominator it wasn't as though he could place the blame on anyone else. Kai's answer was sensible, but Jigano thought the assignment had been about the Hollowed Grounds specifically. Well, if the man had memory issues the bard could hardly blame him for something beyond his control.
"I'm sorry I interrupted your work, then," he said quietly, subdued as he offered him a small bow. "Though I thank you for your help." If this really was an agent of Rae then Jigano could hardly afford to offend the Nature God by delaying him in his duties. One angry deity was more than enough. He didn't think he would survive the wrath of another.
It was so much like a certain baker that he knew that his heart twisted painfully in his chest and he looked away. Words pressed against the back of his teeth, explanations and answers he might once have poured out without a second thought. Now he swallowed them down, remembering how those words did little but hurt those he had only wanted to protect. The Guild had been largely empty after LongNight, Caiside's death echoing in a hall where the remaining loreseekers rarely came anymore.
Because of the choices he had made, and the words he had spoken.
"Well," he said quietly, wondering if he should adopt Deimos's terse nature instead and avoid such mistakes in the future, "it might not be around much longer, given how things are going. But I'll answer questions as long as I can." He pulled his boot on and wiggled his toes to settle them in place. "And they trade what they want, for the most part. What they think the information will be worth to them, or what they can spare. Sometimes it's skills or favors, helping us fix up the Atheneum or loaning tools or wagons and the like. Often it's food, since while we're looking for their answers we aren't farming our own produce or caring for animals. When possible we try to trade knowledge, recording family stories or personal anecdotes to expand our collections so that if someone else comes along looking for that information we have it already at hand." Everyone had something they could trade, even if it was just their time. And if they didn't? Well, there were always future favors that could be called in for projects like repairing bookshelves.
Given that he had offered Kai and his sister the opportunity to make copies of the records, which would give plenty of chance for writing, Jigano wasn't sure why the young man felt the need to counter his words as though it was a conflict. He was tired of every conversation becoming a battle, but since he was the only common denominator it wasn't as though he could place the blame on anyone else. Kai's answer was sensible, but Jigano thought the assignment had been about the Hollowed Grounds specifically. Well, if the man had memory issues the bard could hardly blame him for something beyond his control.
"I'm sorry I interrupted your work, then," he said quietly, subdued as he offered him a small bow. "Though I thank you for your help." If this really was an agent of Rae then Jigano could hardly afford to offend the Nature God by delaying him in his duties. One angry deity was more than enough. He didn't think he would survive the wrath of another.
