"I don't mind," he said with a wry smile and a reassuring shake of his head. "No need to apologize. And the next time it happens, there's a cot in the reading room you can use. One in my office, too, from when I used to pull all-nighters researching this catastrophe or that looming disaster." His expression was rueful as he coaxed a fresh spark from the flint striker, setting it to some dry tinder and fluff and carefully feeding some smaller sticks to it.
"Hmm. About ten of the morning, I'd say. I should get an hourglass or two in here, while I'm thinking about it." A tangent that had little to do with the current conversation, and he dragged himself away from it. "Once this is heated up I'll make us up some fresh tea. It looks like you could use it. How have you been doing?" The last was quiet and more tentative, given how they'd parted ways the last time they'd been in the Hall.
Once he was certain the little fire wouldn't gutter out he began to putter about with the tea caddy, coming over to the table to collect the pot with a smile for the young woman who could cause him such pride and heartache all in one fell swoop.
"Hmm. About ten of the morning, I'd say. I should get an hourglass or two in here, while I'm thinking about it." A tangent that had little to do with the current conversation, and he dragged himself away from it. "Once this is heated up I'll make us up some fresh tea. It looks like you could use it. How have you been doing?" The last was quiet and more tentative, given how they'd parted ways the last time they'd been in the Hall.
Once he was certain the little fire wouldn't gutter out he began to putter about with the tea caddy, coming over to the table to collect the pot with a smile for the young woman who could cause him such pride and heartache all in one fell swoop.
