The look the bard gave the couch may have been dubious at first, but at Sam's explanation his expression cleared and even lightened a little. "It's good see you reaching out to people," he said quietly, approval and a little pride in his friend slipping past the barriers of stress and worry. Sam had come a long way since they had first met, and every time he saw evidence of that he felt a little better about the gentle bookmaker's future.
The weight he had brought over with him was too heavy to allow such lightheartedness for long, though, and he sighed as he sank down onto the cushions, the tension returning in subtle ways. He tilted his head, looking as though there should have been a smile to accompany it as he watched Sam preparing his teapot for company, but his lips just wouldn't go through the motion.
In addition to growing more confident and outgoing, it seemed the ginger man had also become more observant, and solemn blue eyes rose to meet his host's as Sam asked what was wrong. A muscle in his jaw tensed at mention of the guild, but Rory's name surprised a flicker of softness to his expression and voice. "Rory? No... no he's fine, thankfully." And it was a measure of just how worried he was that he made no attempt to be coy about Sam's choice of names.
"But the Guild... yes. Something has happened. Amalia and Caiside... they were taken, stolen away yesterday. We were scouting the new woods..." He trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment to regain his composure. "It is possible the Fae were involved, but aside from their name and knowing that they have wings I know almost nothing about them, other than that the woods are theirs. Something I discovered too late," he added, bitter with self-recrimination.
The weight he had brought over with him was too heavy to allow such lightheartedness for long, though, and he sighed as he sank down onto the cushions, the tension returning in subtle ways. He tilted his head, looking as though there should have been a smile to accompany it as he watched Sam preparing his teapot for company, but his lips just wouldn't go through the motion.
In addition to growing more confident and outgoing, it seemed the ginger man had also become more observant, and solemn blue eyes rose to meet his host's as Sam asked what was wrong. A muscle in his jaw tensed at mention of the guild, but Rory's name surprised a flicker of softness to his expression and voice. "Rory? No... no he's fine, thankfully." And it was a measure of just how worried he was that he made no attempt to be coy about Sam's choice of names.
"But the Guild... yes. Something has happened. Amalia and Caiside... they were taken, stolen away yesterday. We were scouting the new woods..." He trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment to regain his composure. "It is possible the Fae were involved, but aside from their name and knowing that they have wings I know almost nothing about them, other than that the woods are theirs. Something I discovered too late," he added, bitter with self-recrimination.
