He tilted his head, eyes crinkling wryly at all the words Amalia didn't say to describe the Fae, but if Jyoti had needed to calm them down the adverbs weren't hard to guess at. He did not push at her silence, merely leaned lightly against her shoulder in wordless support as Jyoti worked the magic of a companion that had more to do with a loving heart than any magic of emotional manipulation. His compliments were sincere, rooted in truth and blossoming with honest admiration for the woman at his side. Her demure murmur earned a smile and a quiet hum of approval. "That is enough and more, my Amalia."
Talk of Arduinna was fascinating, even as the warning was given and Jigano nibbled his bottom lip thoughtfully. "Delah... yes. Her dislike of us runs strong, and it won't be overcome in an hour or a day. Indeed, she might never accept us, much less like us, but she doesn't need to." He tilted his head, looking out over the summer haze of the slowly settling evening."Like digging a well or building a bridge, it will take patience and persistence with her, and those Fae like her. Our words and our actions both must speak for our good will and sincerity. If we push too hard, too fast, she will only set herself like a stone against us, adamant until she is broken or we are battered to death against her steadfastness. Slow and steady will be the way to work with her. We cannot treat her and her people like the Outlanders treated the Naturals over the Spire," he pointed out wryly. "Not without risking the same sort of breaking point."
Her blush was as lovely as the sunrise, and as delicate as a fairy rose. Jigano's grin widened as she refused to look at him and tried to turn his teasing aside with deflections that were belied by her pink cheeks and gentle smile. "He is a lucky man, to have you both," the bard murmured, his teasing turning more gentle. When she did finally face him he found he could not deny the plea in her eyes or the sincerity of her tongue, and he sighed, grimacing slightly. "Before all this, I would have said it would be my pleasure to. Now... Amalia... he might not forgive me for endangering you. And Kiada," he added, belatedly. "I can't blame him if he never wants to speak to me again, after I lost you both. This time it worked out well, but there was such a high chance that it wasn't going to... I was... If the 'sacrifice' had indeed been your life I..." he trailed off, swallowing hard against the lump of fear and pain and guilt and inward-turned rage that had mostly dissipated with finding his friends well and whole and free. The memory of it was still too fresh, however, too strong to wave away yet. He did not know what he would have done...
But if past experience was anything to go by, he would have inflicted far worse punishment on himself than anything Deimos could have come up with.
Talk of Arduinna was fascinating, even as the warning was given and Jigano nibbled his bottom lip thoughtfully. "Delah... yes. Her dislike of us runs strong, and it won't be overcome in an hour or a day. Indeed, she might never accept us, much less like us, but she doesn't need to." He tilted his head, looking out over the summer haze of the slowly settling evening."Like digging a well or building a bridge, it will take patience and persistence with her, and those Fae like her. Our words and our actions both must speak for our good will and sincerity. If we push too hard, too fast, she will only set herself like a stone against us, adamant until she is broken or we are battered to death against her steadfastness. Slow and steady will be the way to work with her. We cannot treat her and her people like the Outlanders treated the Naturals over the Spire," he pointed out wryly. "Not without risking the same sort of breaking point."
Her blush was as lovely as the sunrise, and as delicate as a fairy rose. Jigano's grin widened as she refused to look at him and tried to turn his teasing aside with deflections that were belied by her pink cheeks and gentle smile. "He is a lucky man, to have you both," the bard murmured, his teasing turning more gentle. When she did finally face him he found he could not deny the plea in her eyes or the sincerity of her tongue, and he sighed, grimacing slightly. "Before all this, I would have said it would be my pleasure to. Now... Amalia... he might not forgive me for endangering you. And Kiada," he added, belatedly. "I can't blame him if he never wants to speak to me again, after I lost you both. This time it worked out well, but there was such a high chance that it wasn't going to... I was... If the 'sacrifice' had indeed been your life I..." he trailed off, swallowing hard against the lump of fear and pain and guilt and inward-turned rage that had mostly dissipated with finding his friends well and whole and free. The memory of it was still too fresh, however, too strong to wave away yet. He did not know what he would have done...
But if past experience was anything to go by, he would have inflicted far worse punishment on himself than anything Deimos could have come up with.
