The laugh was not what he had expected, and Jigano tilted his head curiously, wondering what fey humor had struck the big warrior. It was a silent question, and one that went unanswered as Deimos offered patience until the could know what Kiada thought of his failed leadership of their exploratory expedition into the new wilderness. It sounded as though Deimos knew her well, far better than Jigano could come close to claiming, and he would have a better idea of what to expect from her reactions.
The bard had offered his own past with their shared friend as an olive branch, but he was still a little surprised when Deimos took it. Lips quirked into a smile, both wry and fond as he let his memory drift back to that Deepfrost day, half a year ago. "Her singing woke me in the Glade," he said, a chuckle coloring his words, fond and nostalgic. "In the early morning light, before the sun had even fully risen. She was singing to the luxere, her grandmother's songs, hoping to coax one close. She coaxed me over to investigate as well, and a big old stag I'd recently befriended joined us." If he closed his eyes he could see the scene clearly once more: Amalia kneeling on her blanket with her little offering bowls of meager treats, her voice raised in praise to Rae and the luxere - falling shyly, anxiously silent at his greeting. "She was so self-conscious of her voice, her song...uncertain of me, as she had every right to be. But once we found a common melody the luxere wasn't far behind. I played my flute to accompany her singing, and by the time the sun was gleaming off the snow she was asking me a hundred questions about my world."
His smile had gone soft at the recollection, and he blinked to bring himself back to the present, focusing on Deimos once more. He ran his fingers idly over the basket in his hands, tracing the crescent moons with a soothing repetition as he raised a brow at his companion, smile shifting to its more usual wry tilt. "What of you? I first saw the two of you together at the Fiat Lux baking party, but it looked like you two were already well-acquainted. How did you meet?"
The bard had offered his own past with their shared friend as an olive branch, but he was still a little surprised when Deimos took it. Lips quirked into a smile, both wry and fond as he let his memory drift back to that Deepfrost day, half a year ago. "Her singing woke me in the Glade," he said, a chuckle coloring his words, fond and nostalgic. "In the early morning light, before the sun had even fully risen. She was singing to the luxere, her grandmother's songs, hoping to coax one close. She coaxed me over to investigate as well, and a big old stag I'd recently befriended joined us." If he closed his eyes he could see the scene clearly once more: Amalia kneeling on her blanket with her little offering bowls of meager treats, her voice raised in praise to Rae and the luxere - falling shyly, anxiously silent at his greeting. "She was so self-conscious of her voice, her song...uncertain of me, as she had every right to be. But once we found a common melody the luxere wasn't far behind. I played my flute to accompany her singing, and by the time the sun was gleaming off the snow she was asking me a hundred questions about my world."
His smile had gone soft at the recollection, and he blinked to bring himself back to the present, focusing on Deimos once more. He ran his fingers idly over the basket in his hands, tracing the crescent moons with a soothing repetition as he raised a brow at his companion, smile shifting to its more usual wry tilt. "What of you? I first saw the two of you together at the Fiat Lux baking party, but it looked like you two were already well-acquainted. How did you meet?"
