He could see the way Sam tensed, was ready and braced for the hug... and then pleasantly surprised, a pleased smile lighting his face, as the bookmaker remembered. In the normal course of greetings he would have been perfectly content with that small display of greeting, but times had been tense and good men had died, and no one was guaranteed their freedom in these times. So it was that the bard reached out to clasp his friend's shoulder warmly - and then, if Sam allowed, to pull the other man into an awkward but sincere one-armed hug. He didn't linger, stepping back after a few seconds to clear his throat and straighten his tunic self-consciously, but his smile was still warm as he gave a rueful little shake of his head at Sam's news.
"I am alive and free, thank you, and not sure I can ask for more at the moment. The Guild is... in a precarious place," he admitted, smile slipping a little. "I closed the Hall after Zariah put the draft notice up, in order to buy us all a little time. It worked... to an extent." He sighed, offering his friend a shrug and a wry tilt of a smile. "It gave me time to get a backup plan in place, and she didn't know where to look for me... but I was removed as Guildmaster, by order of the Queen. Amalia is in charge now, at least until the current political situation gets sorted out."
He tilted his head at Sam, looking the redhead over more carefully for signs of injury or hardship with concerned blue eyes. "But how have you been? Remi told me he'd seen you a while back and that you were well then... but I was worried. I'm glad you've been able to stay ahead of the guards." He wanted to ask where Remi had been, but bit his tongue on the question just yet, not wanting to pry, especially if Sam had found a safe place to hole up and didn't want to risk compromising it.
"I am alive and free, thank you, and not sure I can ask for more at the moment. The Guild is... in a precarious place," he admitted, smile slipping a little. "I closed the Hall after Zariah put the draft notice up, in order to buy us all a little time. It worked... to an extent." He sighed, offering his friend a shrug and a wry tilt of a smile. "It gave me time to get a backup plan in place, and she didn't know where to look for me... but I was removed as Guildmaster, by order of the Queen. Amalia is in charge now, at least until the current political situation gets sorted out."
He tilted his head at Sam, looking the redhead over more carefully for signs of injury or hardship with concerned blue eyes. "But how have you been? Remi told me he'd seen you a while back and that you were well then... but I was worried. I'm glad you've been able to stay ahead of the guards." He wanted to ask where Remi had been, but bit his tongue on the question just yet, not wanting to pry, especially if Sam had found a safe place to hole up and didn't want to risk compromising it.
