A snuggle Edy was an awkward handful, but not so different from spontaneous hugs from Sam, really. Jigano snorted softly, amused and resigned to the odd position until the mage wanted down. It was a relief to not have her new addition pressing against him, and he straightened his clothing with the dignity she'd come to expect from him - only marred a little by the glint of humor in his blue eyes as they faced one another again.
She confirmed his guess and he was left to confront that dizzying array of complications and possibilities that suddenly opened up before him like a gaping chasm. Of all the potential ways this meeting could have gone, this hadn't been even a little bit close, and his knees felt a little weak at both the responsibility and the trust Edy was placing in him. "Oh, I have my idiot moments," he murmured, still dazed and desperately trying to buy himself time to come to grips with what she was saying.
The reminder that he'd lost his position as Provost stung, but it helped to bring him back to the current moment and his eyes narrowed at his saucy young friend, though the smile remained on the edges of his expression. "Hmph. Thank you for the reminder. You know how bad my memory is, in my old age," he responded, dry humor, but humor nonetheless.
He wasn't going to argue with her about the naturals; he didn't like it, but it was also difficult to disagree with the framing of it. From what he'd seen the naturals followed leaders only temporarily, when someone had the skills to oversee a large job that needed doing - raising a barn (or a mob), or undertaking other such projects. Governance was a different kettle of fish entirely, different even than simply 'leading,' as Zariah had been finding out. Well. Good governance, at least.
"I'm honored, Edy," he said thoughtfully, some of his humor fading as he let the reality of her offer (or was it more of a 'hot potato' that had been tossed to him?) sink in. "And grateful. I'm curious what you think about Ronin, though. You've known him a lot longer than I have, and he seems used to leading. How do you think he'd do on the throne?"
Did they even have a throne? He hoped not. Thrones tended to be heavy, uncomfortable things, and they seemed to encourage the migration of one's brains to their rump to make up for the lack of padding.
She confirmed his guess and he was left to confront that dizzying array of complications and possibilities that suddenly opened up before him like a gaping chasm. Of all the potential ways this meeting could have gone, this hadn't been even a little bit close, and his knees felt a little weak at both the responsibility and the trust Edy was placing in him. "Oh, I have my idiot moments," he murmured, still dazed and desperately trying to buy himself time to come to grips with what she was saying.
The reminder that he'd lost his position as Provost stung, but it helped to bring him back to the current moment and his eyes narrowed at his saucy young friend, though the smile remained on the edges of his expression. "Hmph. Thank you for the reminder. You know how bad my memory is, in my old age," he responded, dry humor, but humor nonetheless.
He wasn't going to argue with her about the naturals; he didn't like it, but it was also difficult to disagree with the framing of it. From what he'd seen the naturals followed leaders only temporarily, when someone had the skills to oversee a large job that needed doing - raising a barn (or a mob), or undertaking other such projects. Governance was a different kettle of fish entirely, different even than simply 'leading,' as Zariah had been finding out. Well. Good governance, at least.
"I'm honored, Edy," he said thoughtfully, some of his humor fading as he let the reality of her offer (or was it more of a 'hot potato' that had been tossed to him?) sink in. "And grateful. I'm curious what you think about Ronin, though. You've known him a lot longer than I have, and he seems used to leading. How do you think he'd do on the throne?"
Did they even have a throne? He hoped not. Thrones tended to be heavy, uncomfortable things, and they seemed to encourage the migration of one's brains to their rump to make up for the lack of padding.
