Isuma chirruped happily at the attention, and Jigano relaxed a little as he let his companion's happiness ease some of the weary tightness in his chest. He even managed a chuckle at Caiside's witty quip, giving his friend a tired wink. "Ah, therein lies the secret, you see. A good bard must be capable of both! And overstatement is so much easier than under." He tilted his head in a welcome nod, pleased at the idea of trading skills with his friend and colleague.
And fellow rebel, as it had turned out. He grinned in spite of his lingering chill at his friend's theatrics, unsurprised to hear that Caiside had found himself in trouble with authority before. "Nor my first, either," he admitted with a wry grin. "Not without reason, as it turned out... I wasn't very healthy for the old Sovereign to have around, though the one who took his place was more fond of me after that." He had been a little bit in love with her, though only from a distance, and it had been entirely one-sided.
At the mention of faring better Jigano's grin faded, tension seizing up in his chest. "Ah... not exactly, no." If Caiside hadn't heard of the whole king debacle, Jigano wasn't sure he wanted to bring it up again and reopen wounds still fresh with shame. "But what was the first time you nearly ended up in the Penitentiary?" he asked, honestly curious - and also hoping to nudge the conversation back towards the handsome smith.
And fellow rebel, as it had turned out. He grinned in spite of his lingering chill at his friend's theatrics, unsurprised to hear that Caiside had found himself in trouble with authority before. "Nor my first, either," he admitted with a wry grin. "Not without reason, as it turned out... I wasn't very healthy for the old Sovereign to have around, though the one who took his place was more fond of me after that." He had been a little bit in love with her, though only from a distance, and it had been entirely one-sided.
At the mention of faring better Jigano's grin faded, tension seizing up in his chest. "Ah... not exactly, no." If Caiside hadn't heard of the whole king debacle, Jigano wasn't sure he wanted to bring it up again and reopen wounds still fresh with shame. "But what was the first time you nearly ended up in the Penitentiary?" he asked, honestly curious - and also hoping to nudge the conversation back towards the handsome smith.
