They say blood makes you related but
loyalty makes you family
Well, this meeting was already going better than their last one. ”Now I know you can’t be talking about me. Hi Amalia.” He gestured at his less than attractive face. It still felt weird to joke, as if Loren had not yet earned the right to do so since his return. But weirdly enough, it was easier for him to be happy these days than it was to be sad. Staying grumpy took work and energy he couldn't spare, and despite everything he was responsible for and all the troubles facing the Hollowed Grounds, the Launceleyn finally felt like he was making some progress. Besides, it was hard not to smile at Amalia’s reaction to Astra, and it only broadened when the baker took out sugar cubes. ”Astra, that’s Amalia. Amalia, Astra.” The luxere, for her part, finished the apple immediately and trotted over to the woman, looking up at the baker happily as the luxere lipped at the sugar cubes. As far as the summoner was concerned, Astra deserved to be spoiled sweet and by sweets. "Astra followed me home the other day, despite the fact that I've repeatedly told her that there was much better company out there." The luxere just flicked her ears at him, clearly not impressed by his argument.
As Amalia blushed, Loren looked away, suddenly shy. Given that he still hadn’t moved from the doorway, he covered his own awkwardness by stamping the snow off his boots, then moving slightly further inside the shop. ”I need some bread, actually. Or, well, biscuits. Anything you can spare that will keep until LongNight” The summoner gave Amalia a chagrined look. ”Wessex very gently reminded me, as did you, as did Remi, as did, well, everyone, that I was a very silly man who was trying to do everything on his own when there were more than enough people out there that I could and should be asking for help. So, sorry about my pigheadness earlier.” Well, the queen’s visit hadn’t exactly been gentle, but it had certainly been a much needed wake up call.
”I can pay.” Given that Loren was now the head of the Launceleyns, he’d inherited everything Zariah and Edy had left behind. While he tried not to think too hard about how he’d come into such wealth—and how his family had acquired it to begin with—at least he could put the funds to good use. ”And if you need some help with something, or, well, anything at all, I've got some time right now.” Fidgeting from one foot to the other, the summoner wondered what else to add.
As he ran through his previous encounter with the baker, Loren remembered something very important. ”Oh! And I can try to store a Spark Bird in your amulet, if you’d like. Or anything else, really.” That had been a very welcome development, though from the way the summoner ran a nervous hand through his hair, it didn’t appear that way. However, he was still uncomfortable with the way people reacted to his abilities: for too long, he’d been scorned and ridiculed for his magic, so the opposite took some getting used to.
As Amalia blushed, Loren looked away, suddenly shy. Given that he still hadn’t moved from the doorway, he covered his own awkwardness by stamping the snow off his boots, then moving slightly further inside the shop. ”I need some bread, actually. Or, well, biscuits. Anything you can spare that will keep until LongNight” The summoner gave Amalia a chagrined look. ”Wessex very gently reminded me, as did you, as did Remi, as did, well, everyone, that I was a very silly man who was trying to do everything on his own when there were more than enough people out there that I could and should be asking for help. So, sorry about my pigheadness earlier.” Well, the queen’s visit hadn’t exactly been gentle, but it had certainly been a much needed wake up call.
”I can pay.” Given that Loren was now the head of the Launceleyns, he’d inherited everything Zariah and Edy had left behind. While he tried not to think too hard about how he’d come into such wealth—and how his family had acquired it to begin with—at least he could put the funds to good use. ”And if you need some help with something, or, well, anything at all, I've got some time right now.” Fidgeting from one foot to the other, the summoner wondered what else to add.
As he ran through his previous encounter with the baker, Loren remembered something very important. ”Oh! And I can try to store a Spark Bird in your amulet, if you’d like. Or anything else, really.” That had been a very welcome development, though from the way the summoner ran a nervous hand through his hair, it didn’t appear that way. However, he was still uncomfortable with the way people reacted to his abilities: for too long, he’d been scorned and ridiculed for his magic, so the opposite took some getting used to.
LOREN
