Jigano was rarely in the Hall very late anymore, not with the farm to get back to and evening chores to be done there. Samuel usually kept an eye on the Guild overnight, freeing the Provost to spend time at what had become home. It was mid-morning before he finished and headed in to town at his normal time, going to open the Guild for the day's business.
He paused when he saw the door open already, but Quanil was an eager beaver if ever he'd met one, and Tarasha occasionally came to borrow books, so he wasn't worried as he descended the spiral stone steps below.
The chill in the air gave him pause, however, and he frowned as he considered the implications. Loren? ... Or Maea. Not who he had expected to see first thing this morning, but he had known she would be back eventually with her decision. Drawing a breath to settle his conflicted heart he finished the final half-circle of steps and looked into the Hall.
She looked so small and childlike, curled in the chair in the spooky shawl of Ludo's rags. It was an illusion he had to forcefully remind himself to look past, to see the adult woman who had sought to rule, secure in her power and steadfast in her certainty that she was the only one who could. Given Zariah and Wessex... well. Perhaps Maea had been right after all.
He couldn't tell how long she'd been there, but the fire had burned down and he cleared his throat softly to let her know she wasn't alone in the room. "Maea? Have you been here all night?" he asked, voice gentle. He didn't move to her right away, giving her space and time to collect herself as he went to restart the fire and stoke it back up. The Hall usually didn't need it in the summer... but the lingering chill in the air spoke volumes.
He paused when he saw the door open already, but Quanil was an eager beaver if ever he'd met one, and Tarasha occasionally came to borrow books, so he wasn't worried as he descended the spiral stone steps below.
The chill in the air gave him pause, however, and he frowned as he considered the implications. Loren? ... Or Maea. Not who he had expected to see first thing this morning, but he had known she would be back eventually with her decision. Drawing a breath to settle his conflicted heart he finished the final half-circle of steps and looked into the Hall.
She looked so small and childlike, curled in the chair in the spooky shawl of Ludo's rags. It was an illusion he had to forcefully remind himself to look past, to see the adult woman who had sought to rule, secure in her power and steadfast in her certainty that she was the only one who could. Given Zariah and Wessex... well. Perhaps Maea had been right after all.
He couldn't tell how long she'd been there, but the fire had burned down and he cleared his throat softly to let her know she wasn't alone in the room. "Maea? Have you been here all night?" he asked, voice gentle. He didn't move to her right away, giving her space and time to collect herself as he went to restart the fire and stoke it back up. The Hall usually didn't need it in the summer... but the lingering chill in the air spoke volumes.
