He hadn't met a Loreseeker yet who didn't appreciate a good cup of tea, but he assumed they must exist, somewhere out in the world. For now, though, it made refreshments easier to prepare as he continued to putter - as much to give his hands something to do while he tried to keep his worries in check as to get the conversation off to a better start this time.
Not that they could avoid the last conversation and the ultimatum he'd given her forever, but a few more minutes wouldn't hurt, surely? And it was entirely up to her when to bring it up, since he didn't want to seem like he was rushing her.
Maea's voice continued along his line of thoughts, following him as he continued to feed the fire and get it hot enough to boil the water in the kettle. Her humility was almost a rebuke in its softness, but he held back any wince, for he didn't disagree with it. As he turned around he found her looking for him, and he gazed back steadily before giving her a solemn bow of acknowledgment. "Apology accepted. And I am sorry, too, for being too brusque with you. I should have been more diplomatic... and when I realized what you were asking, I should have requested that we have a talk as guildmates, without Sunjata present. Perhaps Sam or another member of the Loreseekers could have been found to join us... and that is something I have been doing some thinking on as well," he admitted gravely.
He let out a breath, not quite a sigh, as he walked slowly back towards the table, reaching up to slide his hand beneath his long hair and rub at the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I let myself get... flustered. It felt like you knew I wouldn't approve, and so you ambushed me, using Sunjata to try and gang up on me so I would be outnumbered and on the defensive. Which is more or less what happened." He winced, then met her eyes again, his gaze having drifted down in regret as he spoke. "I did get defensive. Unnecessarily so. It looked like you had plenty of time to think about this in advance, and plan out your line of attack with Sunjata while I was blindsided by it - or at least, that's how it came across. I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position, Maea. And for not finding a way to be more tactful about how I presented it."
Not that they could avoid the last conversation and the ultimatum he'd given her forever, but a few more minutes wouldn't hurt, surely? And it was entirely up to her when to bring it up, since he didn't want to seem like he was rushing her.
Maea's voice continued along his line of thoughts, following him as he continued to feed the fire and get it hot enough to boil the water in the kettle. Her humility was almost a rebuke in its softness, but he held back any wince, for he didn't disagree with it. As he turned around he found her looking for him, and he gazed back steadily before giving her a solemn bow of acknowledgment. "Apology accepted. And I am sorry, too, for being too brusque with you. I should have been more diplomatic... and when I realized what you were asking, I should have requested that we have a talk as guildmates, without Sunjata present. Perhaps Sam or another member of the Loreseekers could have been found to join us... and that is something I have been doing some thinking on as well," he admitted gravely.
He let out a breath, not quite a sigh, as he walked slowly back towards the table, reaching up to slide his hand beneath his long hair and rub at the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I let myself get... flustered. It felt like you knew I wouldn't approve, and so you ambushed me, using Sunjata to try and gang up on me so I would be outnumbered and on the defensive. Which is more or less what happened." He winced, then met her eyes again, his gaze having drifted down in regret as he spoke. "I did get defensive. Unnecessarily so. It looked like you had plenty of time to think about this in advance, and plan out your line of attack with Sunjata while I was blindsided by it - or at least, that's how it came across. I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position, Maea. And for not finding a way to be more tactful about how I presented it."
