By the time they reached the stable, Jigano was more than ready for Samuel to be off his back. He stood in stony silence while the bookmaker scrambled down, stamping a single hoof in impatience but otherwise holding himself still so his new friend could get safely down. It wasn't until the other man was standing in front of him that Jigano opened his horsey mouth to speak--
It was the first time he'd seen how wild his friend's expression had grown, or the terror in his eyes. He'd heard Samuel's voice shake, of course, but he'd assumed it was from nerves or the stress of facing the imposing vizier. This was far more than that, though, and the horse's jaw closed on his words as the bookmaker poured out his fear and finally sank to the ground at the bard's feet. Hooves.
Dammit.
Taking a deep breath, Jigano fought to get his temper under control. Samuel's breakdown wasn't helping them. It was a damned inconvenience, was what it was, though one they apparently had time for since the story wasn't pushing them along just yet. He shook his head, grinding the bit between his teeth as he looked down at the other man. A bookmaker and seller. A scholar. A man in a bubble, quite literally, who had never even dreamed of the choices Jigano had been forced to make in his life.
Who had never been through the crucible the bard had, or needed to learn calm in the face of the dangerously unknown.
Who was, perhaps, who the lorekeeper might have become if he hadn't wandered off one night, drawn by the light on the horizon, and fallen into an adventure so much vaster than he had been prepared for.
With a heavy sigh Jigano let his anger flow away, dropping his muzzle to nudge Samuel's shoulder gently. "I can't ride either," he admitted, finding wry humor in the situation in spite of the unhappiness of the moment. "And, to tell you the truth, I'm not much of a fighter. Not compared to many I've known. But I'm a storyteller, and you're a reader and maker and writer of books. If we really have been sucked into this tale, we can figure this out. We are the best ones to get through this. This requires wits, not strength of arms. Or hooves." Gods, he was getting tired of being trapped in this horse's form.
He took a small step back, giving Samuel a little space, but watching him carefully in case the other man needed him to stay close. "Take as long as you need to get it all out. When you're ready we'll figure out what we should do next." The gold... might be a problem. Or then again it might not. He had no idea how closely they needed to follow the tale set before them, or even if Samuel had done what he needed to and it was Jigano's guess that had been wrong. But either way they had three days to figure it out. That was plenty of time, surely.
Wasn't it?
It was the first time he'd seen how wild his friend's expression had grown, or the terror in his eyes. He'd heard Samuel's voice shake, of course, but he'd assumed it was from nerves or the stress of facing the imposing vizier. This was far more than that, though, and the horse's jaw closed on his words as the bookmaker poured out his fear and finally sank to the ground at the bard's feet. Hooves.
Dammit.
Taking a deep breath, Jigano fought to get his temper under control. Samuel's breakdown wasn't helping them. It was a damned inconvenience, was what it was, though one they apparently had time for since the story wasn't pushing them along just yet. He shook his head, grinding the bit between his teeth as he looked down at the other man. A bookmaker and seller. A scholar. A man in a bubble, quite literally, who had never even dreamed of the choices Jigano had been forced to make in his life.
Who had never been through the crucible the bard had, or needed to learn calm in the face of the dangerously unknown.
Who was, perhaps, who the lorekeeper might have become if he hadn't wandered off one night, drawn by the light on the horizon, and fallen into an adventure so much vaster than he had been prepared for.
With a heavy sigh Jigano let his anger flow away, dropping his muzzle to nudge Samuel's shoulder gently. "I can't ride either," he admitted, finding wry humor in the situation in spite of the unhappiness of the moment. "And, to tell you the truth, I'm not much of a fighter. Not compared to many I've known. But I'm a storyteller, and you're a reader and maker and writer of books. If we really have been sucked into this tale, we can figure this out. We are the best ones to get through this. This requires wits, not strength of arms. Or hooves." Gods, he was getting tired of being trapped in this horse's form.
He took a small step back, giving Samuel a little space, but watching him carefully in case the other man needed him to stay close. "Take as long as you need to get it all out. When you're ready we'll figure out what we should do next." The gold... might be a problem. Or then again it might not. He had no idea how closely they needed to follow the tale set before them, or even if Samuel had done what he needed to and it was Jigano's guess that had been wrong. But either way they had three days to figure it out. That was plenty of time, surely.
Wasn't it?
