He couldn't help but grin at the way Remi reacted to the old Guild's name. "According to 108, they were a group of Naturals who once gathered knowledge and tended to the Atheneum. It's most likely their Hall that we found and turned into the Loreseekers' base." Though they hadn't known it at the time.
He began to peel his own orange, listening to the other man's experiences and opinions thoughtfully, and nodding at the end. "There's truth in that, too," he agreed. "But we're not the only Outlanders anymore, now that the portals are open. For good or ill... the Hollowed Grounders are as much Outlanders in Halo and Torchline as we are. From a certain point of view," he amended wryly, certain the Grounders themselves wouldn't look at it that way. But the Halovians and Torchliners might. "My skin is certainly thin enough that I struggle with it, but I've been finding an equilibrium lately. Or at least trying to." He shrugged, smile wry as he glanced across at Remi. "Having a purpose and friends among the Naturals who try to make me feel at home helps with that. So does having a god on this world to pray to and serve, however strange that still feels at times. But to each their own." He toasted the former alchemist with a section of orange before popping it in his mouth.
Talk of their respective mates brought the rueful grin back to his angular face quickly enough, and he chased the orange with the wine, cocking his head a bit as he tried to decide whether the citrus had been such a good combination with their drinks. "Mmm. I don't use much magic at home," he admitted. "Not the easily-visible kind, at least. Enriching the fields was one thing, and of course I'll use my Healing to help with any injuries or difficult births among the animals, but other than that?" He shrugged. "I didn't even have magic until the start of this year, so mostly Rory just teaches me to the best of my ability to do things the way we had to do them last year." It took longer and didn't always look as pretty when he was done, but there was a satisfaction in the work, too, that magic often lacked.
More splinters, too, but it was a price worth paying when they had no reason to rush.
"Speaking of Healing, though, are Isla and Sugar... did they find you again?"
He began to peel his own orange, listening to the other man's experiences and opinions thoughtfully, and nodding at the end. "There's truth in that, too," he agreed. "But we're not the only Outlanders anymore, now that the portals are open. For good or ill... the Hollowed Grounders are as much Outlanders in Halo and Torchline as we are. From a certain point of view," he amended wryly, certain the Grounders themselves wouldn't look at it that way. But the Halovians and Torchliners might. "My skin is certainly thin enough that I struggle with it, but I've been finding an equilibrium lately. Or at least trying to." He shrugged, smile wry as he glanced across at Remi. "Having a purpose and friends among the Naturals who try to make me feel at home helps with that. So does having a god on this world to pray to and serve, however strange that still feels at times. But to each their own." He toasted the former alchemist with a section of orange before popping it in his mouth.
Talk of their respective mates brought the rueful grin back to his angular face quickly enough, and he chased the orange with the wine, cocking his head a bit as he tried to decide whether the citrus had been such a good combination with their drinks. "Mmm. I don't use much magic at home," he admitted. "Not the easily-visible kind, at least. Enriching the fields was one thing, and of course I'll use my Healing to help with any injuries or difficult births among the animals, but other than that?" He shrugged. "I didn't even have magic until the start of this year, so mostly Rory just teaches me to the best of my ability to do things the way we had to do them last year." It took longer and didn't always look as pretty when he was done, but there was a satisfaction in the work, too, that magic often lacked.
More splinters, too, but it was a price worth paying when they had no reason to rush.
"Speaking of Healing, though, are Isla and Sugar... did they find you again?"
