Maea was always a rather pale thing, and she hadn't been particularly exuberant in his presence since she had returned from her disappearance, so he didn't realize immediately that her smile was off. His own was a little tired and sad, but there was genuine welcome in it, and concern when he looked close enough to see her own tiredness in the hesitancy of her words and quiet admissions.
"Tradition?" he asked curiously. He knew many Fae, but none had mentioned a puddle tradition to him. Then again, the Greatwood - and no few humans and Fae - had been suffering under the Blight last year before the Fae had closed the borders. There hadn't been much mention of shared traditions then, not with everyone focused on investigating and trying to stem the death of the woods (and monstrous transformations of themselves). If it hadn't been for Loren he wouldn't even have known of the puddles's properties.
Before he could ask why she was avoiding the Grounds Maea had used her magic to create her own protection from the rain. He waved off her offer to do the same for him with a wry grin and a shake of his head. "I don't know how water magic will interact with the puddle I'm trying to coax," he admitted. "It might be silly, but I'll stick with the old-fashioned way for now. A little rain won't hurt me."Not like a boggart could.
The wisp wasn't an unknown sight, but to see Maea speaking to it raised both silver brows in surprise and a little quiet delight. "Shii? A new companion?" he checked with a smile for his fellow pale-haired friend. It's nice to meet you," he said politely to the little Will O Wisp, pretending solemnity. "How do you do?" He glanced back to Maea with a twinkle in his eyes, directing the next question to her. "And how did you meet?"
"Tradition?" he asked curiously. He knew many Fae, but none had mentioned a puddle tradition to him. Then again, the Greatwood - and no few humans and Fae - had been suffering under the Blight last year before the Fae had closed the borders. There hadn't been much mention of shared traditions then, not with everyone focused on investigating and trying to stem the death of the woods (and monstrous transformations of themselves). If it hadn't been for Loren he wouldn't even have known of the puddles's properties.
Before he could ask why she was avoiding the Grounds Maea had used her magic to create her own protection from the rain. He waved off her offer to do the same for him with a wry grin and a shake of his head. "I don't know how water magic will interact with the puddle I'm trying to coax," he admitted. "It might be silly, but I'll stick with the old-fashioned way for now. A little rain won't hurt me."
The wisp wasn't an unknown sight, but to see Maea speaking to it raised both silver brows in surprise and a little quiet delight. "Shii? A new companion?" he checked with a smile for his fellow pale-haired friend. It's nice to meet you," he said politely to the little Will O Wisp, pretending solemnity. "How do you do?" He glanced back to Maea with a twinkle in his eyes, directing the next question to her. "And how did you meet?"
