Her praise brought forth a shy smile of pleasure and pride. To be called a 'fine man' by a woman such as Hotaru sent a thrill through him, and gave his self-confidence a much-needed boost. Her attention and her compassion for him made him feel like he had worth again; a sense he had sorely been lacking since his arrival on Caido. Not just beautiful and kind, but an accomplished ruler and warrior taking the time to speak to him and care about his life? He was growing increasingly afraid that she was a dream, though by far the sweetest one he'd had in recent memory.
There was a danger in sitting so close to her in that small cathedral by the sea. Her eyes were different colors, he realized with a start. Only her left eye was the green he'd been searching his pigments for. The other was a grey like lightening storm clouds over the ocean, just before the sun emerges. He could get lost in those eyes if he stayed too close for too long, and he almost did before he remembered her pedigree, one so much prouder than his. Surely she'd had someone at her side... lovers, consorts, a harem of beautiful men and women at her every beck and velvet call?
Kel had asked as much to remind himself of his place as to learn more about her, but he regretted it almost instantly at the unhappiness in her voice and carriage as she answered. He'd been afraid that she had left loved ones behind, but her tale was as sorrowful as his - more, for he had never truly felt abandoned, however unusual his upbringing. He couldn't imagine anyone leaving her, especially not with the connection of parenthood to bind them, and he could only swallow hard against the knot of emotion in his throat. On impulse and a desire to offer comfort he reached out to her again, fingertips brushing a fold of her dress once more. "I'm sure they were proud of you, too. They still would be, if they could see you here," he tried to reassure her.
There was a danger in sitting so close to her in that small cathedral by the sea. Her eyes were different colors, he realized with a start. Only her left eye was the green he'd been searching his pigments for. The other was a grey like lightening storm clouds over the ocean, just before the sun emerges. He could get lost in those eyes if he stayed too close for too long, and he almost did before he remembered her pedigree, one so much prouder than his. Surely she'd had someone at her side... lovers, consorts, a harem of beautiful men and women at her every beck and velvet call?
Kel had asked as much to remind himself of his place as to learn more about her, but he regretted it almost instantly at the unhappiness in her voice and carriage as she answered. He'd been afraid that she had left loved ones behind, but her tale was as sorrowful as his - more, for he had never truly felt abandoned, however unusual his upbringing. He couldn't imagine anyone leaving her, especially not with the connection of parenthood to bind them, and he could only swallow hard against the knot of emotion in his throat. On impulse and a desire to offer comfort he reached out to her again, fingertips brushing a fold of her dress once more. "I'm sure they were proud of you, too. They still would be, if they could see you here," he tried to reassure her.
