Theo grinned. "Matches up with what I've heard. Now, what does a whale have to be so grumpy about?"
He'd almost stopped paying attention to the tree, more interested in the woman in front of him -- he always found people to be greater puzzles than any magic or creature Caido's environment could serve up. The sapling got a glance next time it moved, nothing more. He winced in sympathy as Aurelia spoke of her sisters. In truth, he couldn't really relate -- he was an only child who'd always floated through life without great attachment to anyone; quick to smile, slow to bond. But truth wasn't Theo's stock in trade. "It must be difficult to be without them."
He could have added several other unfortunate aspects of the situation -- the fact that Aurelia would never see her sisters again, the fact that she'd never even get to know how they were doing -- but he wasn't trying to make her feel worse. Instead he said, "Do you think they'd be impressed, if they could see you now? Going out on adventures, running across ghost whales?"
It occurred to him too late that this would probably only make Aurelia feel worse too -- a reminder that she was here and her sisters were not. Oops.
He'd almost stopped paying attention to the tree, more interested in the woman in front of him -- he always found people to be greater puzzles than any magic or creature Caido's environment could serve up. The sapling got a glance next time it moved, nothing more. He winced in sympathy as Aurelia spoke of her sisters. In truth, he couldn't really relate -- he was an only child who'd always floated through life without great attachment to anyone; quick to smile, slow to bond. But truth wasn't Theo's stock in trade. "It must be difficult to be without them."
He could have added several other unfortunate aspects of the situation -- the fact that Aurelia would never see her sisters again, the fact that she'd never even get to know how they were doing -- but he wasn't trying to make her feel worse. Instead he said, "Do you think they'd be impressed, if they could see you now? Going out on adventures, running across ghost whales?"
It occurred to him too late that this would probably only make Aurelia feel worse too -- a reminder that she was here and her sisters were not. Oops.
Theo
"Poker" by ND Strupler is licensed with CC BY 2.0.
