The weary lorekeeper couldn't quite find it in him to smile, but there was a spark of wry humor at Ludo's gentle chastising, not entirely unearned. "My apologies, Ludo. It simply caught me by surprise." Something the god rather excelled at doing, and enjoyed immensely from what Jigano had heard and experienced on his own. Still, this was a far milder trick to pull than frightening him with the memories of dead friends, and he counted himself lucky that Amalia was not soon to be joining their ranks.
As Ludo turned to the brave, fierce, gentle baker the bard hummed softly, coaxing a reluctant Isuma away from the goddess's feet. She came eagerly enough, hopping into his lap with a small squeak as she burrowed into his hands demanding more scratches and pets. The lightening of his mood at seeing Amalia regaining her strength and having a purpose of his own affected her as well, and she purred contentedly as he looked up again to Ludo, blue eyes solemn.
"Yes," he said simply, for once not filling the silence with flowery phrases or clever turns of phrase. The assent was all that was needed; the rest had already been said. He turned his head to glance at Amalia, but he had no doubt that his friend and fellow loreseeker would join him in lighting the way home for the souls of those who had been lost.
As Ludo turned to the brave, fierce, gentle baker the bard hummed softly, coaxing a reluctant Isuma away from the goddess's feet. She came eagerly enough, hopping into his lap with a small squeak as she burrowed into his hands demanding more scratches and pets. The lightening of his mood at seeing Amalia regaining her strength and having a purpose of his own affected her as well, and she purred contentedly as he looked up again to Ludo, blue eyes solemn.
"Yes," he said simply, for once not filling the silence with flowery phrases or clever turns of phrase. The assent was all that was needed; the rest had already been said. He turned his head to glance at Amalia, but he had no doubt that his friend and fellow loreseeker would join him in lighting the way home for the souls of those who had been lost.
