Nate !
Nathaniel only blinked in response to Rexanna's answer, slightly confused but not enough to clarify. He was much more surprised by the idea of servant castes than he was about castles. They had the remannts of things like castles in Caido — the temple, the spire. But they had no servants. Even if he had a vague idea about what servants did after living near other Outlanders nearly thirty years. Nathaniel just nodded, nothing more to say. The world she left behind sounded much more beautiful than his own, though perhaps not better. He had never been particularly good at following orders.
She was entirely too excited to be invited in. Nate winced as his back was turned to her. The cabin was nothing like a castle. Very small, rather cramped, everything handmade and a little worn. Nonetheless, Nathaniel retrieved two cups and set them down on the table between himself and Rexanna. She commented on the space while he searched for the alcohol, and Nate answered with a snort of dismissive laughter. "It's enough for me," he responded. "Not a castle." A wry smile, and returned to the table with square bottle holding a clear, amber liquid. Something he'd picked up at the Rathskeller before Longnight. One of several somethings, as Nathaniel considered drunknenness one of the best ways to pass that particular time of year. He poured out the last of the bottle's contents between them and gestured for her to take one. It felt like a paltry offering, like an idiot's attempt at kindness, and he did his best to his his embarrassment by avoiding her eyes. Taking his own cup and downing it in a quick gulp.
He was almost glad for the question. That, at least, had a factual answer. Concrete and useful. "Fur trapping, mostly," Nate answered. "Some farming when it isn't so fucking cold outside.." He set his cup back down on the table. He felt as if he should say something else, or explain something else, but he was at a loss. He'd invited this Outlander into his home and now he had no idea what to do with her.
She was entirely too excited to be invited in. Nate winced as his back was turned to her. The cabin was nothing like a castle. Very small, rather cramped, everything handmade and a little worn. Nonetheless, Nathaniel retrieved two cups and set them down on the table between himself and Rexanna. She commented on the space while he searched for the alcohol, and Nate answered with a snort of dismissive laughter. "It's enough for me," he responded. "Not a castle." A wry smile, and returned to the table with square bottle holding a clear, amber liquid. Something he'd picked up at the Rathskeller before Longnight. One of several somethings, as Nathaniel considered drunknenness one of the best ways to pass that particular time of year. He poured out the last of the bottle's contents between them and gestured for her to take one. It felt like a paltry offering, like an idiot's attempt at kindness, and he did his best to his his embarrassment by avoiding her eyes. Taking his own cup and downing it in a quick gulp.
He was almost glad for the question. That, at least, had a factual answer. Concrete and useful. "Fur trapping, mostly," Nate answered. "Some farming when it isn't so fucking cold outside.." He set his cup back down on the table. He felt as if he should say something else, or explain something else, but he was at a loss. He'd invited this Outlander into his home and now he had no idea what to do with her.
