He watched his friends approach in turn - Rory, Amalia, Caiside - and watched them all draw to other sides, or none at all. Rory appeared half-clothed and heart-stoppingly handsome, but before the fox could drift towards him Amalia appeared to grant him a sense of dignity, and a companionship Jigano found himself reluctant to interrupt. Remi attracted a veritable entourage of greetings, but the lorekeeper stood apart and alone, feeling the chill of the night in a more than merely physical sense.
Ah well. He had made it to the edge of the distant river at last. Perhaps the knowledge of that small triumph would serve to warm him instead.
Or at least, there was a time when once it might have.
But at last - had it only been a few minutes? - their hostess spoke, as elemental in her speech as she was in her dress. Ahhhh questions, questions, always questions, Jigano thought to himself, lips quirking into a wry smile despite the seriousness of the situation. The woman - spirit, genie, godling? - held court as regally as any queen, and her raiment of living fire and water outshone the mere trappings of silver and gold any lesser royalty might wear. The last time he had entertained a nature spirit - along with many of those who were here again - he had gained a piece of his heart he hadn't realized had been missing. Perhaps his luck would hold again?
Seeing no immediate threat to his friends, the white-maned man stepped forward and offered the strange woman a courtly bow.
"For me, bright lady of the fire and flood, I would say my best trait is my curiosity," he declared. "To ask, to seek, to learn, to know, and not to shy away from answers, however harsh the truths they reveal."
Ah well. He had made it to the edge of the distant river at last. Perhaps the knowledge of that small triumph would serve to warm him instead.
Or at least, there was a time when once it might have.
But at last - had it only been a few minutes? - their hostess spoke, as elemental in her speech as she was in her dress. Ahhhh questions, questions, always questions, Jigano thought to himself, lips quirking into a wry smile despite the seriousness of the situation. The woman - spirit, genie, godling? - held court as regally as any queen, and her raiment of living fire and water outshone the mere trappings of silver and gold any lesser royalty might wear. The last time he had entertained a nature spirit - along with many of those who were here again - he had gained a piece of his heart he hadn't realized had been missing. Perhaps his luck would hold again?
Seeing no immediate threat to his friends, the white-maned man stepped forward and offered the strange woman a courtly bow.
"For me, bright lady of the fire and flood, I would say my best trait is my curiosity," he declared. "To ask, to seek, to learn, to know, and not to shy away from answers, however harsh the truths they reveal."
