Her company was comfortable and easy, and he found himself relaxing, his gold-flecked gaze still flicking to the border but with less anxiety. The field was, for the most part, abandoned. There was no significant thread patrolling the area, and he was not overtly concerned that the pair of them could be ambushed by anyone. It was as good a time as any to let down his guard and enjoy friendly company without fret.
“Well, that is an ill-advised hobby,” he laughed, the sound of his own chuckle twining with hers so that the noise echoed around them. One day, hopefully soon, the field would once again ring with laughter from groups of horses; perhaps today was not that day, but he appreciated the thought of it. “Next time, you should consider safer options, such as diving off the closest cliff.” His eyes warmed with humor.
His expression, however, sobered slightly as she continued talking. “A fresh start?” he questioned, musing lightly. He knew the appeal in starting over—the necessity of it, in some situations. He himself had come here before to find the same thing. He had been more desperate though, trying to free himself from something, trying to outrun something that seemingly could not be outrun. “I may be able to assist you with that,” he offered, winking. “Perhaps I am indeed good for something.” He paused a second before he gave her another smile. “Would you like to hear about my home? It’s called Tephra, and it is beautiful.”
Not that he was biased or anything.
magnus
![[Image: gqYjsHr.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/KjqNDKxc/gqYjsHr.png)