He saw a tinge of embarrassment and almost wished that he hadn’t said anything. It had been charming to see her so enjoy herself; he wished more nowadays could lose themselves in the moment the way that she had. Since the reckoning, things had been so dark and somber; it was more common to come across someone who was crying and not laughing. The brief moments when happiness did ring out across the land seemed short-lived and followed by the bitter teeth of silence. It was not popular to be jovial.
(Not that he blamed anyone. It was difficult when so much had been stripped away.)
Still, he very much enjoyed her pleasure in the moment and the smile on his face did not falter. “It is indeed beautiful here,” he agreed, looking around them. The field had always been one of his favorite places to visit; the endless possibilities of it were fascinating to him—intoxicating even. He loved the way so many people could begin, or rewrite, their story simply by visiting this place. It had a touch of magic.
“I am doing well. I am glad to see the field picking up in activity—it means there is life still in Beqanna.” It had grown quiet, perhaps too quiet, as the dust settled. He imagined most people had withdrawn, like him, to get their bearings and lick their wounds, but it was time for things to right themselves. Just because disaster had befallen them didn’t mean that they had to stay down. The sun always rose again.
When she shivered and mentioned the cold, he motioned to his side. “If you want, you can come over here and warm up for a bit.” His smile was just a touch shy, crooked and charming.
“I am not good for many things, but I might be able to help with this."
magnus
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