[ His response is to merely smile and shrug his shoulders. Perhaps he should learn how to be more accepting of compliments, but he genuinely sees no reason for it. All he is doing is his duty, and at the end of the day, that seems to be all anyone can do.
He may not be able to see her hands and what she is doing with them, but he doesn't have to in order to realize that something is troubling her. Her posture seems tense, and there is a look in her eyes that troubles him by extension. ]
You... You were? [ He had not realized that, but he was just a little distracted at the time. His expression turns into a frown and in spite of himself, his hands clench together to form fists. ] I must apologize, I- [ Something clenches in his throat, cutting off his speech. Thus far, he has done his best to keep his emotions contained, as there is far too much riding on him to allow for anything else.
That is how it has always been, and now is no exception. ]
Mistress Alkaid, I am very sorry. [ The pain that she seems to be feeling is mirrored in his own expression as he feels a sudden heaviness sweep over him. There is so much he still has yet to process, and this latest piece of news from one he has come to hold in high regard has only added to the weight that has settled on him. ]
I would not wish to add more responsibilities to the ones you already carry, not for my sake, but you should not have been prevented from assisting. [ He means to give orders on that subject as soon as he is able. ]
But yes, all things considered, I am well. [ Tired, and weighed down, but that is true for all of them. ] And I also wish for that.
[ There is something about these meetings between them that set them apart from the countless others he carries out in his day to day, and while he can't put a finger on what that something is, he knows that he values them very highly. ]
My solution is that if you were to hand your paperwork over to Lucia, she would see it delivered to me with all haste.
[ And then he smiles once more, a smile that is still slightly weighed down but no less genuine. ]
no subject
He may not be able to see her hands and what she is doing with them, but he doesn't have to in order to realize that something is troubling her. Her posture seems tense, and there is a look in her eyes that troubles him by extension. ]
You... You were? [ He had not realized that, but he was just a little distracted at the time. His expression turns into a frown and in spite of himself, his hands clench together to form fists. ] I must apologize, I- [ Something clenches in his throat, cutting off his speech. Thus far, he has done his best to keep his emotions contained, as there is far too much riding on him to allow for anything else.
That is how it has always been, and now is no exception. ]
Mistress Alkaid, I am very sorry. [ The pain that she seems to be feeling is mirrored in his own expression as he feels a sudden heaviness sweep over him. There is so much he still has yet to process, and this latest piece of news from one he has come to hold in high regard has only added to the weight that has settled on him. ]
I would not wish to add more responsibilities to the ones you already carry, not for my sake, but you should not have been prevented from assisting. [ He means to give orders on that subject as soon as he is able. ]
But yes, all things considered, I am well. [ Tired, and weighed down, but that is true for all of them. ] And I also wish for that.
[ There is something about these meetings between them that set them apart from the countless others he carries out in his day to day, and while he can't put a finger on what that something is, he knows that he values them very highly. ]
My solution is that if you were to hand your paperwork over to Lucia, she would see it delivered to me with all haste.
[ And then he smiles once more, a smile that is still slightly weighed down but no less genuine. ]