A Twist of Fate

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Mallin wasn't really sure if the tailor was patronizing him or not, but he left it at what it was and just gave a faint smile before pulling the cloak back on and leaving. There wasn't much else he could manage, and he was afraid that he'd been rude to the guards by not greeting them again as he preceded Cryon out but he was lost in his own head. He mounted up onto the mare as easily as usual, settling and letting her simply follow Cryon's horse for a while because he was too distracted to steer. Finally, they reached a more crowded area and he had to shake himself out of it and be attentive, despite still keeping his head down.

"The houses are pretty." The Mage said softly to his friend as they went slowly down a street, looking at the stonework with ivy working its way up the walls, determined to find more sun and live on. It painted a pretty picture, and as long as it wasn't allowed to grow out of control it wasn't hurting anyone. "It seems like a nice place." It would be a good place for Nima to live with his wife, and possibly even have a child. There were already children here and there on the way in, so
Mallin was sure it was a friendly enough neighborhood. But it was idle talk, really, and he was still just as nervous.

"Here?" Mallin asked when they stopped, and got carefully down off his horse only when Cryon did. Nervously, he tugged on the hood of his cloak so that it mostly hid the color of his hair from view. "Maybe . . . Maybe you should go up first, and I'll wait here. . . In case he doesn't want to see me. . ." If Nima found his presence a terrible idea, then Mallin could just leave without really being seen, and perhaps save them both some hurt. Even with Cryon at his side, he couldn't help being apprehensive.
 
"Most of the knights and their families live here when they are not on duty." Cryon said softly, his voice only loud enough to where Mallin could here him. It wasn't hard to tell that he was nervous too and when they got to the third to last house on the right and pulled to a stop, he hesitated just a moment, petting Ra's mane before finally hopping down and giving the guards a slight glance.

At Mallin's request, the king could only nod in understanding. "I will go talk to him. Wait here a moment." He told both Mallin and the guards before making his way to the doorway. He climbed up the single step that led to the front entrance and knocked, his hands rubbing against his thighs as he waited, listening to the footsteps in the house growing ever closer.

When the door opened and revealed Nima, a well toned man with dark hair and green eyes, Cryon gave him a small smile, holding out his hand and taking his friend's in greeting. "Hey, Nima. I just wanted to visit because...well..." Cryon trailed off, giving a glance towards the ground. Nima's eyes narrowed in concern for his friend, making the king even more hesitant to say it.

"I brought someone to meet you. Someone you haven't seen in a long time." Cryon said, turning his head and glancing at the mage waiting by his horse. Nima followed his gaze, his eyes growing wide as he stared at the man, recognizing him even with his hood up and head down.

"Mallin?" Nima breathed, surprise filling his gaze. Cryon nodded, stepping to the side and letting the knight walk out of his house and towards the mage.
 
Mallin couldn't help feeling a bit bad, sending Cryon to the door on his own since the man was clearly uncomfortable as well. He did hope Cryon didn't feel bad still for not telling Nima Mallin was here. The Mage hadnt meant to make his friend feel guilty, had only been caught in the moment and the initial panic and nerves. It had been a jarring experience, thinking Nima was ready and wanting to see him, and then suddenly being told that the man had no idea he was here at all.

As Cryon waited at the door, Mallin stood with his mare, petting her gently and apologizing quietly to her for being nervous because he knew it was making her uncomfortable too. He was almost afraid to look towards the door at all, but morbid curiosity got the best of him and he did glance once or twice. Nima was all grown up now, as Mallin and Cryon were, grown into a strong young man, but there were features to him that still reminded Mallin of the boy from his childhood. It was a striking sort of memory, and almost distracted him enough not to panic as Nima walked out.

Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, Mallin turned a bit to face the man and took a slight step forward away from his horse, in case anything untoward happened. He pulled the hood slowly back off his head as Nima approached, a bit shyly, and curled a hand around his arm in a sort of nervous, defensive posture, unsure what else to do with his hands. "Nima. . ." He said softly, trying for just a little smile even though he felt sick with worry. "It's good to see you again. . ." He'd never gotten to say goodbye to Nima, of course, or anyone. He supposed if the man hadn't blamed him as a boy he might have been hurt by that.
 
Cryon followed behind Nima carefully, keeping a close eye on his friend as he got closer and closer to the mage. The guards did as well, for the look of surprise on Nima's face showed neither hatred nor happiness, and that made the king weary. Nevertheless, he found himself visibly sighing in relief as a smile flit the knight's face, and he tipped his head to the mage in greeting.

"Gone for ten years and that's all you say to me. So like you, Mallin." Nima said, his voice warm and his eyes slowly removing the surprise and replacing it with excitement. He grabbed Mallin by the shoulder gently, squeezing it before giving him a hug and a pat before pulling away, his cheeks still dimpling like they did when he was child. "It's good to see that you're alright."

He turned to Cryon, a hint of mischief in his eyes as he gave him a mock scowl. "I'm going to get you for not telling me about this earlier." Nima said, making the king let out a light laugh and raise his hands in surrender. Cryon felt himself relaxing and he walked over to Mallin, throwing his arm around his shoulder and giving a small grin to Nima.

"Sorry buddy. I've been keeping him to myself." Cryon said, as comfortable as ever with Nima. After all, they still remained friends well into their teenage years and adulthood. It was a sort of comfort that the knight filled after Mallin had left, though it never really quite was what the king had wished it was. He realized that now, especially when Mallin had come back, filling the hole in his heart so completely, he couldn't imagine it ever feeling empty again.
 
Mallin was tense and almost ready to flee as Nima approached, but as the man spoke he began to relax again, even to smile a bit more honestly. Nima spoke with less energy than when they were children, as most adults did in everyday life, but his smile was the same and Mallin couldn't help thinking of their time together as children. He hadn't shown his water tricks to Nima much at all, not like he had Cryon in the safety of the castle, but that had never stopped them from playing.

"I- I didn't know what else to say." The Mage said nervously still, but the way Nima pulled him close had an overwhelming sense of warmth and relief washing over him. Mallin hugged his old friend briefly back, and relaxed a little further as Cryon slung an arm around his shoulders. He wasn't used to being so nervous around people, as most of his interactions in Arcturus after finding his place there had been easy and relatively stress free, but having Cryon right there at his side made him feel better.

There was a sense of feeling left out, somewhere in Mallin's mind, because these two had known each other and kept up with each other in the time that he hadn't even been able to see them, but somehow it still felt a bit like old times. Mallin couldn't help smiling, if sheepishly, and rested a hand instinctively over Cryon's arm on his shoulder. "I've only been back a few days. . . I should have come sooner, but I needed a rest." He would let the man infer that it had been from the journey, rather than saying that he had wiped himself out heeling. While Nima seemed to welcome him back, Mallin didn't wang to jump into talk of magic straight away. "Cry told me you're to be married soon. I wanted to congratulate you. I'm glad you're happy." If only he could find everyone he'd left behind living happy lives in his absence. Despite the feeling of loneliness it might bring on, Mallin would be happy then.
 
"Well...just because Mallin is covering for you, I guess I can let this one go, Cry." Nima said before shaking his head with a soft laugh. He instead turned towards the house, motioning them forwards. "Let's go inside. I have coffee brewing in case you wanted some." He said before looking back at the mage thoughtfully, his eyes tracing the movement of Mallin's hand to the king's arm before Cryon moved it from the mage's shoulder.

"Thank you. I'm sorry you don't get to meet her today. She's back home with her parents, getting everything in order before she comes here to live with me." He said, a soft smile coming to his face as he thought of his soon-to-be-wife. He led the four of them into the small but comfortable house, enough room for the two guards to remain in the living area while the knight led Mallin and Cryon to the kitchen.

"Wow, you really cleaned the place up the last time I've been here." Cryon said, looking around the house with a small smile on his face. He knew that despite Nima's clean and calm appearance, he had a certain lack of...household cleaning. His fiance was thankfully a good wife to be and had been getting him on a straight path. He took a seat at the table, letting out a comfortable sigh.
 
It was a warm, comforting thing to be invited indoors, a simple notion but one Mallin took to heart. It meant, in most cases, that a person was comfortable enough and friendly enough to trust someone in their home, their safe place. While he felt a bit of loss at Cryon's arm sliding away, Mallin was content enough to follow the man inside, and did look around a little as they went. It was a nice house, not very big but suited to a small family's needs and well maintained.

"That's too bad," the Mage said softly, some disappointment in his voice. "Some other time, then." He had hoped to meet Nima's wife, but it was probably a lot to ask for a first meeting, when he hadn't even been sure the man would welcom him.

Hesitant in someone else's home, Mallin only took a seat after Cryon had, a thoughtful sort of look on his face. "I can't say I've ever drank coffee before." He'd been too young to really be allowed it or have any interest in it before he'd left, and coffee was not a cheap import for Arcturus. "Eide had some, sometimes," he mused, mostly for Cryon's benefit as Nima had no idea who the man was, "but it wasn't cheap, and he was never big on sharing." Not luxuries, anyway. The man had been generous in teaching him and giving him a place to stay, and Mallin appreciated that generosity despite having to work very hard for it.

"Where will you be having the wedding?" Mallin asked after a pause, quietly putting aside ideas of attending because the invitation he'd thought he might already have didn't really exist. Nima had only just learned he was back, after all, and he didn't want to be presumptuous, especially without meeting the bride-to-be. "I'd like to help if I can." He was used to working. If it would be allowed, he would gladly take part in setting up the event so it would go smoothly.
 
"Well, we gained a trade alliance with the Loren kingdom across the sea. Coffee is their main good, so it is quite common now." Cryon explained, leaning his arms on the table and giving Nima a soft thank you as he laid two cups of the black liquid in front of them. "It has a very distinctive taste, so you might not like it." The king continued, giving his friend a smile before taking a small sip of the hot drink.

"Well, we were going to have it at the castle's gardens." Nima said, looking at the both of them thoughtfully before sitting down as well, leaning on his own arms and giving Mallin a pleasant smile. "It's nice and big for the crowd, and Cryon has already offered to let us have the dining room and ballroom for the reception afterwards, so I don't know how much is quite done yet or what else needs to be done." The knight looked down at his arms, rubbing his hand along them for a moment.

"We have the decorations coming in either today or tomorrow. Maybe Mallin could help set them up if he has free time." Cryon suggested, his voice easing. It would be good for the mage to work with the staff, maybe get them to become more friendly. Nima only let out a light laugh, a teasing look in his eyes.

"How are you going to let him go long enough for him to be on his own. You always were so jealous about sharing Mallin." Nima said in a light tease, earning a flush across Cryon's cheeks at the mention of his selfish manner as a child. It was true, he didn't want the mage to go with anyone else. He was his best friend after all.
 
Mallin looked curiously at the drink set in front of him, having intended not to ask for it but not wanting to say no after being given it. He gave Cryon a wary sort of look when warned, and picked the mug carefully up in both hands to feel its warmth as he usually did with any warm drink. It had a nice scent, at least, though he could tell just from that it would be strong, and he was careful to discreetly cool it a bit before making a small sip. Bitter. That was the word that came to mind, just bitter, and not something he would have ever sought out, but at least it didn't make him gag. He'd been offered worse things before.

"It's . . . interesting." He said, wrinkling his nose a bit in a mild sort of distaste, but not shoving the drink away. It wasn't bad enough that he couldn't drink it, and it was pleasantly warm where it settled in his belly so he let it be. It would be rude to reject what he'd been offered by their host. "It must be popular to travel so far." He didn't see why, but to each his own.

When Cryon was teased Mallin couldn't help smiling at the other man's expense, though he didn't do so unkindly. "I need to leave the nest sooner or later." He said with a soft laugh, shrugging a little and taking another sip. "Beside, a vagrant like me can't stay so close all the time. I'd probably end up in the way." Until he at least looked as if he belonged here, Mallin knew he really shouldn't be accompanying Cryon to any social events. He was far too out of practice with the protocol of such places, as well, and would likely make people more angry or offended than anything.

"I could help make things unique." The Mage insisted, smiling happily at the idea of helping decorate. "Hang things from the rafters where none of the ladders reach. I could . . ." He hesitated a moment, then just lowered his hand beneath the table for a good ten seconds or so, and lifted up a small, palm-sized image of a swan, made purely of ice. "I could make you a sculpture, and keep it melting." He said it almost shyly, hesitant to show his tricks so soon but knowing that he would need to address the issue of his own magic sooner or later. Nima had known, but opinions changed. Mallin had always been open about his magic in Arcturus, and even if it wasn't needed here as it had been there, he didn't want to start hiding it as if he were ashamed.
 
"It's an acquired taste, that's for sure." Nima said in agreement, holding his own cup with one hand while studying Mallin for a moment. "But, it does give you a boost in energy, which is good. I think that's why Loren citizens are so upbeat." He let out a chuckle, raising the drink to his lips and taking a small sip. Cryon nodded in agreement, before turning his gaze back to the mage, smiling as he saw the small swan in his hands. It was so beautiful to him.

Nima set his cup down and leaned closer, looking at the swan with a perked interest. After a moment, his eyes lit up and he nodded, grinning at his found friend. "Then, I guess we'll have to get you on decoration duty." Nima said, running his fingers over the slight stubble he had on his face. "I think Rachel would love to see something as pretty as that on our wedding day. Could you do doves? They're her favorite bird."

Cryon grinned even more, leaning more comfortably back in his seat now that he knew that Mallin would have a place in the wedding preparations after all. The man did deserve to get the chance to get back into the swing of Jorell, and this might be a perfect way to do it. "You can help with decorations when they arrive then. I'm sure I can find something else to do while you are out of the nest." Cryon said, swirling his drink around in his cup with a soft smile on his face.
 
Mallin was nervous as Nima sat up to look, but only held the swan a bit closer, and glanced sidelong at Cryon to take comfort in his dearest friend's constant approval of his magic. With that confidence and appreciation, it was easier to think that they were less dangerous tricks, and more just a part of him that could be beautiful if he let it. It was just another thing that made him glad he had come home, even through all the mystery, the nerves, the people that might remember and hate him. He had to try, didn't he? Otherwise, he would never know.

"I would love to help," The mage said brightly, a faint, pleased flush to his cheeks as the nerves twisted into something less afraid and more excited. "Any way I can. I . . ." He shifted the swan back into a little puddle in his hand, heated it into just vapor to drift away so nothing got wet. "I haven't seen doves in a long while, but I'll have a look around." He smiled, happy and for the most part content. "And I'll look in the library. There's bound to be something on birds around." He just needed a good enough portrait or two of the birds to make an accurate ice model of it, and from there he could work towards making it look as if they were in flight before the wedding.

Mallin turned a little to smile at Cryon as he picked up his cup again, just holding it after a little sip. "I'll come back and help with whatever I can, of course." He had promised to help Cryon with this whole King and war business, and he would hold himself to that promise. Cryon was under a lot of stress, and he deserved to have someone on his side that could also gently argue any ideas that might not go over so well. A second opinion was always good - when it wasn't coming from a group of older men shouting it at you.

"Maybe Carrie and Jake can help me, once we meet." The mage added, happy with the idea and happily expectant about that meeting to come. "I'm sure they'd like having a chance to teach someone." It would be fun for the children, showing an adult something they knew that he supposedly didn't. Even as he taught them, he always wanted to be sure they were comfortable and happy.
 
"You're a friend before you're are a worker, Mallin." Cryon said, his voice soft and a bit hesitant. He loved that Mallin was happy at the prospect of working, but he didn't want him to forget that friendship could come before duty in most cases, even for a king. Nevertheless, he smiled for his friend, letting out a chuckle at the thought of Carrie and Jake driving the poor man crazy.

"If you can handle those two, we should get you as a nanny instead." Cryon said, a bit teasing as the corner of his lips twitched up. "You should see poor old Mary, running around, chasing us until she's red in the face. Poor woman is probably at her wits end right now." He commented, earning a nod of agreement from Nima before he took a long drink from his cup, one of his brows furrowing with thought.

"I'll tell you what. Carrie got into the knight's quarters the other day and about scared half of us to death. Let a chicken loose inside the room." Nima said, shaking his head with a fond smile. "She's a sweet girl though, even if she is a devil spawn."

"Let's be honest here, almost all kids are devil spawn at one point. That's just a part of growing up." Cryon replied, giving the mage a warmer smile now that his thoughts were on the children. He did love them with all his heart, and they were as much of his family as his parents had been. Mallin was too, and Cryon's couldn't stop itself from warming up at that thought and leaving his face flushed in happiness.

"Some of us forget to get out of the growing up stage." Nima said, giving the king a pointed look, making Cryon grin before sticking his tongue out at the knight childishly.

"You don't think I'm a kid, do you, Mallin?" Cryon asked, turning his teasing eyes towards his friend.
 
Mallin only smiled when Cryon spoke so softly, reaching over to give the man's arm a gentle squeeze. "I'm used to working all the time, Cry. It would feel strange sitting around doing nothing while everyone else works." If he couldn't help with decorations or chores, he would always willingly volunteer to assist in whatever work Cryon was doing at the time. He might not have the training or education that his friend did, but he was sure he had some sort of practical wisdom to give, or at least a second opinion to encourage new thoughts and ideas.

"A chicken?" The mage repeated, smiling widely and laughing at the idea. "Chickens aren't so scary." Finding one unexpectedly in one's quarters might be, he supposed, but chickens were only hard to catch, not deal with. He was used to animals roaming free in Arcturus, though, and it was different here, so maybe chickens would be scary. They had certainly frightened him as a little child after one had nearly pecked at his face. Carrie and her brother were beginning to sound like a handful, but he was still excited to meet them.

When his friends play-argued, Mallin couldn't help but smile. "I am, usually, compelled to side with you." He said to Cryon, taking a little sip of coffee and giving a diplomatic shrug. "But when you complain to me in that tone I have to lean more to Nima's side." He grinned after, teasingly patting Cryon's shoulder as if to reassure him and taking his hand back to hold the cup again. "I'll just have three kids to babysit, then. I do look forward to meeting them. Even if Carrie is trouble. I think she'll like learning more about her magic." It was what mages were born to, after all. Learning to develop and use their magic more was an instinctive sort of urge, and he would be happy to help her.
 
Cryon gave a soft sort of smile and glanced towards the table as Nima shook his head, not even noticing the moment between the two. "No, it's not that the chicken was scary. It was the fact that it was so sudden and it was screeching the entire time. The entire guard room was in riots from being so suddenly woken up and we chased that thing for several minutes before finally catching it." The knight shook his head, smiling as if he was remembering the event. "Poor Richin looked like he had a heart attack. He was the one that chicken ran all over."

Cryon let out a soft gasp of surprise and mock hurt when Mallin said he sided with Nima. "But Mallin! Don't you love me anymore?" He asked in a soft teasing whine before crossing his arms and puffing his cheeks in a pout. He turned his head pointedly away from the mage as if he was mad with him, but the smile that was forcing its way onto his face was a clear indicator that he wasn't doing a very good job at it.

"Well, you have more patience than most, but I don't think you really have to worry about it. Cryon is actually really good with kids." Nima pointed out, draining the rest of his cup and standing, walking over to the sink and setting it in. "He has been since he was a teenager. Sort of strange, but then again, he is Cryon." He added, always having to put a teasing remark in any compliment he gave the king. Cryon only smiled, rolling his eyes at Nima before smirking at Mallin with a secret look in his eyes as he leaned closer.

"He's just jealous because they like me better." Cryon whispered, out of Nima's hearing range.
 
Mallin made a soft, sympathetic sound. "Aw, the poor chicken," he said, setting his cup gently aside and shaking his head with a little smile. "All that running around would have scared it. You should have stood still and let it calm down. It would've been easier to catch, then. Not that chickens are ever easy to catch. . ." He supposed if one was calm enough and had food in hand it was possible, but running around after a chicken was a difficult and arduous task, the bird quick and agile despite being flightless. It was a scene Mallin might have laughed at before trying to help.

"Of course!" The Mage said in response to his friend's antics, grinning back at him with a bit of mischief in his eyes. "I love children as much as anyone." He was happy to sit with these two, listen to them talk and tease as good friends did, and to take part even though he regretted not being around them for as long as he'd been away. He'd missed out, but now at least he had a chance to be a part of it again.

When Cryon leaned over to whisper to him, Mallin couldn't help but laugh, though he did his best not to blurt out the 'secret'. "I suppose taking care of me when we were little might have helped. I like children. They have a unique perspective on things, and they're usually very easy to make happy." He had, of course, missed out on a giant chunk of his own childhood, so it was always nice seeing others living through it. He wasn't so bitter about his own life that he couldn't find joy in seeing others live theirs.
 
Cryon nodded and rested his chin on his hand, focusing on Mallin with a gentle smile. Hearing his friend talk of children so fondly brought a sense of what almost felt like pride that swelled in his chest and warmed his stomach. He was glad that the mage liked kids, and that he was so willing to put up with the king, who was a kid in an adults body anyways. "Of course kids are different from adults. They tell you like it is." He answered, letting out a soft chuckle at the memories of Carrie and Jake always telling him something borderline awful about someone, like one of the nursery maids smelled like molded books.

"They also are very kind when you need it." Cryon added after a moment of thought, letting his mind wander. He remembered the times that he had been down, the times when he missed his family and couldn't hardly bare the thought of continuing on without them. At the lowest of his low, he remembered Carrie sitting beside him as he cried in the throne room, taking his hand and promising to give the king all her treats so that he could be happy. She had sat with him for two hours past her bedtime, and although Cryon felt a bit guilty about admitting putting all he had on a child, he might have not made it through the night if it hadn't been for her.

Nima took a seat back at the table, giving Cryon a look of sympathy before returning his gaze to Mallin. "So, are you staying in town permanently or am I going to have to drag you back and forth from where you live so I don't have to put up with Cryon's whining about you not being here?" He asked, a gentle teasing in his voice, but also, a general warmth.

(Sorry, I got put on new medicine and let me just tell you, you did not want me posting in the state I was in. It's a roller coaster of emotions XP)
 
((Oh, no, that sounds terrible :( Good to see you're feeling better now (I assume, since you're back) ))

Mallin nodded, agreeing with a little smile and wondering what the wistful look in his friend's eyes meant. "Most are, when you need them to be." Children sometimes had a way of knowing, once they were past a certain age and knew that it wasn't always play time. "Some of the children would come running from their homes when I came by as I worked. They would share their treats or something to drink, or ask me to play for a while or show them a trick. I always liked making them smile." Once he'd mostly gotten over his own bitterness and depression, at least.

When Nima asked if he would be staying long, Mallin gave a soft, hesitant little smile. "I hope to stay here as permanently as possible." He said, knowing that something could go wrong, that someone could hate him or some sort of mob could try to drive him out upon learning the King was harboring him. Those things were, probably, unlikely to happen, but he kept the possibilities in mind so he would always be mentally prepared. "Hopefully there will be no need for whining." He said with a little laugh, giving Cryon's arm a gentle pat as if to reassure him.

"After the wedding, I may go back to Arcturus." He added after a pause, speaking mostly to Nima but glancing at Cryon a few times. "I want to check on my replacement, see if I'm needed at all, and perhaps bring a few things back." He smiled sheepishly. "But to be terribly honest I travel faster alone, and I will come back home as soon as I can."
 
(I am doing better XD I'm still a bit on edge and I get angrier easy, but it's manageable)

"Of course there's no need for whining." Cryon said, sitting up in a more proper manner and pushing out his chest like he was noble and a professional man. "I am a king, and kings do not whine." He addded, though he couldn't stop the faint smile that crossed his face as he shook his head. He was not like other kings, strong, confident, and proud, and he never would be. He had accepted that.

"I don't want you to go." Cryon said, puffing out his lips in a slight pout and sighing, resting his chin in his hand. He hated the thought of Mallin having to return without him, even though he knew that the mage would be better off going on his own than having the king and his guards trailing him around. Besides, Cryon had his duty, and the thought of that made him wrinkle his nose in distaste. "But as long as you come back quickly."

(Sorry this short. Writer's block)
 
((Hopefully that'll get better in time too :) ))

Mallin blinked at Cryon when the man suddenly drew back and straightened his posture, as if mildly startled. He knew his friend was only joking around still, but he couldn't help noticing the change, the way Cryon was fundamentally different than he remembered. Older, yes, and more mature, surely - that much was to be expected. It was the way he could shift between being just his dearest friend and family to being the King, the ruler of all of Jorell. It was to a much lesser degree now than what he had seen back at the castle, but it was another thing that reminded the Mage just how much had changed in his absence, just how much they had each gone through. He had to wonder if he ever appeared to have two selves in that way, and if it unsettled Cryon just as much.

What was worse, when his friend pursed his lips like that Mallin had the sudden and frighteningly compelling thought that he wanted to kiss them.

The Mage did smile honestly still, unable to resist the happy atmosphere still around them and the smiles on his friends' faces, despite the strange and worrisome thoughts in his head. "I don't really want to leave," he agreed, smiling a bit softer and giving a small, helpless shrug. "Not so soon, especially. But I have to make sure Eide is doing all right finding a replacement. I'll bring you back a souvenir if you'd like." And if there were any messages to be delivered to the king of Arcturus he could bring them himself. He knew it wouldn't be necessary to reaffirm his promise to the man, but he may as well make himself useful if he was going back anyway.
 
"Oooh, maybe you could bring back a piece of pottery that that older woman had." Cryon suggested, smiling over at his friend. He did love that pottery and all the colors she had them. His favorite had been the green and blue one that had the colors so nicely used together, it gave him the sense that he could stare for it for hours. "I'll give you the money for it when you go. I think a decoration is just what I need to liven my dull room up a bit."

But he wasn't stupid, and his eyes shown his worry as he looked at his friend, seeing something was obviously bothering Mallin. He wasn't sure what it could be, and although the mage gave a sincere smile, his eyes seemed to show a troubled mind, and that him let out a final sigh and stand, giving Nima a small smile and dipping his head to the knight.

"I'm afraid it is about time to return back to the castle and finish my work there. It was nice to visit you again." Cryon said, holding out his hand and giving Nima a firm handshake. He could hear the guards in the other room already standing, apparently hearing what he had said. At the castle, he could ask Mallin in confidence what was wrong, and maybe the mage would tell him when they weren't surrounded by people.

Nima gave Cryon a weird look, but conceded anyways, giving him a soft farewell before turning to the mage, smiling. "It was so good to see you again, Mallin." The knight said, bowing his head to Mallin before holding out his hand.
 
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